Originally posted Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Corrected Thursday, February 25, 2010!
Yaroslav Rybakov, Greece 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Yelena Isinbayeva and Yaroslav Rybakov are crowd pleasers, and the Russian Federation gave them wild cards from their championships to WIC-DOHA. Fields are really shaping up for Doha, which should be the best world indoor fields as of yet! Rybakov looked pretty good last weekend in Birmingham with 2.31m, and oh so close at 2.34m…Yelena Isinbayeva? Oh, you know she will work the
crowd in Doha!
Correction: Paul Hardy of the IAAF sent Alfons & I a note reminding us that the IAAF does not give out wild cards for Doha. Alfons knew that, and wrote accordingly. I assumed the wild card was from the IAAF, it was from the Russian Federation. My apologies for the assumption. See you all in Doha!
Yelena Isinbayeva, WC 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
ISINBAYEVA AND RYBAKOV WITH WILD-CARDS
MOSCOW (RUS): Russian head coach Valentin Maslakov informed that two world champions pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and high jumper Yaroslav Rybakov will recieve wild-cards for World Indoor Championships in Doha and European Championships in Barcelona. That means they must not compete at national championships, the qualifying meet for this top two events of 2010. On the other hand they can compete at nationals in case they want. For this weekend indoor event Isinbayeva will not jump, but there is still a possibility for Rybakov. All other athletes (except of invited multi-eventers) must compete in case they want to qualify for Doha.
SUHR STILL NOT ABLE TO JUMP
ALBUQUERQUE (USA): US pole vault record holder Jenny Suhr is not yet ready to compete and her name was scratched from the entry lists of coming US Indoor Championships. Suhr (formerly Stuczynski) competed last time when winning the US title in June 2009.
KASTOR AND YAMAUCHI FOR NYC HM
NEW YORK (USA): Deena Kastor and Mara Yamauchi, who will face each other at April‘s Virgin London Marathon, will square off first at the NYC Half-Marathon on March 21 here, the New York Road Runners announced today. The Road Runners also announced that Kiyoko Shimahara of Japan and Madai Perez of Mexico had also joined the field. Informs RRW.
WORLD JUNIOR ALL-TIME BEST IN 5000 M WALK
VOLGOGRAD (RUS, Feb 24): During first day of Russian Students Championships in women´s 5000 m walk junior Anna Lukyanova (18) achieved 20:44.25 world all-time junior best indoors and world leading. Second World Youth Champion 2009 Yelena Lashmanova got second fastest ever by a junior 20:44.37. Previous junior best was 21:30.1 by another Russian Vera Sokolova back in 2005. Sergey Mudrov cleared 224 to win the high jump beating Andrey Tereshin (also 224). In the 60 m Aleksandr Vashurkin improved to 6.72 as winner.
FRANCIS GETS 60 M GOLD
TEHRAN (IRI, Feb 24): Asian 100 m record holder Samuel Francis of Qatar won the 60 m at 4th Asian Indoor Championships in 6.58. Second Reza Ghasemi of Iran clocked 6.67 (but faster 6.66 NR in heat) and Oman´s Barakat Al-Harthi improved to 6.68 (another national record) as third. World medalist James Kwalia was the best at 3000 m in 7:57.73 ahead of his team-mate Essa Rashed (7:57.77). In women events Marina Aitova of Kazakhstan was the high jump winner with good 193. Home gold for Leyla Rajabi in shot put (17.32, national indoor record) and Chinese Jiang Lan won the 60 m in 7.51.
FAST SPRINTS IN CUBA
HAVANA (CUB, Feb 18-19): Third open meet for Cuban athletes registered sensational, but hand-timed sprints. Talented David Lescay clocked 9.8 (+1.6) at 100 m ahead of Victor Gonzalez (9.9). Yunior Perez achieved at 60 m 6.2 (+1.7). In women sprints Roxana Diaz posted 11.0 (+0.5) and 23.1. 800 m specialist Yeimer Lopez won the 400 m in 45.8. Triple jumper Osniel Tosca achieved 16.96 m. In women triple jump windy 14.22 (+2.6) and legal 14.00 (+1.0) for Yarianna Martinez. And as usual solid throws. Jorge Fernandez got 62.16 in discus, Yaniuvis Lopez 18.54 in women shot put and Yanet Cruz 59.18 in javelin. Javelin world medalist Guillermo Martinez registered 75.82 m.
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