by Larry Eder
Start of 2010 Nike Cross Nationals, courtesy of NikeThe NXN, or Nike Cross Nationals, now in its seventh year, anointed the top teams in the land, as well some of the top athletes. On the team side, Arcadia XC, who were from Arcadia High School, Arcadia, CA, won the men’s team battle. On the women’s side, Manlius, from Fayetteville-Manlius HS, Manlius, NY, just dominated the women’s team battle. Epic battles in the individual wars, as Ed Chesereck, a Kenyan living in New Jersey, won the title in 16:01, with defending champion Craig Lutz in second (16:05). On the women’s side, Rachael Johnson won the individual race in 18:17, five seconds over Christie Rutledge (18:22) and Amy Eloise-Nelea (18:49) in third. Significant to note is that Lukas Verzbicas, winner of 2009 FootLocker Nationals, won the 2010 NXN. The quality of the teams is of the highest standard and the individual races continues to grow as well….
MASAI WINS
GENEVE
(SUI, Dec 4): Track world champion at 10 000 m Kenyan Linet Masai won
the 33rd Course de l´Escalade road race in Switzerland with 14:46 at 4.8
km. After 2007 it was the second win for her here. Another Kenyan
Caroline Chepkwony was second (15:17) third French Aurelia Coulaud
(15:22). Kenyans dominated men´s 7.25 km race. Paul Kipkorir won in
19:27 ahead of Mike Kigen (19:35) and Daniel Chebii (19:42). Best
European was home runner Jerome Schaffner as 9th in 20:26. Because of 28
000 participants, this is the biggest road race in Switzerland.
15 KM RACE CANCELLED
HEERENBERG
(NED): The 15th Wincanton Montferland Run planned for Sunday was
cancelled due to lot of snow and ice at the race course. The 15 km race
was suppose to have stars like Kenyan marathon runner Patrick Makau
competing.
USATF AWARDS
VIRGINIA
BEACH (USA): At the Annual Awards Breakfast Saturday morning at the
2010 USA Track & Field Annual Meeting which had Dan O´Brien as
presenter award winners were announced for their achievements on and
off the track. Katie McGregor got the Runner of the Year award in women
category. Best track athlete award went to 400 m runner Debbie Dunn and
the field one for high jumper Chaunte Howard. In men´s categories
Harrison Dillard Award was given to hurdler David Oliver, Glenn
Cunningham Award to Bernard Lagat, Jim Thorpe Award to Dwight Phillips,
Al Oerter Male Thrower Award to Christian Cantwell and John Bennett
Award to Ashton Eaton. Meet Director of the Year Award went to Jack
Pfeifer and Coach of the Year is Brooks Johnson.
OTHER NEWS
HENGELO
(NED): Former long time meeting director of FBK Games of Hengelo (IAAF
World Challenge) Fedde Zwanenburg was given the European Athletics
Member Federation Award. It was awarded to him by EA Treasurer Karel
Pilny who was in Hengelo as part of the evualuation visit because
Hengelo is bidding for European U23 Championships in 2013. The EA
Council will decide in March during European Indoor Championships in
Paris. The other candidate is Tampere, Finland. Zwanenburg who still
works for Hengelo meeting in international relations is the president of
the bidding committee.
MUNICH
(GER): IOC Vice-President Thomas Bach was confirmed as president of
German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) for the next period until 2014.
The DOSB has together more than 27 millions of members in different
sports. Bach got 92 percent of votes. As German media are noting, it
remains open whether he would be able to work in the position until the
end of the term as he might bid for the IOC top position in 2013.
ROMA (ITA):
Italian Athletics celebrated the succesfull year 2010 on Saturday in
Rome´s Sheraton Golf Parco Hotel. Awards were given to Barcelona
medalists, retiring former marathon olympic gold medalist Stefano
Baldini recieved “Premio alla Carriera” for his excellent career. Bruno
Zauli Award 2007-2008 went to Alex Schwazer and Federica Pellegrini.
World Junior 2010 and Youth Olympic Games 2010 medalists were also
awarded. Best clubs, schools and journalists were also celebrated.
STRASBOURG
(FRA): The French Athletics Federation (FFA) celebrated on Friday its
90th anniversary in the presence of legendary runner and 1956 Olympic
marathon gold medalist Alain Mimoun and medalists from Barcelona this
summer (walker Yohan Diniz and sprinters Veronique Mang with Celine
Distel). Interestingly Alain Mimoun was born the same year (1920) as the
FFA. Trophy for athletes competing 20 times or more for the national
team was given to Manuela Montebrun, Antoinette Nana Djimou, Salim Sdiri
and Fatima Yvelain. The activities continued with FFA General Assembly.
ATHENS
(GRE): Greek Government in wake of financial difficulties in the country
decided to stop funding for the elite athletes preparing to compete at
London Games 2012. The initial agreement of the Hellenic Olympic
Committee and the government was worth 30 million euros for four years
period. In 2009 8 millions were given, but in 2010 nothing, as media are
reporting. IOC Olympic Solidarity Programme as mentioned as the source
for the support of the athletes based on latest informations. This
support of IOC will go to 17 persons. In the list from track athletes
also 400 m hurdler Periklis Iakovakis.
RESULTS
YOKOHAMA (JPN, Dec 4): Kenyan Jacob
Wanjuki clocked excellent life-time best 27:49.44 at the 10 000 m during
Nittai University distance meet. Second another Kenyan Samuel Ndungu
(28:08.14) and third Japanese high-schooler Kenta Murayama who at age of
18 improved to 28:23.18.
KISII (KEN, Dec 4): Commonwealth
Games 10 000 m winner and local hero Grace Momanyi was second in the 8
km senior women race (30:00) during the fifth Kenya Commercial Bank/AK
National Cross Country series meet. She was beaten by Caroline Kilel who
is in preparation for Boston Marathon (29:59.5). Third place for Pamela
Lisoreng (30:15). Vincent Chepkok won men´s 12 km (37:58) ahead of
Charles Kibet (39:43) and John Chepkwony (39:54). Junior winners were
Philemon Rono (8 km, 25:29) and Sheila Chemuet (6 km, 22:32)
ARANDA DE DUERO (ESP, Dec 4): Kenyan
Joyce Chepkirui beat in close finish European 1500 m champion Nuria
Fernandez at the 25th edition of Cross de la Constitucion in Burgos
region (19:36 and 19:37 at 6.105 km). Third Lebogang Phalula of South
Africa got 19:50. Eritreans dominated in the men´s 9.985 km. Amanuel
Mesel achieved 28:20 ahead of Kiflum Soum (28:29) and Tesfayohanes
Mesfin (28:34). Fourth was best Kenyan Elijah Karanja (29:01).
LOUISVILLE (USA, Dec 4): NCAA second
division CC champions are Michael Crouch at 10 km (30:44) and Neely
Spence among women at 6 km (20:42).
PORTLAND
(USA, Dec 4): The seventh annual Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) were held
to crown the top American high school cross country runners. Boys winner
Ed Cheserek a Kenyan living in New Jeresy clocked 16:02 ahead of
defending champion Craig Lutz (16:05). In the team competition, it was
Arcadia (Calif.) to be number one. In the girls race Rachel Johnson won
in 18:17 beating Christie Rutledge (18:22) and Amy Eloise-Neala (18:49).
In the team competition, Manlius XC (Fayetteville-Manlius, N.Y.)
simply ran away with the title, writes RRW.
JONESBORO (USA, Dec 4): High jumper
Ricky Robertson cleared 226 at season indoor opening meeting. It is
indoor best (outdoors 228) for the last season NCAA medalist.
CARBONDALE (USA, Dec 3): Jamaican
sprinter Kimour Bruce clocked 6.78 at 60 m during Saluki season indoor
opener. Wesley Smith leaped to 782 in long jump.
MEMPHIS (USA, Dec 4): Kenyan Peter
Kemboi won the St. Jude Memphis Marathon in 2:26:29, best woman was Leah
Thorvilson in solid 2:40:20. Second Russian veteran Firiya
Sultanova-Zhdanova (49) in 2:52:11.
