by Larry Eder
Christophe Lemaitre, in his national champs, ran 9.92 in ideal winds (2 mps), this is his seventh time under ten seconds.
This morning, saw Usain Bolt heading to airport, Coach Jerry Schumacher and Shalane Flanagan heading back to the states, and met Yargelis Savigne, the Cuban triple jumper, who is rounding into shape for Daegu. Great night of track & field followed by some nice moments with some of the world’s greatest athletes.
Have to admit that I am impressed with Usain Bolt. He is running well, but not to his WC or Olympic standards. That he is winning is not noted, that he is not running world records all the time is not only just not fair, but does not make sense physiologically. No one can keep those levels up for ever. There are good years and tough years.
Bolt will have challenges in Daegu, but, as always, he will give the fans great races and there should be epic battles over 100m and 200 meters. The relays should be much closer this year, as the US team at 4 x 100m for men and women are looking very good with their 37.90 and 42.25 last weekend.
Bolt wins, otherwise 2 meet records and 3 world leads
STOCKHOLM (SWE, Jul 29): Nice Scandinavian evening, full house, but too
strong winds. Bolt won, but the result of the evening by Cheruiyot in
women 5000 m, other world leads for Watt and Thorkildsen. Meet records
for Ibarguen and Spencer. Sensation of the evening, Oliver did not win.
Event by event review
Men
200 m: Bolt finally wins in Stockholm, gets 20.03 against -1.2 wind. Second his training-mate M. Anderson way back in 20.44.
400 m: So far the best race of the season with four sub 44.85. Gonzalez
got the win for Jamaica in 44.69 ahead of LaShawn Merritt who returned
in real top shape 44.72 just ahead of Ch. Brown 44.79 (fastest of the
year for him) and hurdler Taylor 44.82. World leader Bartholomew in
European pro debut fifth 45.32.
1500 m: Kiplagat reigns currently here, another top win in 3.33.94 over fast closing olympic winner Kiprop 3:34.49.
Steeple: Solo for Kipsiele Koech in 8:05.92 (2:39 and 5:23 splits). Will
it be enough to change Kenyan selection in favor of him?
110mH: Sensation of the evening, Richardson beats Oliver 13.17 to 13.28,
head-wind -2.3. Oliver last time lost to US hurdler in Zurich 2009
(Trammell, Payne).
HJ: Ukhov after superb indoors is coming also at the open meet in the
shape with 234 second attempt. World leader Jesse Williams second 232
and other three cleared 230.
LJ: Watt gets Oceanian record and world leader 854 (+1.7), he is in top
shape after injury. Berrabah second with windy 840 (+2.5, legal 807) and
Saladino third 819.
DT: Alekna beats Malachowski 65.05 and 64.91, oly winner Kanter only fifth 62.98.
JT: Thorkildsen is the king, another world lead 88.43. De Zordo second with last round 84.37.
Women
100 m: Jeter won but was pushed by Myers 11.15 and 11.21. And no chance for meet record as the wind was -2.4.
800 m: Great solo for Sinclair who returned after Paris injury in 1:58.21, Semenya only 8th (2:01.28).
5000 m: Solo of the evening for Vivian Cheruiyot 14:20.87 (she was alone
since 2k, 8:38 at 3 k and 11.31 at 4k). It is world lead and national
record. Only Dibaba once and Defar twice were ever faster.
400mH: Meet record (and diamond) for Kaliese Spencer 53.74, world champ Melaine Walker is coming to shape with 54.71 as second.
PV: Yelena Isinbayeva got 464 in second and 476 in first and enough to
win. She also tried at 486. But a big win, because everybody was here
(Spiegelburg 470, Suhr 464, Feofanova 464, Murer 451).
TJ: Pity with the wind. No world lead because Saladukha win 15.06 was
aided by +2.3. Her legal best 14.76 +1.8. Second Savigne (first time
beaten this year on the circuit) 14.87 (+2.1, legal 14.68). Third
Ibarguen new South American record and meet record 14.83 (+1.9).
Other races: 16-years old Hamza Driouch won the 1500 m B-race in superb
3:35.73 national junior record, Sudanese Rabah Yusif won the 400 m
B-race in 45.70 and US Molly Beckwith the 800 m B in 2:00.33.
OTHER NEWS
JOHANNESBURG (RSA): After Saturday Athletics South Africa (ASA) will
have a new president and vice-president again. This comes after Sascoc
banned former president Leonard Chuene and Vice-president Kakata
Maponyane earlier this year due to the Caster Semenya gender debacle.
James Evans has been acting as track and field chairperson for ASA since
the incident. There are nine candidates standing for election for the
position of president. Among the nominees also marathon runner Hendrick
Ramaala, also James Evans The elections will be held under the
supervision of SASCOC as an independent body.
ROMA (ITA): European indoor high jump champion Antonietta Di Martino
will return to competition next week in Malaga. The national record
holder after foot problems will jump on August 7 as guest at Spanish
National Championships against the home record holder Ruth Beitia.
RESULTS (Lemaitre 9.92)
ALBI (FRA, Jul 29): Superb 100 m final with ideal wind support (+2.0)
during second day of French Championships. European winner Christophe
Lemaitre clocked his 7th sub and it was the best 9.92. New French
record, European U23 record and European leader 2011. He got before
10.09 (+1.9) in the heats. Second European junior champion Jimmy Vicaut
10.07 (equalled his PB from Tallinn) and third Martial Mbandjock 10.17.
Fast also 100 m women final when Ruddy Zang Milama of Gabon improved her
national record to 11.09 (+1.4) ahead of European medalists Veronique
Mang 11.11 (equalled her PB from last year in Barcelona) and Myriam
Soumare 11.17 (new life-time best). European champion Romain Barras won
the decathlon with 8117 points over legendary Roman Sebrle who qualified
with 8109 points (excellent javelin on Friday 68.90) for his 8th and
last world championships. Another French Eurowinner Yohan Diniz got the
10 000 m walk in 38:44.97. Karl Taillepierre was the best in the triple
jump (17.01, +2.9) and European U23 gold medalist Florian Carvalho won
the tactical 1500 m in 3:54.35. Sandra Gomis won the gold at 100 m
hurdles (12.93, +1.0), Melanie Skotnik in high jump (189) and Jessica
Cerival in shot put (16.92). Maria Eleonor Tavares from Portugal was the
pole vault winner with national record 450, on count-back second Marion
Lotout also 450 (PB).
BIRMINGHAM (GBR, Jul 29): UK Trials started with 10 000 m race. Mexican
Juan Luis Barrios achieved 27:38.12 ahead of Japanese Tetsuya
Yoroizaka 27:44.30 (big life time best by 50 seconds) and third Italian
Daniele Meucci qualified for Daegu with 27:44.50 (PB by 24 seconds).
In the
100 m heats the fastest time for Mark Lewis-Francis 10.30 (-0.2) and
second fastest for Rikki Fifton 10.32 (+0.9). Dwain Chambers won his
heat with 10.46 (-2.3) and also qualified the hurdler Andy Turner with
10.60. Christine Ohuruogu was the fastest in women 400 m heats (52.08)
and Richard Yates in men´s 400 m hurdles heats (50.24). Here two of the
top names were not competing. Jack Green has tonsiltis and Dai Greene
had been given the opportunity to run the 400 m on Saturday. Andy Smith won the hammer with life-time best 73.26 m.
BUHL (GER, Jul 29): Deirdre Ryan of Ireland won the special high jump
meet in Germany with third attempt 193 clearance. It is new Irish
record, the previous 192 was achieved by her in 2006. She also has 193
indoors. With this mark her Daegu participation should be secured.
Second German Marie-Laurence Jungfleisch 189. African champion Kabelo
Kgosiemang of Botswana was the best in the men competition with 225.
TRABZON (TUR, Jul 29): Athletics ended at European Youth Olympic
Festival on a high note. Championships records in three girls events.
Russian Yekaterina Renzhina 23.64 (+1.2) at the 200 m, Ukrainian Olena
Sidorska at 800 m 2:05.26 and another Russian Alina Gerasimchuk 53.86 in
the javelin. But the top mark of the day came from Ukrainian Yuriy
Kushniruk who achieved European all-time best with 700 g javelin 83.42
m. Only Argentinian Braian Toledo has better marks, the top one is 89.34
from last year. Also to note the 200 m win for Briton Thomas Hoolligan
21.46 (+0.9) and relay wins for Netherland girls 45.93 and French boys
40.90.
