by Larry EderThe first session was amazing. Some great performances. Here is a synopsis of the first session, day 1. Day 1, second session coming later tonight, need some dinner and sleep! Thanks for following our blog!
Edna Kiplagat won first medal of WC 2011, and lead Kenya to sweep! photo by PhotoRun.net 
Women’s Discus
Nadine Muller, 2009 WC, photo by PhotoRun.netIn group A, Nadine Muller of Germany threw 65.54m to qualify on her first throw. In second, Yarelys Barrios of Cuba threw 63.80m on her first attempt.Jian Tan of China threw 62.26m to get to the final. Zinaida Sendriute of Lithuania was fourth qualifier with 61.72m, Dragana Tomasevic, 60.45m, Dani Samuels, Australia, 60.05m and Darya Pishchalnikova of Russia was last in group A, with her throw of 59.94m.
The two Americans were in group b, Yanfeng Li of China threw 64.44m for qualify for the final.
Zaneta Glax of Poland was second with a throw of 63.44m. Stephanie Trafton Brown, the Olympic gold medalist, threw 61.89m to move on. Denia Caballero was fourth in 60.36 m, Nicoletta Grasu of Romania threw 60.13m and she is the last qualifier. Aretha Thurmond, two time Olympic thrower, missed the final by centimeters, as the US thrower hit 59.88m.
Stephanie Trafton-Brown, 2010 Shanghai DL, photo by PhotoRun.netMen’s Pole Vault
Renaud Lavillenie, photo by PhotoRun.net In group A, Romain Mesnil of France lead the qualifying with a clearance of 5.65m. Also clearing 5.65m was Konstandinos Filippidid of Greece, Dmitriy Starodubstev of Russia, Malte Mohr of Germany, Fabio Da Silva of Brasil, Mateusz Didenkow of Poland. At 5.50m, Pawel Wojciechowskiand Daichi SAwanao moved on. Mark Hollis of the US, who cleared .5.35m, did not move on to the final.
In group B, Lazaro Borges of Cuba cleared 5.65m, as did Renaud Lavillenie of France, the world leader at 5.90m.
At 5.60m, Jeremy Scott of the US, Derek Miles of the US, Lukasz Michalski of Poland, made the final.
At 5.50m, Jan Kudlicka of the Czech Republic, Steven Lewis of Great Britain, and Igor Bychov of Spain moved to the final.
The biggest surprise of the day was Steve Hooker, defending champion, who no heighted. Hooker has been challenged by injuries since 2009, and just did not have the luck that has been so much a part of his career.
Lavillenie, Hooker, 2010 Monaco, photo by PhotoRun.net
Milcah Chemos Cheywa, 2011 Doha DL, photo by PhotoRun.netBinnaz Uslu of Turkey won heat one in 9:24.06, a NR. Habbiba Ghribi of Tunisia was second in 9;24.56. Mercy Njorge of Kenya was third in 9:25.95, with Hanane Ouhaddou of Morocco, 9:25.96, and Birtukan Fente of Ethiopia in 9:25.96.
Brigit Franek of the US was seventh in 9:43.09, she did not move on.
In heat two, Sofia Assefa of Ethiopia won in 9:32.48. Lydia Rotich was second in 9:36.70, Sara Moreira of Portugal was third in 9:36.97, USA’s Emma Coburn was fourth in 9:38.42 and Lyubov Kharlamova of Russia was the last qualifier in heat two in 9:40.04.
In heat three, Milcha Chemos Cheywa, who has so dominated the steeple this year, jogged a 9:35.61 to win. Yuliya Zaripova of Russia moved to the final in 9:35.80. Gesa Felicitas Krause of Germany was third in 9:35.83, her personal best! Birtukan Adamu of Ethiopia was fourth in 9:37.31, and Barbar Parker of the UK was fifth and last qualifier in 9:38.21.
Stephanie Garcia of the US, ran 9:53.47 to finish fifth!
Men’s 800 meter qualifying
Nick Symmonds, 2010 US champs, photo by PhotoRun.netNick Symmonds started the heats in grand style, winning in 1:46.54. Andreas Bube of Denmark ran 1:46.64 and Kevin Lopez of Spain was third qualifier in 1:46.79.
In heat two, Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia won in 1:46.14. Jackson Kivuva of Kenya, a real find, and one to watch, was second in 1:46.57. In third, Antonia Reina of Spain ran 1:46.66 and Prince Mumba of Zambia was fourth and moved on, running 1:46.73.
In heat three, Abubaker Kaki ran 1;44.83, Mohammed Aman ran 1:45.17, and Alfred Yego, who trains in Italy, ran 1:45.50 with Luis Alberto Marco of Spain in 1:46.19 for fourth qualifying spot in this round. Moussa Camara of Mali set a national record in fifth place, running 1:46.38.
In heat four, David Rudisha, the WR holder, ran 1:46.29. Marcin Lewandowski of Poland was second in 1:46.73, Bram Som ran 1:46.79 and Mahfoud Brahimi ran 1:46.94, to all move on. Surprise was Charles Jock of US, who ran 1:47.95 and did not move on.
In heat five, Kleberson Davide won in 1:46.06, Andrew Osagie ran 1:46.08, Adam Kszcot of Poland ran 1:46.16, Sajad Moradi ran 1:46.39 and Mohamed Al-Azemi ran 1:46.64, all moving on.
In heat six, Rafith Rodriguez of Columbia won in 1:48.26, Tamas Kazi of Hungary ran 1:48.29 and Khadevis Robinson ran 1:48.41, all moved on by top three places.
