by Larry Eder
Berlin Stadium, August 13, 2009, mid afternoon, photo by Larry Eder
As journalists like myself were getting off our planes, taking the bus to get credentials, sending our first stories, the Local organizing committee was holding a full, Under 23 track meet in the stadium, making sure all things, big and small work for the Berlin 2009 WC, to begin on Saturday. Tyson Gay had a press conference in the morning. Usain Bolt held on in the afternoon. Yin and Yang.
It is very early, Friday morning, time for me to crash, but I wanted to give you a few things to read. If you have questions, or particular issues, twitter me with them or email me at [email protected]
EME NEWS (AUG 13, 2009) UPDATE
QUALIFICATION STANDARDS
BERLIN (GER): At the technical meeting the qualification standards for the finals have been announced. In comparison with Olympic Games in Beijing lower standards in Berlin are in men´s high jump, shot put and hammer and in women events in high jump. On the other side tougher than in Beijing are men´s triple jump and women´s shot put, hammer and javelin. men – high jump 230 (Beijing 232, Osaka 229), pole vault 575 (575, 575), long jump 815 (815, 815), triple jump 17.15 (17.10, 17.10), shot put 20.30 (20.40, 20.20), discus 64.50 (64.50, 64.50), hammer 77.50 (78.00, 77.00), javelin 82.00 (82.00, 82.00) women – high jump 195 (196, 194), pole vault 460 (460, 455), long jump 675 (675, 675), triple jump 14.45 (14.45, 14.40), shot put 18.50 (18.45, 18.35), discus 61.50 (61.50, 62.50), hammer 72.00 (71.50, 71.00), javelin 62.00 (61.50, 61.00)
BERLIN (GER): Interesting facts from IAAF President Lamine Diack speach at IAAF/LOC Press Conference after the IAAF Congress: “In challenging times, we need to consolidate our financial security, and build new commercial partnerships in places like Europe and the USA but also in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and Korea. We will continue the process of delegating responsibilities to the Areas while empowering them with the tools they need to develop our sport, and we continue to invest heavily in the worldwide development of the sport. We will continue the work of harmonising National, Area and International competition calendars and implementing a new worldwide circuit – which will be headed by the new IAAF Diamond League from 2010, presenting our sport in an exciting and relevant way to attract a new generation of fans. I am very pleased that the rights to show Berlin 2009 were sold to 213 countries around the world, for the first time in our history. I am glad to announce that we have a World Record Programme supported by TDK and TOYOTA – offering 100,000 US dollars to the winners.“
BERLIN (GER): Rusathletics informs that a proposal from Scandinavian countries not to allow athletes returning from two years or longer doping bans to compete at following two world championships was not approved at IAAF Congress. The majority of congress participants saw one measure as enough and also not acceptable from juridical point of view to have a second „ban“ for the same offence.
LOS ANGELES (USA): UniversalSports.com will have live coverage of the entire World Championships from Berlin. Here is the IAAF World Championship Central URL: http://www.universalsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=13055&DB_OEM_ID=23000&A TCLID 4767807. Also, Sanya Richards is doing Video Blogs on the site at: www.universalsports.com/sanya
PARIS (FRA): French 400 m hurdler Fadil Bellaabouss selected for the 4×400 m relay was also confirmed for the hurdles race. He will join Heni Kechi in the event. At the national champs he was disqualified but clocked afterwards 49.41 in Monaco at Herculis meeting.
BERLIN (GER): Athletics Australia has finalised the 46-strong team that will form the inaugural Australian Flame. In their final opportunity to gain village entry, Petrina Price (high jump) and Youcef Abdi (3000m steeplechase) have both posted impressive results over the weekend and will now look towards continuing this form on the main arena. Unfortunately, national 400 m hurdles champion and world indoor championTamsyn Lewis narrowly missed out on the qualifying mark in her individual trial, but the 31-year-old will remain with the team in Berlin as part of the women‘s 4x400m relay squad. Up-and-coming sprinter Melissa Breen also fell short and will return to Australia with Perth-based pole vaulter Paul Burgess, who withdrew last week.
KIYV (UKR): Ukraine is missing due to injuries three top athletes who could not be selected. Pole vault olympic medalist Denis Yurchenko, olympic 2004 medalist at 100 m hurdles Olena Krasovska and middle distance runner Ivan Heshko.
BERLIN (GER): IAAF announced the continuation of its partnership agreement with Seiko as a worldwide sponsor of the IAAF World Athletic Series of competitions. The renewal was brokered by Dentsu, the IAAF‘s worldwide marketing partner for the World Athletics Series. The new agreement recognises Seiko as the Official Timer for the IAAF World Athletics Series, 2010 – 2013, with the company supplying its state-of-the-art timing and distance measurement services to 19 events over the coming four years, including the 13th World Championships in Athletics, Daegu, Korea (2011) and the 14th edition in Moscow, Russia (2013). When the new contract begins in 2010 Seiko will have been in partnership with the IAAF for 25 years, having begun its continuous relationship with the world governing body of the sport at the 1985 World Indoor Games, the precursor of the World Indoor Championships.
BERLIN (GER): French website RMC.fr informed that double olympic winner Tirunesh Dibaba withdrew from World Championships because of her health status. But no other source confirmed that, whether it was her management at Global Athletics and Marketing or the well informed website ethioberlin2009.com. She is still scheduled to run 10 000 m and 5000 m.
BERLIN (GER, Aug 13): Germany won a U23 match at Olympic Stadium with 168 points over Poland (153) and combined team Austria/Switzerland (70) in men division. German women were even clearer winners with 191 ahead of Poland (126) and mix-team (77). In 100 m hurdles Nadine Hildebrand (13.35) beat Swiss hope and Berlin bound Lisa Urech (13.47), in men´s race Erik Balnuweit clocked 13.83.
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