by Larry Eder
Image via Wikipedia
VISA Europe is predicting a record consumer spend increase of $1.2 billion in the seven weeks around the Olympics and Para- Olympics in London 2012! Do not let anyone tell you that sports do not support the economy.
The second most popular sport in the summer Olympics on NBC TV is….drum roll please….track & field. I am curious about that. Someone challenged me on that last night in a quick note. As during the summer Olympics, around the world, there is no more popular sport than track & field. I believe, that in the US, it continues to be the powers that be in American TV that control the viewing hours and perception of our sport. If a product is poorly done, only the real fans can tolerate it.
The word, “Olympian” means something to the nearly six billion people on this planet. The significance of the Olympics is that, every four years, 214 or 15 of the worlds 300 countries come together to run, jump, throw (and do lesser sports-yes, some humor) for 18 days.
I am wondering out loud if we should not consider having our World Champs every three years, increase the visibility of the Samsung Diamond League, so we can lengthen the careers of our athletes. Having World Champs means that in 2011, Worlds, 2012, Olympics and Euros, 2013, Worlds, three very tough years.
Sometimes, absence does make the heart or fan grow fonder. Our future also requires track & field and road running to find a way to help each other.
Send me your ideas, to [email protected].
Renauld Lavillenie, Steve Hooker, 2010 Herculis Monaco, photo by PhotoRun.net
MONTE CARLO (MON): Herculis meet of Monaco, part of Samsung Diamond
League series announced that in men´s triple jump again Philips Idowu
with Teddy Tamgho will clash. Sudanese Abubaker Kaki will his first big
1500 m. In the pole vault Steven Hooker of Australia will return to
competition in duel with French Renaud Lavillenie. Carmelita Jeter is
confirmed for 200 m. For men´s 100 m Yohan Blake of Jamaica is the
latest addition into the Usain Bolt and Christophe Lemaitre field.
David Rudisha, 2011 Lausanne, photo by PhotoRun.net
Only top 2 for sure
NAIROBI (KEN): Only the first two athletes across the line from this
weeks Trials will get an automatic ticket to join the national team to
next month’s World Championship. Writes The Nation. The third runner
will have to wait for the coaches’ wild card to be confirmed in the
team, according to guidelines issued by Athletics Kenya to be used
during the national championships, which will be staged at the Nyayo
National Stadium from Thursday to Saturday. However, the top six
finishers stand a better chance to be considered for the Daegu or the
All Africa Games as the AK seeks to pick top runners for the two events.
But for any athlete to be considered, he or she must have competed in
the championship. “There is a provision for the defending champion to
get automatic ticket to Daegu. However, one must compete at the trials
if he or she has to benefit from this,” said AK Chairman Isaiah
Kiplagat. A total of 783 elite athletes will line up at the Nyayo
National Stadium. Olympic 800 metres women’s champion Pamela Jelimo will
miss the trials and that does mean she will not be able to compete in
Daegu. Jelimo’s manager Barnabas Korir said she had suffered a series of
injuries “and other matters which I cannot discuss in public”.
Ukhov the star
EBERSTADT (GER): Russian European indoor champion Ivan Ukhov is the star
of the 33rd edition of the Eberstadt high jump competition on July
17th. The Russian will take on home star Raul Spank as well as Aleksey
Dmitrik, Jaroslav Baba and former world champion Donald Thomas. The
women’s competition is highlighted by the duel between Ruth Beitia and
Emma Green. Also in the field is Svetlana Shkolina and Marina Aitova.
Strutz 478 WL and NR
KARLSRUHE (GER, Jul 12): At special pole vault competition new German
record and world leading 478 for Martina Strutz. She jumped 440, 450,
460 in first and also the meet record 467 in first try. And the series
continued with 478 again in first. Second place for US Becky Holliday
and Anna Battke both 450. Russian Sergey Kucheryanu won the men
competition with 562 ahead of Briton Steven Lewis 562 also. Next five
jumpers tied for third with 552 (French Clavier, Greek Filippids, US
Brad Walker and Germans Mohr with Otto).
Gerd Kanter, 2011 Doha DL, photo by PhotoRun.net
Kanter 65.97
JOGEVA (EST, Jul 12): Olympic winner Gerd Kanter achieved 65.97 discus
win at the fourth leg of Estonian series Big Kuldliiga. Risto Matas got
79.68 in javelin. In women events Belarussian guests Natalya Koryevo won
the 800 m 2:01.88 and Natalya Vyatkina the triple jump (14.14, +0.3).
Russian Olga Balayeva leaped to 665 (-0.3) in the long jump and Anna
Iljustsenko cleared 190 in the high jump.
Winger 20.76, Rosolova 51.51
USTI NAD LABEM (CZE, Jul 12): The local Grand Prix meet saw excellent
shot put competition with US Russ Winger improving the meet record to
20.76. Ukrainian Andriy Borodkin was second (20.14) ahead of Cuban
Carlos Veliz (20.11), Argentinian German Lauro (20.03) and Portugal
record holder Marco Fortes (20.03). Czech Jan Marcell was 6th (19.98)
but won the discus with 63.53. European Indoor champion Denisa Rosolova
clocked impressive meet record at 6-lane track with tight curves 51.51
ahead of US Deedee Trotter (52.72).
OTHER NEWS
LONDON (GBR): Visa Europe have released a report claiming that there
will be a 1.2 billion dollar consumer spending boost in the seven week
period of next year’s London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics meaning that
Britain will witness the biggest ever consumer spend in the history of
the Olympic Games writes Insidethegames.
LILLE (FRA): After leading Jamaica to its richest haul at the IAAF World
Youth Championship in Lille, members of the management and coaching
staff took have been singing high praise of the athletes. Jamaica ended
the championships with nine.
