by Larry EderThe Weltklasse, held in Zurich, Switzerland on Friday, August 29, 2009, will have some amazing fields. While the 60,000 plus fans will fete on Usain Bolt and crew, the men’s 400 meters may be the race of the night: LaShawn Merritt, 2009 Berlin gold, 2008 Beijing gold, Jeremy Wariner, 2009 Berlin silver, 2008 Beijing silver, Kerron Clement, 2009 Berlin 400m hurdle gold, 2008 Beijing 400m hurdle silver, 2007 Osaka 400m H gold, and Angelo Taylor 2009 Berlin 4x 400m gold, 2008 Berlin 400m H gold, 2000 Sydney 400m H gold, all in one race! Some day, Usain Bolt will be added into a race like that! Now, that sounds like some fast quarter miling!
Usain Bolt and his 200 meter gold record, WC 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net
5000 FANS CAME TO SEE BOLT
ZURICH (SUI): Nearly 5000 fans came to see Usain Bolt on Thursday to main hall of Zurich Main Railway station. He signed autographs and tried as DJ. “On Monday in Berlin at Puma Event they were forced to close the streets. I never expected that outside of the stadium so many people will come to see me. But what happened here in Zurich was overwhelming. This week I need a rest after Berlin. I expect a good and fast race, but am not thinking about world record on Friday,†he was quoted at the following press conference. World champion at 1500 m Yusuf Saad Kamel was saying that with proper and long enough training for the 1500 m he wants to attack the world record. “I think already now I can do 3:28-3:29,†he said. In total 16 individual world champions will compete in sold out Letzigrund Stadium. Every event is a highlight in itself. For example duel of giants at 400 m – with four world or olympic winners (Merritt, Wariner, Clement, Taylor) or in shape French Boubdallah Tahri in steeple against Kenyans with another shot at European record. Return of olympic medalist David Oliver is something special at 110 m hurdles. Two female hurdlers can make for their non podium in Berlin (Dawn Harper after stumbling in the finals and Lolo Jones after dnq at US Champs). US Stacy Dragila is making one of her last competitions in her pole vault career. All four Golden League Jackpot contenders will be in action (Bekele, Richards, Stewart, Isinbayeva). In missing department is the Finnish javelin thrower Tero Pitkamäki, who is recovering after illness. The meet can be also viewed through broadcaster Universal Sports, either online or on free-to-air television.
TIRU RUNNING IN GATESHEAD
GATESHEAD (GBR): Double olympic winner Tirunesh Dibaba is planning to run the 3000 m at British Aviva Grand Prix on Monday. He missed the world championships due to injury, now he is in the start list of the second best British one day meeting.
BURKA HOPES FOR FAST 2000 M
BRUSSELS (BEL): Satisfaction and fast race. Two goals for Ethiopian middle distance runner Gelete Burka who fell during the 1500 m final in Berlin. She will run the 2000 m and try to attack the world record of Sonia O´Sullivan at Van Damme Memorial in Brussels. Another world record attempt will be organised in men´s 4×1500 m relay. In sprinting wars Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell are confirmed for the 100 m and still waiting on the decision of Usain Bolt and his distance.
OTHER NEWS
UTRECHT (NED): Fortis Singelloop in Utrecht will have on Sep 27 at 10 km former track world champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya competing. He can attack the world record of Micah Kogo 27:01 achieved this spring in Brunssum. Kipchoge was fifth at recent World Championships in Berlin.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Eritrean Zersenay Tadese who won silver at World Championships in Berlin at 10 000 m, the first medal for his country ever at the event plans to run the IAAF World Half-marathon championships early October in Birmingham.
ST. LOUIS (USA): Double hurdles world champion Michelle Perry will have knee surgery here on Aug 30. It is with the same doctor as Dawn Harper in winter 2008, after which she later became the olympic winner.
THESSALONIKI (GRE): Another world champion intending to compete at World Athletics Final is long jump world champion Dwight Phillips. He will jump in Gateshead on Aug 31 and then fly home to see his family before returning to Greece.
LAUSANNE (SUI): The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the broadcast rights for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 to three organisations. Globo Comunicaçăo e Participaçőes S.A. (TV Globo), which won the bid, has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television (on a non-exclusive basis, in partnership with Rádio e Televisăo Bandeirantes Ltda (Bandeirantes)) and subscription television, internet and mobile phone (on an exclusive basis). In addition, Radio e Televisăo Record S/A (Rede Record) has acquired the rights on free-to-air television (on a non-exclusive basis). IOC says in a press release.
LAUSANNE (SUI): European Athletics is pleased to confirm that the Hungarian capital city of Budapest will host the second edition of the European Team Championships, First League, on June 19-20, 2010. Like the SPAR European Team Championships, Super League, which will take place on the same weekend in Bergen, Norway, the First league will have 12 teams competing.
The 2010 European Team Championships, Second League, will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, while the Third League will be organised in Marsa, Malta. The 2010 European Cup Combined Events, Super League will be staged in the Estonian capital city of Tallinn. The championships will be held simultaneously along with 2010 European Cup Combined Events, Second League that will be hosted by the Portuguese city of Ribeira Brava, on June 26/27, 2010. First League will be finalised at a later stage.
The divisions for the 2010 European Team Championships are as follows:
Super League: Bergen, Norway
Germany, Russia, Great Britain, Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Ukraine, Greece, Belarus, Finland and Norway
First League: Budapest, Hungary
Czech Republic, Portugal, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Ireland
Second League, Belgrade, Serbia
Serbia, Switzerland, Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Austria, Israel and Moldova
Third League: Marsa, Malta
Cyprus, Bulgaria, Denmark, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Albania, Armenia, Andorra, FYR of Macedonia and Athletic Association of small States of Europe (AASSE)
KINGSTON (JAM): Jamaica‘s tourism industry is hoping the incredible success of Usain Bolt and the country‘s sprinters will help persuade more travellers to visit the Caribbean island. Writes insidethegames.com. The free publicity Jamaica has received as a result is worth hundreds of million dollars, Government officials have estimated and they now plan to cash in. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica‘s Minister of Tourism, said: „The last nine days has proven beyond doubt that the power of sport can redefine a nation’s world-wide perception and the natural synergies can revolutionise a destination’s travel and tourism industry. Air Jamaica has already launched its „Celebrating Gold“ sale, offering American tourists the opportunity „to visit the homeland of world-famous sprinter Usain Bolt, world’s fastest man; Shelly-Ann Fraser, world’s fastest woman; and the rest of Team Jamaica who collectively claimed the second highest medal count in Berlin“.
RESULTS
RIGA (LAT, Aug 27): At International meet in Daugava Stadium former world record holder Osleidys Menendez of Cuba won the javelin with 60.25 m. Olympic medalist Ainars Kovals was the best in men event (79.25). Another good home win by Ieva Zunda at 400 m hurdles (56.82) and Maris Urtans in shot put (20.22). Bahamian Trevor Barry cleared 225 in high jump over Ukrainian Dmytro Demyanyuk and US Jamie Nieto (both 221). Sprints were aided by wind. Russian Olga Zaytseva sprinted to 11.56 (+2.3) and 22.92 (+4.5). Barbados champion Andrew Hinds clocked 10.36 (+3.0) to win the 100 m. German Daniel Schelting won the 200 m (20.76, +2.6).
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