byLarry EderSally Meyerhoff, a graduate of Duke University and promising national class marathoner (and dabbling triathlete), was killed on March 9 while training on her bike in Arizona. She apparently did not yield to a truck and was killed instantly while on a training ride. Please keep her family, friends and Sally in your thoughts and prayers.
ZELEZNY AND HIS GROUP IN SA
POTCHEFSTROOM (RSA): Legendary olympic winner Jan Zelezny started on
tuesday his usual training camp in Potchefstroom,
South Africa.
But not as athlete as many years before but as coach. His group of javelin
throwers is one the highest qualities including world record holder Barbora
Spotakova on the women side and trio of talented youngsters Petr Frydrych,
Vitezslav Vesely and Jakub Vadlejch on the men side. They will stay in Africa until the second half of April.
KANTER DISCUS INDOORS
VAXJO (SWE): The already traditional long throwing indoor meeting World
Throwing Indoor Challenge will be held this weekend in large Tipshallen of
Vaxjo. All throws (weight throw instead of hammer) for ages from 11 to senior
will be held over two days. The main attraction will be discus olympic winner
Gerd Kanter of Estonia.
He will challenge his own world indoor best 69.51 from 2009. Also to note the
participation of Portugal
shot put record holder Marco Fortes and German discus thrower Sabine Rumpf.
KIRANI – HOW FAST?
COLLEGE STATION (USA):
The college US
indoor season will climax on Friday and Saturday with NCAA first category
championships in Gilliam Indoor Stadium of College Station. World level top
marks could be expected mainly from Grenadan long sprint sensation Kirani James
who already improved the junior indoor all-time best to 44.80 this season. Jeff
Demps can attack the world leading 6.48 in the 60 m, world leads could be
expected in men´s and women´s 200
m races. High level is also possible in men´s long jump
and women 400 m.
GREAT VIEWING FIGURES
LAUSANNE (SUI): Provisional television viewing figures
for the recently-concluded 31st European Athletics Indoor Championships are
extremely encouraging, says European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz. Informs
European Athletics. Initial feedback from the European Broadcasting Union has
seen strong live ratings reported in major television markets United Kingdom and France,
along with impressive ratings in Sweden,
Netherlands and Czech Republic.
An impressive British team performance sparked interest among viewers, with
BBC, the public-service broadcaster, registering average audiences of up to
1.53 million and 1.2 million for its live coverage on Saturday and Sunday,
respectively. With Renaud Lavillenie turning on the style in the pole vault
with a world-leading, national- and championship-record 6.03m effort on
Saturday and Teddy Tamgho breaking the triple jump indoor world record with two
17.92-metre marks on Sunday, host broadcaster France Télévisions attracted
average audiences of 1.2 million (11.8 percent market share) and 1.3 million
(11.1 percent). Swedish Television had an average live audience of 580,000
(37.30 percent market share) on Saturday when Christian Olsson competed in the
triple jump qualification. NED 1
in the Netherlands saw an average of up to 724,000
viewers tune in to live coverage on Saturday (25.10 percent market share) and
up to 650,000 (19.70 percent) on Sunday. An average audience of up to 357,000
watched live coverage of Saturday’s events on CT4 in the Czech Republic, with
the market share reaching 20.81 percent as Denisa Rosolová won the women’s 400m
final in a personal-best time.
WILLIAMS REMAINS ON JUNIOR PLAN
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): British world junior sprinting champion
Jodie Williams remains consistent in her attitude and said after Paris fourth place she is
not planning to compete in Daegu. She has opted against receiving lottery
funding to enable her to maintain control of when and where she runs. “I’m back
at school this week which is going to be really strange–and I have a lot of
work to catch up on,” Williams, who even took her maths homework with her to Paris, told reporters.
Her coach former sprinter Mike McFarlane said she will run at European Junior
Championships instead. But London 2012 remains the goal.
FRENKEL WAS A DANCER
JERUSALEM (ISR): Jerusalem Post writes about the fast
high jump career of Danielle Frenkel who finished fourth last weekend in Paris and improved in the
qualification to 194 cm.
What makes Danielle Frenkel’s recent accomplishment all the more impressive is
the remarkable progress she has shown in such a short period. Just four years
ago, the then 19- year-old was still pursuing her dream of becoming a
professional dancer after spending years with the Bat Dor Dance Company. The
turning point in Frenkel’s sporting life arrived two months into her army
service as a guide at Yad Vashem. Writes the paper. Israeli high jump coach
Anatoly Shafran had tried to lure Frenkel into an athletics career after seeing
her jump in a high school competition at the young age of 14. But despite his
initial failure, he remained in touch with Danielle and managed to convince her
to give sports a serious shot after inviting her to compete in the Israel national
championships. After clearing just 169 in 2007, Frenkel improved her personal best
by six centimeters in each of the next two years, jumping 181 in 2009. She started her
indoor campaign at Moravia High Jump Tour clearing 185 and 190 in Czech
Republic what were her only
international meetings before Paris.
OTHER NEWS
PRAGUE (CZE): During the press conference announcing
Usain Bolt to compete in Ostrava for the fifth
time also Puma Czech Republic
announced its partnership with the meeting for the next two years.
BELVILLE (RSA): Caster Semenya the reigning World 800 metres champion will
step down in distance and compete over 400m at the Yellow Pages Invitation
meeting in Cape Town/Belville on Thursday. Not at 3000 m as it was originally
announced.
PRAGUE (CZE): Best current Czech pole vaulter and
world indoor finalist Michal Balner underwent a surgery on his hand this week.
After he broke the pole during his jump in Donetsk indoor jumping the remainder of the
pole injured his hand heavily. After more examinations at home doctors found
out that his thumb was broken on several places and the surgery was needed. He
will have another five weeks of rehabilitation, only after that he can start
with slow training.
BALTIMORE (USA): World Express Athletic
Management releases its new and improved website to highlight its athletes and
their performances throughout the track season. Fans, meet directors and media
outlets are invited to: http://www.worldexpressmgmt.
Top client of the group is the long jump world champion Brittney Reese.
BERLIN (GER) : German hurdler Willi Mathiszik has
returned to training with his former coach Peter Schörling. Mathiszik hasn’t
been able to compete in 2010 and the past indoor season due to an injury but
believes returning to his old coach will help him back into competing on an
international level. His main goal is to qualify for the IAAF World
championships in Daegu later this year.
LONDON (GBR): The 2011 BT British Olympic Ball will
be held on Friday October 7 announces Insidethegames. The event is Team Great Britain’s signature fundraising event in support
of its athletes, and is particularly crucial to the team’s hopes of improving
on their performance at the 2008 games in Beijing
as they rely exclusively upon private funding. the British Olympic Association
has revealed that it is facing a shortfall of up to 5 million pounds in
preparing the team for London 2012.
MONACO (MON): Steve Hooker has given an update on his
situation in his latest IAAF online diary. Hooker, who decided to skip the
indoor season, has been closely following international pole vaulting and
thinks the level of pole vaulting will be raised this year to 6-7 athletes
jumping at least 580. Although currently not competing, Hooker reveals himself
as an excellent follower of the sport in his diary.
LONDON (GBR): Police raided a used furniture store in
south London on
Tuesday in a crackdown against illegal ticket sales ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
Police arrested a suspect and seized soccer tickets as it was one of several
operations carried out in London and southwest England,
leading to a total of five arrests. While the raids weren’t directed at fake or
unauthorized Olympic ticket sales that go on sale March 15 but are intended to
send a message to those planning to fraud the Olympic tickets writes Universal
Sports.
DUSSELDORF (GER): Organizers of PSD Bank Meeting in Dusseldorf which was held
on February 11 this year informed about excellent outcome of the event. Also
the survey among the spectators showed high ratings of satisfaction. For
example 97 percent of the spectators were satisfied with sporting level of the
meeting. Also 96 percent said that the atmosphere in the hall was excellent. A
high 85 percent said they will come back next year. The most watched event was
the 60 m
Hurdles because of Chinese star Liu Xiang, the race itself was won by Czech
Petr Svoboda who became later the European gold medalist.
CHRISTCHURCH (NZL): The QEII stadium in Christchurch
has been closed indefinitely because of damage sustained in the earthquake that
hit Christchurch
a few weeks ago. The 20.000 capacity venue was built for the 1974 Commonwealth
Games is now waiting assessment by structural engineers before any decision
about reopening the stadium will be taken. The earthquake hit less than a month
after the conclusion of the International Paralympic Committee Athletics World
Championships that were held in the QEII stadium writes Insidethegames.
PARIS (FRA): A record number of athletes have joined the French
athletics association this year. A total of 210 467 athletes are member of a
club.
REIMS (FRA): French walker Yohann Diniz will attack the world record 50.000 m race walking on a
track at his club in Reims on Saturday March
12. The world record belongs to Thierry Toutain who clocked 3:40.57.9 in 1996
and is currently the only outdoor world record held by a French athlete.
ARNHEM (NED): The Dutch Olympic Committee NOC*NSF has
decided to put forward the Seven Hills race for the IOC Sport and Environment
award. The IOC wants to stimulate the use of sustainable venues for sport
events. The Seven hills race, that has been organized since 1984 in Nijmegen, pays attention to collection
carbage during the race and saving energy when organizing the event, they also
aim at making the event a climate neutral event. The IOC will hand out the
award during the World Conference on sport and the environment in Qatar
on April 30th.
LAUSANNE (SUI) : In an interview with European Athletics heptathlon gold
medalist Andrei Krauchanka explained he had a dream before the European
championships that if he were to win the gold medal in Paris he would have to
respond to the attack of a Frenchman in the 1000m, which is exactly what
happened in Paris. Krauchanka, besides having tattoos running down his legs
symbolizing the 10 decathlon events, also has a car registration number
featuring 9000 and his telephone number ends in his personal best decathlon
score of 8617.
LAUSANNE (SUI): European Athletics will sign a
proclamation affirming its support and affinity to Special Olympics Europe
Eurasia (SOEE), the Europe mission of Special
Olympics International. Under the partnership both organisation will promote
their partnership via their communication channels of website, newsletter,
publications and during events confirmed European Athletics.
LONDON (GBR): The London Assembly has described the total of 14,000
London 2012 tickets that have been reserved for Government officials and
politicians as “excessive”, and is insisting that all public bodies “show
restraint” when bidding for preferential access to tickets, and also publish a
register of tickets received writes Insidethegames. They warn that public
confidence could be damaged if government bodies buy too many tickets or fail
to publicly account for them.
LONDON (GBR): The British Olympic Association (BOA)
has referred to the IOC to make a decision over the shortfall in BOA’s funding
for next year’s London Olympic Games and whether London 2012 should help close
the gap. The BOA needs to find up to 8 million dollar to help it meet its
obligations for next year’s Games. It was London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe,
that decided to ask the IOC to get involved because of the pressure he was
coming under from the BOA to renegotiate the Joint Marketing Agreement (JMA)
between the Organising Committee and the BOA writes insidethegames.
NAGOYA (JPN): Brett Larner informs that at a press
conference in Nagoya
organizers of the 2011 World Championships in Daegu informed about the course
for the men’s and women’s marathons. The women’s marathon will take place on
the first day of competition, Aug. 27, with the men’s race set for the the
final day, Sept. 4. Both races will begin at 9 a.m. From a start point in
the city center the marathon course will cover two circuits of a 15 km loop before finishing
on a 12.195 km
loop. Organizing committee director Zo He Nyon commented, “The course is very
flat, meaning we can look forward to excellent performances.”
SYDNEY (AUS): American and world championships silver medalist Chelsea
Johnson and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Alana Boyd headline the women’s
pole vault at next weekend’s Sydney Track Classic. Boyd just last weekend
sailed over 460 to claim the win claims second on the Australian all-time pole
vault list.
WARSZAWA (POL): Fresh European champion in pole vault Anna Rogowska
donated one of the golden poles to the Kamila Skolimowska Foundation. This
foundation is helping young athletes who need help after injuries and health
problems.
LAUSANNE (SUI): Throughout February many of the top
European athletes were putting in their final preparations for the European
Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris.
Since the championships were held in the first week of March, European
Athletics has decided to include the performances at Paris 2011 for the polls
for the month of February. A number of European records, national records and
personal bests were registered during Paris 2011, national indoor championships
and other indoor meetings across the continent. Following this, European
Athletics is pleased to announce the nominations for the European Athlete of
the Month for February representing 12 countries. The voting will close on
Friday 18 March at noon CET.
PUNTA UMBRIA
NEWS
BIRMINGHAM (GBR):
Charlotte Purdue the reigning European
Junior Cross Country champion will lead the Aviva Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
women’s team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships on March 20.
Purdue
after an exemplary season culminating by becoming the youngest winner of
the UK senior World Cross Trial in 20 years in Birmingham last weekend
is part of a 24-strong competing
in Punta Umbria.
Andy Vernon who scored a third successive trials win heads the men’s
squad in Spain at the Championships where Kenya has been
preparing to repeat its clean sweep of all of the titles for the last
fortnight. UK
is sending full teams for all four races.
MADRID (ESP): Spain
is sending full team to the IAAF World Cross Country championships at home in
Punta Umbria.
Top names are Ayad Lamdassem, Arturo Casado and Antonio Jimenez on the men’s
team and European champion Nuria Fernandez and Alesandra Aguilar on the women’s
team. Men: Ayad Lamdassem, Antonio Jimenez, Youssef Aakaou, Arturo Casado,
Carles Castillejo, Ricardo Serrano. Women: Nuria Fernandez, Diana Martin, Gema
Barrachina, Jacqueline Martin, Alba Garcia, Alessandra Aguilar. Junior men:
Daniel Arce, Gabriel Navarro, Fernando Carro, Karim Achengli, Angel Ronco,
Victro Puyuelo. Junior women: Blanca Fernandez, Irene Sanchez-Escribano,
Beatriz Caspar, Jose Perez, Sara Ruiz, Patricia Cueto.
FRANKFURT (GER): Steeple specialist Steffen Uliczka was selected as the
only German runner for the IAAF World CC Championships in Punta Umbria. He competed also
at the end of the year at European CC event and achieved a solid 12th position.
SOFIA NEWS
WARSZAWA (POL): Poland
is sending 5 athletes for European Cup Winter Throwing in Sofia. The best is javelin thrower Pawel
Rakoczy with 79.73 best.
FRANKFURT (GER): Hammer European champion Betty Heidler is the top name
in German selection for Sofia.
She will travel to Bulgaria
as title defender. In shot put European indoor silver winner Christina
Schwanitz with Josephine Terlecki are the main names. The senior team – women – SP: Schwanitz, Terlecki,
DT: Rumpf, Giesa, HT: Heidler, Klaas, JT: Eisenlauer. Men – SP: Hoppe, Dippl, DT: Munch, Wolf, HT:
Rautenkranz
RESULTS
BRISBANE (AUS, Feb 25): Paul Jenes informs about a missed performance
when Mitchell Watt jumped 813
in Brisbane
on the 25th Feb. He beat Henry Frayne 7.65m. Frayne who is getting close to 17m
in the triple is the nephew of Bruce Frayne 1984 Olympic 400m semi-finalist and
has moved to Queensland
to be coached by Mitch Watt’s coach Gary Bourne.
SYDNEY (AUS, Mar 10): William White and Elliott Lang have been first to
impress at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships first day where almost
2000 athletes are set to compete across a five day showcase of up and coming
Australian track and field talent. They achieved 71.56 and 71.23 in the javelin.
SAD NEWS
KIROV (RUS): RusAthletics.com informs about the death of former
succesfull decathloner Grigoriy Degtyarov at age of 52. In 1984 he scored
national record and won in Gotzis. In 1986 Degtyarov won the Goodwill Games and
his Russian record 8698 from 1984 is still valid. After his career he worked as
coach, was chairman of regional sports commission and worked at the university
here. In 2009 he got the honorary citizenship of Kirov.
NEW YORK (USA): RRW informs about a sad
story. The winner of the women’s division of last January’s P.F. Chang’s Rock
‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon, Sally Meyerhoff, was killed in a cycling accident in
Arizona,
according to several published reports. Meyerhoff, who was 27 and lived in
Maricopa, Ariz.,
failed to yield at a stop sign and was struck by a pickup truck. Reports say
she was killed instantly. With her long red hair, usually in pigtails, and her
penchant for wearing running skirts, Meyerhoff stood out in elite fields.
Bigger than most runners, Meyerhoff also dabbled in triathlons, and had
qualified for last year’s Ironman World Championships as an amateur. In
college, Meyerhoff ran for Duke
University where she won
several ECAC titles, including the 5000-meters outdoors in 2004, and the
3000-meters indoors in 2005. She had career best times of 33:03.19 for 10,000m,
1:12:52 for the half-marathon, and 2:35:49 for the marathon.
