byLarry Eder
Dayron Robles, Lausanne, 2010, photo by PhotoRun.net. 
David Oliver, 2010 USA Outdoor, Des Moines, photo by PhotoRun.net.
ROBLES
VS. OLIVER
STUTTGART (GER): World record holder Dayron
Robles who is again healthy against world number one in 2010 David Oliver. That
should be one of the highlights of the jubilee 25th edition of Stuttgart Indoor
meeting Sparkassen Cup. So far they met indoor five times (per Tilastopaja) and
in all cases (twice in 2007 and three times in 2010) Robles was the winner.
Debuting at the event will be high jump European indoor champion Ariane
Friedrich who missed the meeting in the past due to date clash with Arnstadt
high jump (this season on February 19). Her main rival will be Sweden´s Emma
Green who beat her in Barcelona
last summer. Barcelona
winners Verena Sailer and Christian Reif (against Irving Saladino) are also confirmed.
Another top name secured is the fastest European, triple gold medalist from
Barcelona Christophe Lemaitre. Also the other French star pole vaulter Renaud
Lavillenie will fight in Schleyer Hall with best home vaulters headed by Malte
Mohr. Women´s pole vault will see 2010 world number one Fabiana Murer of Brazil against
German elite Silke Spiegelburg with Lisa Ryzih. After four years Tobias Unger
should again try one lap, the 200
m.
CALATAYUD
HAS A DAUGHTER
HAVANA (CUB): 2005 World 800m
champion Zulia Calatayud became a mother on Thursday and she believes this
milestone cannot compared to any result she has achieved, family sources
informed. The 31-year old Cuban delivered 8.4-pound Maria Margarita Labañino
Calatayud by caesarean at 3.45am in a Havana
hospital on Thursday. Her husband Erlenis Labañino, mother Petra and sister Zoila were present to
celebrate with her. The 2006 World Cup champion plans to return to the track,
but not in time for the World Championships in Daegu or the Pan American Games
in Mexico
next year, sources added. Calatayud aims to resume his athletic career next
September or earlier if she is fully recovered. “Nothing compares to her, not
even my world title. I feel a completely accomplished woman”, she said.
OTHER NEWS
MOSCOW (RUS): Russian athletes will have
their final training camp before World Championships in Daegu in Asian part of
the country. As federation president Valentin Balakhnichev informed it will be
either in Khabarovsk, Vladivostok
or Irkutsk in Siberia.
In other Russia
development Coca-Cola became one of the main sponsors. The long time olympic
sponsor will be main partner of Russian Winter IAAF Indoor Permit meet on
February 6. Coca-Cola will also support other federations projects towards
youth and regions.
PARIS (FRA): Former world
champion Ladji Doucouré is hopefull about rediscovering his best after he
underwent surgery in October. The French athlete explained in an interview with
L’Equipe that he is working full time on rehabilitating from the many injuries
that have plagued his career but hopes that the surgery finally has brought an
end to a constant stream of injuries. The 27-year old has his eyes firmely set
on the European indoor championships in Paris
and hopes to go on top also at Olympic Games in 2012. Doucoure already competed
three times at European Indoor Championships, won twice in 2005 and 2009 and in
the first one in 2002 made it to the semifinals. His indoor 60 m hurdles best is 7.42 also
a national record from 2005.
TORRELAVEGA (ESP): Spanish High
jump record holder Ruth Beitia said for EFE agency that she respects the
presumption of innocence of those involved in Operation Galgo. Beitia also
added “if someone has committed a mistake, then the person must pay as any
other.” Beitia was interviewd after attending a promotional meeting with
youths. She is planning full indoor season for 2011.
VENTA
DE BANOS (ESP): Main Spanish CC race of the
weekend will be the 31st Cross Internacional Venta de Banos in Palencia region. In the
men´s 10.575 km
race home stars like Jesus Espana, Ricardo Serrano or Chema Martinez will run
against strong Kenyans Vincent Chepkok, Lucas Rotich and John Kipkoech. In
women´s 6.775 km
Nuria Fernandez, Alessandra Aguilar will have to fight with Kenynas Margaret
Muriuki, Ethiopean Emebet Anteneh and Portugal´s Ana Dias. Saturday´s open race
saw nearly 700 participants and many of the them wore pink ribbon to support
local star Marta Dominguez. The World steeple champion is in the center of
Operation Galgo to investigate doping in sport.
LISBON
(POR): Double European indoor long jump champion Naide Gomes of Portugal
(2005 and 2007) plans to compete in Paris in March in the next
edition of the event. In recent interview for Portugal media she said
she cannot
promise a medal but commitment and dedication. “I want to win every
competition
I enter, but you cannot guarantee it. I hope for a positive outcome,”
she said
about European Indoor event next March.
FUNCHAL (POR): European CC
Champion Jessica Augusto will compete on December 28 at the 52nd Funchal Sao
Silvestre race. Also running will be title defender, former olympic gold
medalist Fernanda Ribeiro. In the men´s race Rui Pedro Silva as winner from
last edition will run too. The 6
km race is started in the evening, at 8 pm. In women
category Benelux oppostion is announced,
Belgian Veerle Dejaeghere along with Dutch Miranda Boonstra. In men´s race
Kenyan David Bett with Belgian steeple specialist Krijn van Koolwijk. In total
1000 participants are expected at Madeira
Island.
MADRID (ESP): Popular Spanish athletics
personality, shot put record holder Manuel Martinez has defended the
introduction of “biological passport” in athletics, as already used in cycling,
as a way to combat doping. “I do not know precisely how effective, but it
certainly would be a further obstacle, an obstacle, to make things difficult
for those athletes, who would use doping to enhance performance,” he was
quoted. The biological passport is an individual document that records the
results of assessment in each sport, particularly the hematological and urinary
steroid profile and changes will be clearly visible.
ADDIS ABABA
(ETH): The Ethiopian cross country season will continue this weekend with the
staging of the Moha Addis Ababa Cross Country Championships at the Jan Meda
race course in Addis Ababa.
In the second race of the cross country season following the staging of the
Ethiopian Clubs Cross Country Championships, more than 30 clubs from Addis Ababa will take
part in the annual championships. Apart from four elite competitions (junior
and senior races for men and women), there will be competitions among the
city’s ten sub-cities and high schools. The men’s senior race will once again
see marathon runner Feyissa Lelissa, who is preparing for the 2010 Dubai
Marathon, taking part in his second cross country race of the season. On his
season’s debut, Lelisa, a 2:05.23 marathon runner, finished third behind Bekana
Daba and Mesfin Hailu two weeks ago on the same venue. Marathon
runner Mamitu Daska is the leading name in the women’s senior race that also
features Bezunesh Urgessa and a strong quartet from the defence club. Great
Ethiopian Run website informs.
MONTE CARLO
(MON): IAAF ratified also 15
km road world record by Leonard Komon 41:13 in Nijmegen on November 21
that means less than one month after the race. That shows the procedures are
currently fast enough with the ratification process, including doping control
results. In summary all world records set in 2010 are by now ratified.
LONDON (GBR): Latest Pat Butcher´s blog at www.globerunner.org – Race of the Year?
Haile against Kiprono Menjo.
BUDAPEST (HUN): All-Athletics.com offers
another set of statistics at its website. Have you thought that Asia is the deepest Area in the men’s 10,000m? By quite a
big margin. Both in the women’s 800m and 1500m Europe
has the highest number of good runners. North and Central American is the
leading Area in depth in the 110/100m and the 400m hurdles, no matter wether
men or women. More at www.all-athletics.com.
LONDON (GBR): The first of a series
commemorating the greats of British athletics, this A4 format book of 164 pages
is a treat for any athletics enthusiast. It comprises fact-filled biographies,
of between 10 and 16 pages each, of Roger Bannister, Dave Bedford, Chris
Brasher, Chris Chataway, Seb Coe, Steve Cram, Brendan Foster, Kelly Holmes,
Dave Moorcroft, Steve Ovett, Gordon Pirie and Sydney Wooderson. It all makes
for a splendidly nostalgic read. There is also a best of the rest’ section
featuring, albeit briefly, such names as Ann Packer, Derek Ibbotson, Diane
Leather, Ian Stewart, Liz McColgan, Peter Elliott, Paula Radcliffe (no doubt
she will be showcased in a future book on the top marathoners), Yvonne Murray,
Walter George and Wendy Sly, while ‘the next generation’ profiles Mo Farah,
Andy Baddeley, Jenny Meadows, Lisa Dobriskey, Hannah England, Stephanie Twell,
Chris Thompson, Jemma Simpson and Michael Rimmer. Written by Mel Watman it is
called Great British Runners.
RESULTS
HAMILTON (NZL, Dec 18): World
junior shot put champion Jacko Gill missed his 11th world record (of course
unofficial). Writes 3news.co.nz. Gill achieved 18.80 but it landed outside of the
sector. His 15 years old world best with senior implement is 18.57 m. Gill also
announced his goal to qualify for London Olympic Games even when beeing only 17
at that time. On Monday he will celebrate his 16th birthday.
