by Larry Eder
Tyson Gay, Gateshead 2010, can Gay beat Bolt? photo by PhotoRun.net.
Greetings from Salt Lake City! I am out here for the Outdoor Retailer show, the largest outdoor sports trade show in North America. For those who frequented the Super Show in Atlanta and Vegas (1986-2004), the Outdoor Retailer is very positive trade show. In two days, we visited over 40 different companies, from footwear companies, to companies selling solar battery back up for i phones!
Several times each day, I was asked about THE SHOWDOWN, Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt racing on Friday, August 6, in Stockholm, Sweden. The race just became a two man race, as Asafa Powell has bowed out of the race, due to Injuries! This was announced late Wednesday night in Stockholm, per EME News.
Tyson Gay versus Usain Bolt? Now, that is still one heck of a race!
EME NEWS (AUG 3-4, 2010)
Bolt in Stockholm
STOCKHOLM (SWE): Usain Bolt arrived on Wednesday to Stockholm for the
Friday first mega duel of the year with Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell.
“What´s up, I m here,” he said as per Swedish TV website. He took the
train from Arlanda Airport and said he is in very good shape. The 100 m
final is scheduled at 20.57 hrs local time, before that heats will be
staged, that means first also the top ones need to qualify. In other
men headlines Abubaker Kaki runs the 800 m against 1500 m olympic
winner Asbel Kiprop and fresh European champion Marcin Lewandowski. All
three Barcelona medalists will be there in men´s javelin. After Monaco
another 400 m hurdles clash Bershawn Jackson vs. Angelo Taylor. Olympic
winner Brimin Kipruto returns to Europe with fast time plan as he was
not running at African Championships and rested well.
Not only Gatlin, Iljustsenko 195 national record
RAKVERE (EST, Aug 3): Not only return of Justin Gatlin (10.34 -1.7 in
heats and 10.24 -0.6 in finals) was the highlight of Estonian Big Bank
Kuldliiga final meet. Anna Iljustsenko cleared 195 in high jump what is
new Estonian record. Ksenija Balta leaped to 673 (+1.9) in long jump
and Gerd Kanter showed solid discus shape with 66.82. Taavi Peetre
equaled his shot put best 20.33 m. Former triple world champion Trecia
Smith of Jamaica won her event with 14.11 (+1.4). Ainars Kovals of
Latvia was the best with javelin 80.76. US Trevell Quinley won the long
jump (787, -2.1) and Russian Eduard Malchenko the high jump (225). In
other sprints 2006 European champion Stanislav Olijar won his race in
13.71 (-0.4) and Jamaican Aileen Bailey the 100 m in 11.53 (-0.5). US
Shareese Woods was the best in the 400 m (52.32). Gatlin next runs on
Sunday again in Estonia in Tallinn.
OTHER NEWS
AUSTIN (USA): Lance Armstrong’s attorneys have accused the USA
anti-doping agency to have offered a ‘sweetheart deal’ if Lance
testified our provided evidence that he took doping. The deal from
USADA could have resulted in a reduced ban and other incentives. In
2007 Floyd Landis was offered the same deal by USADA and at the time
called the offer ‘offensive’.
AMSTERDAM (NED): After withdrawing from the European Championships
Dutch athlete Bram Som has a new goal of breaking his own national 800m
record in at the Brussels Diamond League or the Rieti Grand Prix.
BARCELONA (ESP): Fastest 4×400 m splits in the finals by Martyn Rooney
44.48 as British anchor, German Schneider posted 44.76, Jonathan Borlee
44.97 and Vladimir Krasnov 44.98. In previous legs the second part of
Kevin Borlee was at 44.7 level. In women race Tatyana Firova clocked
49.44 as the fastest, second best Briton Perry Shakes-Drayton 49.60 and
Italian Libania Grenot 49.61.
LONDON (GBR): Pat Butcher´s latest blog at www.globerunner.org – Reflections on Euro Champs.
AMMAN (JOR): Samsung heavily already involved in athletics is the new
title sponsor of Amman International Marathon. This years edition will
be held on October 22.
ZAGREB (CRO): After the press conference of the jubilee 60th Zagreb
Meeting Boris Hanzekovic Memorial (Sep 1 as IAAF World Challenge) the
home stars were confirmed. Both European champions Sandra Perkovic and
Blanka Vlasic. Shot putter Nedzad Mulabegovic told journalists that
also world champion Christian Cantwell and olympic winner Tomasz
Majewski will throw. There is possibility that Cantwell will come even
one week before and practice in Zagreb as last year before World
Athletics Final.
LUZERN (SUI): Great 110 m hurdles race is expected at
Spitzenleichtathletik in Luzern on Aug 8. World champion Ryan
Brathwaite will run against Czech European leader Petr Svoboda who
wants to make for his Barcelona disappointment when leading made a
mistake at 7th hurdle. Also running US Joel Brown, Jason Richardson and
returning from injury Anwar Moore. Jamaican record holder Dwight Thomas
is also there. South African paralympic star Oscar Pistorius competes
in the 400 m and hopes for first career sub 46 seconds.
JOHANNESBURG (RSA): 800 m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi must have a
break because of an injury. His next target – Commonwealth Games in
October.
FRANKFURT (GER): Fresh European javelin champion Linda Stahl of Germany
plans three competitions in a short row. The Diamond League final in
Zurich on Aug 19, next day on Aug 20 in Thum and on Aug 22 in Berlin at
ISTAF.
LAGOS (NGR): The 2008 world indoor champion at 60 m Olusoji Fasuba of
Nigeria announced his retirement. As reason he named the missing
support from his national federation. With 9.85 he is the African 100 m
record holder.
BERLIN (GER): ISTAF meet of Berlin (Aug 22, IAAF World Challenge)
already sold 33 000 tickets for the meet and prepares to showcase the
German heroes from Barcelona. All four Barcelona winners should compete
(Rief, Stahl, Sailer and Heidler the day before). Because of this new
event in the programme is men´s long jump with Christian Reif. Linda
Stahl competes in javelin against Christina Obergfoll, in the 100 m
hurdles two bronze medalists will clash: Carolin Nytra and Jennifer
Oeser. Because of 1500 m Barcelona silver winner Carsten Schlangen the
organisers changed the mile to 1500 m.
FRANKFURT (GER): German “Sporthilfe” foundation will pay on bonuses for
Barcelona best results in total 65 700 Euro to individual athletes. The
winners (Stahl, Reif, Heidler, Sailer) will get 4500 Euro each.
HOUSTON (USA): University of Houston Director of Athletics Mack
Rhoades announced that head track and field coach Leroy Burrell has
signed a three-year contract extension which keeps him leading the
Cougars through 2013. Burrell’s new contract gives his an incentive
package which rewards the competitive success he has proved at UH as
well as the program’s academic accomplishments. Writes University
website. Burrell set multiple world-records as an individual in the
100-meter (9.90, 9.85) and as a member of the 4×100- and 4×200-meter
relay teams. Burrell teamed with longtime friend and teammate Carl
Lewis to win a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics en route to setting the
world record in the event.
MOSCOW (RUS): Surprise high jump winner in Barcelona Aleksandr Shustov
hopes that he will travel in future with his wife to competitions.
Yekaterina Kondratyeva was European 4×100 m champion in 2006. She lives
with new-born son in Nizhniy Novgorod. Shustov himself is not clear
where is his home. His parents living in Mishtsi, Moscow and he also
studies far away on the eastern side of the country.
KAPCHORWA (UGA): The IAAF will support the build of a high altitude
training center in Uganda which includes the funding of a new tartan
track. The training track will have three lanes and a jumping area.
FRANKFURT (GER): Kenyan athletes Wilfred Kigen and Wilson Kipsang are
the first two athletes confirmed for the Commerzbank Frankfurt Marathon
(IAAF Gold Label Road Race) on October 31st. Kipsang only made his
marathon debut this year in Paris and is one of the exciting new names.
His marathon debut times stands at 2:07.13 while his half marathon best
of 58:59 is the sixth best time ever. Kigen has won the Frankfurt
Marathon three times in a row from 2005 to 2007 and returns this year
in the hopes of breaking the course record of 2:07.58.
COLOGNE (GER): In his IAAF online diary Steve Hooker updated on his
time off whiling waiting for the Diamond League series to recommence.
Hooker passed his time in Cologne, Germany and apart from training he
also spent time go-karting, doing barbecues and watched the European
championships.
LONDON (GBR): Arrangements have been made to prevent spectators from
taking liquids into any of the Olympic venues during the 2012 Olympic
Games. Ian Johnston, director of Olympic security for London 2012, has
revealed that security arrangements for the Games will be based on a
threat level of at least “severe” for the duration of the competition.
Although it is uncommon to have security arrangements set at “severe”
for a long period, Johnson admitted that the London 2012 Games
represent a major challenge, which is the reason why security will be
on red alert come Games time insidethegames writes.
RESULTS
HALIFAX (CAN, Aug 3): US sprint double olympic medalist Walter Dix
clocked 10.28 (-1.8) at 100 m at Aileen Meagher Track Classic meet.
Fast Canadian Sam Effah won the 200 m in 20.98 (-1.3). Natasha Hastings
scored a 200/400 double 23.38 (+0.6) and 51.46. Diane Cummins achieved
in main event 4:18.28 1500 m win.
BARCELONA (ESP, Aug 3): At Copa de Clubes wins for men of Playas de
Castellon and women of Valencia Terra i Mar. Best individual female
result for walker Beatriz Pascual in 21:47.87 at 5000 m. Jackson
Quinonez achieved 13.75 (+0.6) at 110 m hurdles.
TRENTO (ITA, Aug 3): Cuban Yuneisy Santiusti achieved 2:02.45 at 800 m here. She lives in Italy.
MALMO (SWE, Aug 3): At Folksam Challenge meet in Malmo Trinidad´s
olympic medalist Richard Thompson clocked windy 10.08 (+2.2) at 100 m.
ASHLAND (USA, Jul 31): Season best for US hammer thrower Kibwe Johnson 77.07 m.
