by Larry EderIt is obvious that Doug Logan, CEO of USA Track & Field, believes in bold and aggressive moves. The behind the scenes story, as described in Race Results Weekly, and retold by Alfons Juck below, shows a man looking for a different path for the sport.
EME NEWS (MAR 2, 2010)
NEW YORK (USA): RRW writes, that Monday‘s announcement by USA Track & Field that both the men‘s and women‘s 2012 Olympic Trials marathons would be held in Houston came as a surprise to many. Since the women‘s marathon was introduced to the Olympic Games in 1984, American women have had their own Trials race; the first was held in Olympia, Wash., and won by Joan Benoit just 17 days after a knee surgery. With three bids from the Boston Athletic Association, Chevron Houston Marathon, and New York Road Runners, it seemed likely that the two-location model would be maintained for 2012. The general consensus coming out of the USATF convention last December was that one of the Trials would be held in New York in November, 2011, with the second in Houston in January, 2012. But while in Albuquerque for the USA Indoor Championships last weekend, USATF CEO Doug Logan recommended to his board that a unified Trials venue was the best course of action for American marathoning. His board accepted his recommendation which was backed by the U.S. Olympic Committee, and Logan flew to Houston for a press conference yesterday, where he called Houston‘s $1.7 million bid “very aggressive.“ Officials at the New York Road Runners were surprised by the decision, and did not learn about it until about an hour before the announcement in Houston. The NYRR had hosted the men‘s Trials in November, 2007, and had hoped to land one of the Trials for 2012. Boston officials were also disappointed. Speaking to RunnersWorld.com, Boston Athletic Association executive director Guy Morse said he was “disappointed, primarily,“ when he heard the news.
LAVILLENIE TIED WITH LEWIS
PARIS (FRA, Mar 2): European indoor champion Renaud Lavillenie and best British vaulter Steven Lewis tied with 571 to win the Paris-Charlety special pole vault meet, part of Perche Elite Tour. For the Briton a season best. Third Jerome Clavier also cleared 571. After that Damiel Dossevi (566) and another world medalist Romain Mesnil (566). UK record holder Kate Dennison was the best woman with 456 cm.
DOHA TEAMS
GREECE: Seven athletes will travel, four men and three women, all who have achieved IAAF standards. Men – 60m: Ãggelos Aggelákis, PV: KonstadÃnos FilippÃdis, TJ: DimÃtrios Tsiámis, SP: MihaÃl Stamatóyiannis. Women – PV: Nikoléta Kiriakopoúlou, AfrodÃti SkafÃda, TJ: AthanasÃa Pérra.
LATVIA: Aiga Grabuste was invited for pentathlon, the other competitor will be shot putter Maris Urtans.
ESTONIA: Three athletes named, all women. Maris Magi for 400 m and Anna Iljustshenko for high jump, but the top name is reigning European indoor champion Ksenija Balta for long jump.
NETHERLANDS: 2007 European indoor champion Gregory Sedoc was selected for 60 m hurdles, European CC medalist Adrienne Herzog for 3000 m and shot putter Melissa Boekelman.
CROATIA: High jump star Blanka Vlasic will be accompanied by hurdles record holder Jurica Grabusic.
MOROCCO: Olympic and world medalist Hasna Benhassi will not travel to Doha for 800 m because of quadriceps injury.
SPAIN: Fourteen athletes, ten men and four women, are Doha bound for Spain. Sergio Sanchez, Natalia Rodriguez and Ruth Beitia are the biggest medal hopes on the team. Hurdler Jackson Quinonez, who ran 7.69 in the final of the Spanish national championships this weekend reported, at the beginning of the indoor campaign, he has no intentions of competing in Doha as he is putting his full focus on the European championships in Barcelona. A mindset many other Spanish athletes have followed. Men – 60 m: Ãngel D. RodrÃguez, Iván MocholÃ, 400 m: Santiago Ezquerro, 800 m: Luis Alberto Marco, David Bustos, 1500 m: Diego Ruiz, Ãlvaro RodrÃguez, 3000 m: Sergio Sánchez, Jesús Espan~a, 60H: Felipe Vivancos. women – 60 m: Digna Luz Murillo,800 m: Élian Periz, 1500 m: Natalia RodrÃguez, HJ: Ruth Beitia.
SWEDEN: Former olympic and world winner Christian Olsson in triple jump is the top name in Swedish team. Other names are Emma Green for high jump, Ulrika Johansson for 1500 m on the women side. In the men selection Mattias Claesson and Anton Asplund in the 800 m, Philip Nossmy at 60 m hurdles and Michel Torneus in long jump.
QATAR: The double world champion and 3000m Steeplechase WR holder, Saif Saaeed Shaheen would not be in the list of Qatari athletes in Doha. “Qatar will have a team of seven athletes. Today was the last day to achieve qualification standards for Doha 2010,†the Doha 2010 Event Director Abdulla Al Zaini said. “Shaheen will not be taking part in this event. He is still not ready for the Championships.†Mowasalat will be a National Supplier of the IAAF World Indoor Championships, thepeninsulaqatar.com informs. “Mowasalat will provide transportation services to our international guests and their support will ensure the smooth operation of the shuttle and VIP transport services leading up to and even after the World Indoor Championships in Athletics,†Al Zaini added. “We have already sold 6,000 tickets and the sales are going up every day,†released the organizers of world class action at the Aspire Dome.
CHINA: Former 110 m hurdles world record holder Liu Xiang confirmed his participation in Doha. With Robles, Trammell, Oliver and Svoboda, this will be one of the highlights of the event. Liu also attended the third session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People‘s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. A source at the CPPCC‘s Shanghai Committee confirmed that Liu would make a proposal on setting an effective mechanism to safeguard the benefits of coaches in competitive sports, news.xinhuanet.com writes. The third session of the CPPCC‘s 11th National Committee opens on March 3 and ends on March 13.
OTHER NEWS
KINGSTON (JAM): Paul Francis, a founding member and assistant coach of the MVP Track and Field Club, has had his right leg amputated just over three weeks after sustaining injuries in a car accident on Highway 2000, jamaicaobserver.com informs. Prior to the amputation, it is understood that Francis underwent several surgeries in a bid to save the leg, which he injured in a road accident on February 3.
ZURICH (SUI): Marathon 2007 world medalist Viktor Rothlin (35) of Switzerland is back on track three months after his surgery. The goal, European Championships in Barcelona, is now realistic. Since end of February he is training without any difficulties. Final decision about Barcelona will be made at Bern Grand Prix road race on May 22.
FRANKFURT (GER): Germany named the team for European Cup Winter Throwing in France. The 23 athletes strong team is headed by 2007 world champion Betty Heidler and other finalist Kathrin Klaas in hammer and shot putter Marco Schmidt who improved this indoor season to 20.58 m. Other international names Markus Munch for discus, Tino Haber in javelin, Christina Schwanitz in women shot put. Medal hopes also for discus thrower Nadine Muller and javelin throwers Mareike Rittweg and Linda Stahl.
RESULTS
HONGKONG (HKG, Feb 28): In exceptional hot and humid conditions Kenyan Cyprian Kiogara won the Hong-Kong marathon with 2:20:12. Indonesian Triyaningsih was the best woman after 2:47:35.
SREMSKA MITROVICA (SRB, Feb 28): European junior javelin champion Tatjana Jelaca achieved 57.94 at a throwing meet here. She plans to compete at European Cup Winter Throwing in France later this month.
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