by Larry EderAlfons Juck updates us on the seriousness of the recent car accident of Paul Tergat. Paul Tergat, the former world record holder at the marathon, the man who chased Haile Gebrselassie to epic races, and a magazine publisher of note, survived a serious accident. It took a road crew 30 minutes to extricate him from his auto. RBR wishes Paul Tergat a quick recovery and will keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Fernandez to compete
MADRID (ESP): Spanish Civil Guard informed that as witnesses several
athletes were invited including Reyes Estevez, Nuria Fernandez,
Alemayehu Bezabeh, Digna Luz and Eugenio Barrios. All of them because of
their relation to coach Manuel Pascua. That does not mean these
athletes are involved in the whole sales network of doping for which 14
people were arrested on Thursday in Operation Galgo. According to
Spanish media the number of people questioned could increase. The
husband and representative of 1500 m European Champion Nuria Fernández
Asier Pernil has denied the information published on Friday which said
that the his wife has been arrested. Fernandez will be with the Spanish
team in Albufeira and compete on Sunday at European CC Championships in
Portugal. In other development in Spain a group of about 50 top athletes
published a statement where they supported zero tolerance for doping
and recent investigations. Among the names for example talented Eusebio
Caceres, sprinter Angel David Rodriguez, javelin record holder Mercedes
Chilla, runners Carles Castillejo, Luis Alberto Marco, Juan Carlos
Higuero, Jesus Espana, Mayte Martinez, Arturo Casado, Chema Martinez and
high jumpers Javier Bermejo with Ruth Beitia. Meanwhile RFEA President
Jose Maria Odriozola will meet the press on Monday at noon.
Herzog to run
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch runner Adrienne Herzog has confirmed she will run
at the European Cross Country Championships in Albufeira on Sunday. The
Dutch athlete trains in Spain with Manuel Pascua Piqueras, who has been
arrested in the latest doping case that hit Spanish athletics. Also
Herzog has been interrogated by the Spanish police this week and said
for Dutch media that she was overwhelmed by the events that took place.
In the last couple of days Herzog contemplated wether to compete in
Portugal but now confirmed that she will run. Herzog is one of the
favourites to win a medal in women senior race.
Rudisha and N. Lagat
NAIROBI (KEN): Track runners were crowned the 2010 Safaricom Sports
Personality of the Year in Kenya on Friday night. World Athlete of the
Year and 800 m world record holder David Rudisha on the men side and
1500 m Commonwealth gold medalist Nancy Lagat. Sevens rugby’s Collins
Injera temporarily took the coveted title away from Kenya’s glamorous
track and field last year. But in a colourful function at the Kenyatta
International Conference Centre last night, which had Super Eagles
defender Taribo West as the chief guest, Rudisha made sure athletics,
which enjoyed a superb season in 2010 returned to the top. His effort
were complemented by colleague Nancy Jebet Lagat, who scooped the
women’s title in a closely contested race against fellow track stars
Vivian Cheruiyot, Milcah Chemos, Emily Chebet and volleyballer
Prackcides Agala. Men finalists were swimmer Dunford, Richard Mateelong,
Inter Milan FC midfielder McDonald Mariga and sprinter Mark Mutai, the
Commonwealth 400m champion. Mateelong, the Africa 3,000m steeplechase
champion, was second with Mutai third. For the second year in a row
Vivian Cheruiyot was second and steeple specialist Chemos third.
Kiptanui for Dubai
DUBAI (UAE): Kenyan runner Eliud Kiptanui just eight months after
destroying a talented field in Prague in excellent 2:05:39 is set to
continue his meteoric rise with a first ever appearance at the 2011
Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 21. Informs David Martin.
With the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon route considered one of the
flattest in the world, the Kenyan will be one of the favourites to
improve his personal best and make even greater strides in the sport.
Now Kiptanui, who pledged his Euro 75,000 Prague prize money to help his
two brothers and three sisters through school, will be out to land the
$250,000 first prize in Dubai – the biggest cheque in marathon running –
when he lines up in the emirate next month. Held under the patronage of
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime
Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and staged under the aegis of the
Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is firmly
established as one of the world’s leading road races producing a
world-class field and a prize-fund of $1 million.
OTHER NEWS
ROME (ITA): Former long jump European Champion Andrew Howe, who clocked an impressive 20.30 in the 200 metres
at last September’s Notturna di Milano, will compete in both the 200
metres and the long jump next year. After the Notturna di Milano he
said that he would not abandon the long jump where he won the World
silver in 2007 with the Italian record of 8.47 but sprint events
would be a priority next year. “2011 will be a very important year
for me. I love sprint events. I enjoy running the 200 metres but I
am aware that medals are difficult to get at the World Chapionships
against Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay. I will focus on the long jump in
Daegu where I have more chances but I will run some 200 metres races
during the season.”
DUSSELDORF (GER): The Dusseldorf Hall in Arena Sportpark will be
closed from December 20 until January 16 due to works on the static of
the roof. Competitions in that time will not be held and training
possibilities reduced. All should be ok for the EA Permit the 6th PSD
Bank Meeting which is planned for February 11.
LONDON (GBR): Latest blog of Pat Butcher at www.globerunner.org: What’s Marion Jones on now?
PARIS (FRA): With less than three months to go until the European
Athletics Indoor Championships (4 to 6 March 2011), the French capital
has been covered in a blanket of snow for the past two days. Coach of
fastest European Christophe Lemaitre Pierre Carraz described the current
situation as follows: “On Thursday a 50 cm of snow was covering all the
lanes in the Aix-les-Bains stadium and the race-course was no longer
possible to use. We had to adapt and I suggested that the group do a
session on the road, as it had been cleared by the municipal services.
These conditions really are exceptional as we’ve only once before
experienced anything like this. The closest indoor venue is
Aix-les-Bains, situated in Chambéry, which we only use for starts
practice. At this time of year though, we’re focusing on endurance
training. As such the guys are covering up well; they’re real hard
types. Christophe is used to outdoor sessions, as are the rest of the
group. We have four a week.”
BOSTON (USA): The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced that
Guy L. Morse (59) will become the Senior Director of External Affairs.
He has served as the organization’s Executive Director (since 2000) and
Boston Marathon Race Director (1985-2000). Thomas S. Grilk has been
named by the B.A.A.’s Board of Governors to succeed Morse as Executive
Director. Grilk has been President of the B.A.A. Board of Governors
since 2003 and will resign that position to accept his new position at
the B.A.A. The expansion in leadership enables the B.A.A. to retain
Morse’s experience and relationships while transferring the
responsibility of the Association’s daily management to Grilk. BAA
informs in a release. The B.A.A. was established in 1887, and the
inaugural B.A.A. Road Race (later to be called the Boston Marathon) was
held on April 19, 1897 and had 15 entrants. In 2010, Boston Marathon
weekend generated more than $122 million for the local economy,
according to the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. The
115th Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest annual marathon and one of the
world’s most prestigious road races, will be held on Monday, April 18,
2011.
YOKOHAMA (JPN): Yokohama women´s marathon published its new course which
is replacing the former multiple loop course. It will be held on
February 20 next year. The Tokyo Marathon organizers announced that
another 1000 runners will be accepted. But with the provision they
donate at least 100 000 yen to charity. The date is February 27 next
year.
RABAT (MAR): Double World champion and Olympic medallist in women 400 m
hurdles Nezha Bidouane will appear in a very famous Moroccan TV series:”
Mhain El Houssain” -The misfortunes of Elhoussain. The film begins
shooting next week in the historic town of Chefchaouen, Northern
Morocco. Nezha is very pleased to start this new experience and is
currently in full rehearsal.
AUCKLAND (NZL): Soccer national team captain Ryan Nelsen was named
Sportsperson of the Year by NZ Herald. Among the finalists also two
athletics representatives, runner Nikki Hamblin and shot putter Valerie
Adams.
ADDIS ABABA (ETH): The Addis Ababa Stadium, which has been undergoing
renovation works for the past few months, will be open this weekend for
the first time this season with a soccer clash between the current
Ethiopian Premier League leader, Ethiopian Coffee and the undefeated
Ethiopian Banks. The stadium with track was hosting African
Championships in athletics in 2008. Informs Ethio Sports.
ELDORET (KEN): Legendary Paul Tergat is thankful to God after he
survived to see the wreck that was his sleek Mercedes Benz car. Writes
The Nation. “I thought I was going to die. I feared for my life and had
no time to decide what best to do. But as you see am okay, I survived,”
he said on Friday. It was meant to be a day of joy. But it all ended in
split second. Just like the way he beat South African Hendrick Ramaala
in the 2005 New York Marathon by the thickness of a vest, Tergat was
stuck between life and death on the road. “It is a miracle I survived
that crash. It took the rescue people over 30 minutes to pull me out of
the wreck,” Tergat adds.
RESULTS
STELLENBOSCH (RSA, Dec 10): Yellow Pages Series started with windy
edition at the Coetzenberg Stadium. That was the reason why it was not
possible to attack the 4 minutes barrier in the mile and try to get
special bonus for that. Tshamano Setone won in in 4:13.58 ahead of
Samson Ngoepe 4:13.95. National 400m hurdles champion Cornel Fredericks
won the 300 m hurdles in 35.93 (17-years old Tarriq Solomons was second
in 37.45). Later he lost on the flat 300 m with 33.47 to specialist
Offentse Mogawane (33.22). In the 60 m and 150 m Leigh Julius clocked
6.90 and 16.34 and Cindy Stewart 7.77 and 18.09 on the women side. When
the series moves on to Oudtshoorn on Monday, the runners will make
another sub-four minute attempt.
MANHATTAN (USA, Dec 10): Mantas Silkauskas improved at Pentathlon indoor
event Lithuanian 60 m hurdles record to 7.80. He was also holder of the
previous mark 7.85 clocked in Vilnius in January 2008.
AMES (USA, Dec 10): Jamaican 400 m hurdles specialist Roxroy Cato in his
first indoor race clocked solid 47.01 at 400 m during the ISU Holiday
Preview meet. NCAA II sprinter from Jamaica Ravel Grey was fastest in
the 60 m (6.73).
CHARLESTON (USA, Dec 10): During Early Bird meet Zye Boey won the 60 m
in 6.75 and Felisha Johnson improved hugely from last season barely 20
metres in weight throw to good 22.21 m.
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