by Larry EderI like these Great NorthCityGames, something that could be tried in North America?
FAST 150 M RACES
NEWCASTLE (GBR, Sep 19): England trounced Australia in their first ever street confrontation at the Great North CityGames on Newcastle/Gateshead quaysides. Highlights included Christine Ohuruogu and Marlon Devonish as the English ran riot both setting UK 150 metres best performances as the host nation went on the rampage to score a 10-1 victory. Overall success was guaranteed by the seventh event in the programme with Will Sharman and Andy Turner notching a one-two in the 110m hurdles which gave England an unbeatable 6-1 advantage. Writes David Martin.
Sharman a revelation at last month‘s World Championships when finishing fourth, looked set to lose out to Turner his predecessor as British Number one but finished quickly to win by n 13.53 to 13.54 (+0.1). Then it was the turn of Ohuruogu and Devonish to rub salt into the wounds of the relatively inexperienced Aussies missing the presence of several injured top stars including Olympic and world pole vault champion Steve Hooker. Devonish produced an unbelievable display when storming over five metres clear of his rivals and recording a time of 14.88 (+1.4) which smashed the previous fastest of 14.93 John Regis achieved in 1993. Ohuruogu who captained the side was also delighted to produce a very impressive display when lowering the UK best of 17.10 she ran at the Great Manchester CityGames in May to 16.94 (+1.8). Local athlete Richard Kilty the youngest contestant in his race provided the shock result of the meeting when winning over 60 metres with a highly motivated display in front of his home fans clocking 6.67 (+2.1) to beat Tyrone Edgar (6.69). The final day‘s action opened when Sarah Claxton whose season has been wrecked by injuries which forced her out of the World Championships won the 100m hurdles in an quick 13.17sec. Teenager Charlotte Purdy produced one of the best performances of her young career when winning the two miles in a blanket finish from the visitors Benita Willis and Nikki Chapple. Hannah England adding another home success dominated the mile from the start winning by seven seconds ahead of World 800m bronze medallist Jenny Meadows in a time of 4:49. Andy Baddeley and Mo Farah in their mile race both refused to panic when the Aussie duo of Collis Birmingham and Mitch Kealey forced the early pace and at the half distance were five metres clear. They gradually reeled in their two determined opponents and in a close sprint for the line Baddeley edged ahead to win with a new course record of 4:02 which was matched by Farah. British record holder Greg Rutherford won the long jump with an excellent clearance of 817 (+1.1), the biggest opposition comning from teammate Chris Tomlinson who leaped to 779. The track and field events were staged specially laid areas either side of the Tyne river with free viewing to the public who turned out in much greater numbers than for last year’s experiment.
UKRAINIAN OVERNIGHT LEADERS
TALENCE (FRA, Sep 19): At last classic IAAF Combined Events Challenge meeting (still to follow Francophone Games and Asian Championships) Ukrainian Berlin fourth placer leads with 4405 points (he was best at 100 m 10.73, long jump 773 and 400 m 48.62, also 15.31 in shot put and 200 in high jump). A final score of 8467 could improve his overall position to second in the challenge, where US Trey Hardee is the clear winner. Second 2003 World champion Tom Pappas has 4267 (best in high jump 206) and third Berlin bronze winner Aleksandr Pogorelov 4196 (best in shot put 16.24). The 33rd Decastar started in rain, but olympic winner Natalya Dobrynska from Ukraine leads the heptathlon with solid 3881 (best in shot put 16.48, also 13.98, 186 and 25.01) and needs 6254 to get the overall challenge win. Her team-mate Lyudmyla Yosypenko is second (3777, best at 200 m 24.02) ahead of US Sharon Day (3687, best in high jump 189) and another Ukrainian Hanna Melnychenko (3645, best at hurdles 13.57). Olympic medalist Tatyana Chernova of Russia is only 7th (3544).
ECCC FOR JUNIORS
A-GROUP: RUSSIAN WINS
MOSCOW (RUS, Sep 19): ASK Moscow teams clearly won the European Champion Clubs Cup for Juniors A-group on home soil and succesfully regained the titles. Men scored 122.5 points over Spanish Playas de Castellon (111) and Serbian Crvena Zvezda Beograd (103). Junior women were dominating even more with 128 points ahead of Novi Beograd of Serbia (107) and Czech Olymp Brno (98). The best result in men category was the new czech junior record and world junior leader by Jakub Vadlejch with 80.52 m. World junior record holder Javier Cienfuegos of Spain achieved 73.94 in hammer (6 kg) and Russian European junior champion Sergey Mudrov cleared 220 in high jump. In junior women events the World Youth Champion Vera Rudakova of Russia clocked 58.98 at 400 m hurdles, her teammates Natalya Mamlina 180 in high jump and Yekaterina Kolesova 400 in Pole Vault. Croatian record holder Sandra Perkovic achieved solid 59.17 in discus and Serbian world junior champion Ivana Spanovic leaped to 635 (+0.5) in long jump. Turkish world youth silver medalist Kivilcim Kaya improved to win the hammer with 62.20. Polish sprint double for Anna Kielbasinska at 100/200 m clocking 11.92 (+1.2) and 24.30 (-0.7).
Team ranking
junior boys: 1. ASK Moscow,RUS 122.5, 2. Playas de Castellon, ESP 111, 3. CZ Beograd, SRB 103, 4. Slavia Praha, CZE 92, 5. Fenerbahce, TUR 87.5, 6. Enfield and Haringey, GBR 71, 7. Panellinios,GRE 64, 8. Sloboda Tehnograd, BIH 30
junior girls: 1. ASK Moscow, RUS 128, 2. Novi Beograd, SRB 107, 3. Olymp Brno, CZE 98, 4. Ulix Zagreb, CRO 89, 5. Fenerbahce, TUR 73, 6. Playas de Castellon, ESP 68, 7. Italgest Milano, ITA 61, 8. Kronos Ljubljana, SLO 55
B-GROUP
TUZLA (BIH, Sep 19): Poland teams of Podlasie Bialystok had two close battles for first place at B-group of European Champion Clubs Cup for juniors. The boys won on more individual wins as they had the same score as Italian Atletica Bergamo (both 114 points and both promoted into A-group. The girls were second just two points behind the British Blackheath and Bromley Harriers as both gained promotion to highest class. World youth bronze medallist Tomas Kruzliak of Slovak Team achieved 65.00 with 6 kg hammer. Poland´s high jumper Piotr Milewski cleared 210, Danish Lasse Larsen 52.22 with 1.75 kg discus and Slovak Juraj Mokras won two events 200 (21.90) and 400 m (48.25). In girls competition two best results the 56.02 at 400 m by home Jasna Horozic and 603 in long jump by British Lorraine Ugen.
Team ranking
junior boys: 1. Podlasie Bialystok, POL 114, 2. Atletica Bergamo, ITA 114, 3. Stavbar Nitra, SVK 97, 4. Mass Ljubljana, SLO 92,5, 5. Sparta Copenhagen, DEN 78, 6. Netherlands 71, 7. Lille Metropole, FRA 60, 8. BTV Aarau SUI 53.5
junior girls: 1. Blackheath and Bromley Harriers, GBR 80, 2. Podlasie Bialystok, POL 78, 3. Stavbar Nitra, SVK 69, 4. Sloboda Tehnograd, BIH 68, 5. Nomme KJK, EST 53, 6. Sparta Copenhagen, DEN 43
C-GROUP: ESTONIAN AND SWITZERLAND WINS
HEUSDEN-ZOLDER (BEL, Sep 19): Estonian SK Altius Parnu won the junior men C-group in Belgium with 102 points ahead of Croatian ASK Split (93) and so gained promotion into B-group for 2010. In junior women competition clear win dfor LG erdgas Oberthurgau with 77.5 and along with home AVT (57) were promoted into B-group. Croatian sprinter Hrvoje Udiljak posted double with 10.86 (+2.2) and 22.00 (+0.4) in sprints. Lithuanian hammer thrower Martynas Sedis achieved 61.90 and Estonian 400 m runner Andris Saaremits 48.44 at 400 m as best individual results. Swiss girls won 8 events including both relays.
Team ranking
junior boys: 1. SK Altius Parnu, EST 102, 2. ASK Split, CRO 93, 3. Nike, LTU 77, 4. Juventude Vidigalese, POR 75, 5. Tamperen Pyrinto, FIN 62, 6. DAL, BEL 59, 7. Dooneen AC, IRL 58
junior girls: 1. LG erdgas Oberthurgau, SUI 77.5, 2. AVT, BEL 57, 3. Alsace Nord, FRA 52.5, 4. Tampere Pyrinto, FIN 52, 5. Nike, LTU 38
OTHER RESULTS
USTER (SUI, Sep 19): Kenyan junior John Mwangani won the 30th Greifensee-Lauf (Half-Marathon) which was also national championships. He clocked 1:05:42 ahead of Ethiopian Tesfaye Eticha (1:05:32) and Christian Belz who was with 1:06:07 Swiss champion. In women category also a Kenyan win for Helen Musyoki (1:13:52) ahead of her team-mate Eunice Kioko (1:15:48), the national title for third Bernadette Meier (1:17:07). Fourth Czech Petra Kaminkova (1:18:10) ahead of walking specialist Zuzana Schindlerova (1:19:37, she was 19th in Berlin at 20 km walk).
LANGENTHAL (SUI, Sep 19): Fast 200 m and a tie at Swiss Team Championships. Marco Cribari and Marc Schneeberger clocked both 20.83 (+1.1). There were no overall team winners, but in each event.
SZOMBATHELY (HUN, Sep 19): Czech men won clearly the U23 match with 174 points over Hungary (147) and Slovenia (66). In women competition a close win for Hungary (144) over Czech Republic (143), third Slovenia (86). Fourth from European U23 Championships in Kaunas home Oliver Harsanyi improved to 225 in high jump. Czech Frantisek Stanek cleared 525 in pole vault and Hungarian Anita Marton achieved 16.12 in shot put. Slovenian Tina Jures was the fastest sprinter with 100/200 double (11.90 and 24.64).
DECIN (CZE, Sep 19): Jan Marcell confirmed his shape in discus with 62.70 win at local meet. He was also second in shot put with life-time best 19.07 behind Antonin Zalsky (19.52).
GORIZIA (ITA, Sep 17): World indoor record holder Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia continues in her return, she won here with 2:07.84 at 800 m.
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