byLarry EderSpent day at ASBA technical meeting. Spoke on panel on Marketing Trends for sport. One of my favorite events in the year, as I get to meet with track builders and manufacturers. This afternoon and tomorrow are technical meetings and a trade show. My suggestion is that if you are looking to resurface a track, build a track, or upgrade your facility, work with certified track builders and work with ASBA members. They are focused on building better facilities in both track and tennis.
Liu Xiang, 2007 World Champ and 2011 silver medalist, just finished some testing in Houston and it sounds like he is well on his way to being ready for London 2012…..
Liu Xiang, 2010 Asian Games, photo by PhotoRun.net
EME NEWS (DEC 4, 2011)
Ndambiri super debut
FUKUOKA (JPN, Dec 4): Kenyan and long time Japan resident Josphat
Ndambiri made a fantastic debut at the distance when
storming to a runaway victory at the 65th Fukuoka International
Marathon on Sunday morning. Ndambiri who is based in Japan, posted a
time of 2:07:36 to win well ahead of fellow Kenyan James
Mwangi who clocked a personal best of 2:08:38. Yuki Kawauchi an
amateur competitor was the first Japanes runner to
cross the line in his country’s initial trial race – the others
will be in Tokyo and Lake Biwa in February and March – for next
summer’s Olympic Games in London, finishing in 2:09:57. Russian
Dmitriy Safronov last year’s runner up was the first
European home placing fifth in 2:11:29 while Ukraine’s former
champion Dmytri Baranovskiy achieved a a fifth Top-10 position at
the event when seventh in 2:12:08. Fourth Masato Imai also clocked
PB 2:10:32. Australian Martin Dent was 8th in 2:12:23, another life-time
best.
OTHER RESULTS
SHANGHAI (CHN, Dec 4): Japanese 5000 m national champion Megumi Kinukawa
Shanghai International Half Marathon in a PB of 1:10:22. Her run means
that she will likely be looking to run in one
of the two remaining women’s Olympic selection races. Ethiopian
Haile Kebelush clocked new course record and fast personal best 2:24:09
in women marathon. Kenyan men win in 2:10:21 for Willy Kimutai, new
personal best.
SINGAPORE (SIN, Dec 4): Charles Mwai Kanyao led a Kenyan clean sweep of
the podium positions
with a close victory at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.
Kanyao with defending champion and fellow countryman Kenneth Mungara
dropping out at the halfway point feeling unwell, won the early
morning race in a time of 2:14:33. Behind him and narrowly losing
out after a close contest was Luke
Chelimo who clocked 2:14:38 with John Kelai finishing third in
2:15:45. Irene Jerotich defended her women’s title with a time of
2:36:41 to win like Kanyao the first prize of US$50,000 while
Ethiopia’s Roman Gebregessesse denied Kenya a 1-2 finishing runner
up in 2:37:31 with Magadelene Mukunzi third in 2:38:06.
PUNE (IND, Dec 4): Ethiopian Teferi Regasa won the Pune International
Marathon in 2:16:57. Second was Kenyan Philemon Rotich in 2:17:02. Third
place for another Ethiopian Negash Adebe in 2:17:05. In the women half
marathon the win went to Kenyan Thitu Mutwa in 1:12:29.
HEERENBERG (NED, Dec 4): Marathon world champions were not winners at
the 16th Montferland Run at 15 km in Netherlands. Philip Langat of Kenya
and Ethiopian Abebech Afework were the overwhelming winners with 42:43
and 49:17. The 21-year-old Langat clocked 42:43 ahead of Ethiopian Hailu
Mekonnen (42:55) and Kenyan John Mwangangi (43:13). Norwegian Urige
Buta was the best European as 5th (43:51), marathon world champion Abel
Kirui was 8th (44:08). Afework crossed the finish line in the centre of
‘s Heerenberg in 49:17 well head of her nearest opponents Daegu winner
Edna Kiplagat (Kenya, 49:42) and Dutchwoman Hilda Kibet (49:48).
MACAU (MAC, Dec 4): Kenyan Stephen Chemlany won the marathon here in
2:12:49 ahead of team-mate Julius Kiplimo 2:12:53 and Ethiopian Haile
Haja Gemeda 2:12:59. Best European Russian Mikhail Lemayev as 10th
(2:14:13). Also in women category a Kenyan win for Rose Chesire in new
personal best 2:31:28 beating Ethiopian Tsega Gelaw 2:31:48 and another
Kenyan Winfridah Nyansikera 2:32:27. Belarus Maryna Damantsevich was the
best European as 6th in 2:35:57.
ALCOBENDAS (ESP, Dec 4): Despite the early lead of 2010 World champion
Joseph Ebuya of Kenya, the win at the Cross de la Constiucion went to
Eritrean Kidane Tadese with 30:10 at 10.1 km. Second Ebuya clocked 30:13
and third another enyan Hosea Macharinyang 30:33 beating Kiprono Menjo
to fourth in 31:20. In 8 degrees temperature Priscah Jepleting won the
women 5.9 km om 20:06 ahead of Firehiwot Goshu of Ethiopia 20:11 and
best Spanish runner Dolores Checa 20:28. Mohamed Marhoum in 31:30 as 6th
was the best Spanish male runner.
LES MUREAUX (FRA, Dec 4): Kenyan wins at CC race here. Paul Melly
clocked 24:28 at 9.03 km ahead of Salim Saiti 24:34 and Nassir Dawud
24:41. Lucy Macharia was the best woman at 4.81 in 14:30 beating
Yekaterina Shlyakhova of Russia 14:38 and marathon runner Martha Komu of
Kenya 14:52.
MAZATLAN (MEX, Dec 4): Kenyan Christopher Toroitich won the 10 km Gran Maraton PacÃfico 2011 in 29:13.
TRACK (INDOOR AND OUTDOOR)
BRISBANE (AUS, Dec 4): At Australian All-Schools Championships in the
girl’s under 18 400 m hurdles the silver winner from Lille in summer
Sarah Carli clocked 58.79.
CHENEY (USA, Dec 3): Reigning CAC pole vault champion Keisa
Monterola of Venezuela improved her national indoor record to 425 cm
at Candy Cane Invitational.
LYNCHBURG (USA, Dec 3): 10.31 sprinter Jonathon Hancock clocked at
Liberty Kickofff indoor meet 6.73 at the 60 m.
NEW HAVEN (USA, Dec 3): New Zealand´s NCAA medalist Lucy Van Dalen achieved solid mile 4:36.90 at local meet here.
ITHACA (USA, Dec 3): Muhammad Halim of US Virgin Islands achieved a good
double at indoor Cornell Relays with 785 long jump and 16.87 triple
jump (national record).
FURTH (GER, Dec 3): One of the top German sprinters Christian Blum
checked his speed with 6.80 and 16.02 (150 m) during a local indoor
meet.
OTHER NEWS
NAIROBI (KEN): Patrick Makau and Vivian Cheruyiot were announced as
Kenyan athletes of the year 2011 during a gala evening at Ole Sereni
Hotel on Friday. As The Nation writes among the guests athletes,
coaches, team managers, sponsors and heads of delegations all who
helped the federation excel in the 2011 season. The guest of honour,
Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, described Kenya’s world-beating
champions as “amazing”. Two-time World Marathon champion Catherine
Ndereba received an Oustanding Marathon Career. Nation Media Group
sports writer Jonathan Komen and photo journalist Mohammed Amin were
also rewarded for their exemplary coverage of athletics during the
season. Olympic Marathon champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru won the Short
But Oustanding Marathon Career Award posthumously.
NEW DELHIN (IND): Protests against Dow Chemical’s sponsorship of the
Olympics have continued with thousands of demonstrations again
taking to the streets a day after effigies of Sebastian Coe, the
chairman of London 2012, and Vijay Kumar Malhotra, head of the
Indian Olympic Association (IOA), were burnt in the streets. As
insidethegames writes the protests have coincided with the 27th
anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal where a Union Carbide
pesticide plant leaked lethal gas that killed an estimated 15,000
people and maimed tens of thousands more.
ST. LOUIS (USA): Dozens of contributors surrounding the sport of
track and field were honored during the Awards Lunch Saturday while
decisions were made regarding uniform guidelines for the Club Cross
Country Championships. Both were part of the USA Track & Field
Annual Meeting in St. Louis which continues through Sunday.
Association of the Year was Utah. In Men´s long distance running
among recipients agent Ray Flynn and runner Ryan Hall got Robert E.
DeCelle Jr. Award. Women’s Long Distance Running Runner of the Year
is Janet Cherobon-Bawcom. C.C. Jackson Track Athlete Award went to
100 m world champion Carmelita Jeter and C.C. Jackson Field Athlete
Award to shot putter Jillian Camarena-Williams. Decathlon world
champion Trey Hardee gets John Bennett Award. Following meetings on
Friday with the Athletes Advisory Committee and USATF Club Council,
USA Track & Field has revised its uniform guidelines for 2011
USATF Fall Cross Country Championships, commonly referred to as the
Club Cross Country Championships. Recognizing the unique needs of
clubs and the nature of the Championships, IAAF logo restrictions
will not be in place. Uniform regulations in USATF Rule 253 will
remain in force, requiring team uniforms to be similar in color and
style. The 33rd edition of the USA Track & Field Annual Meeting
came to a close Sunday at the Hyatt Regency in St. Louis with the
Closing Session. The Closing Session featured site announcements for
upcoming national championships and finalized business from the week’s
meeting. It was the second time the Annual Meeting had been held in St.
Louis as it was also there in 1994. Traditionally being held the week
following Thanksgiving, the 2012 Annual Meeting will be held in Daytona
Beach, Fla.; 2013 in Indianapolis, Ind.; 2014 in Anaheim, Calif.; 2015
in Houston, Tex.; and 2016 in Orlando, Fla.
MELBOURNE (AUS): Double world 400m hurdles champion Jana Pittman
will compete individually for the first time since achilles tendon
surgery, at the annual Zatopek Classic in Melbourne on December 10.
Pittman has raced only once this year, a memorable 400m hurdles
outing at the national athletics final in Perth in April where she
defeated national champion Lauren Boden, but which also stirred up a
lower calf injury. She withdrew from the national titles and
eventually underwent surgery in early June to remove the sheath
around her achilles tendon. Pittman already competed in relays last
week. Insideathletics informs.
BEIJING (CHN): Xinhua informs that former 110 m hurdles world record
holder Liu Xiang is back from his latest trip from the USA. He
underwent some extensive training in preparation for next year’s
London Olympics, and along with his strength training, the former
world champion also tested out his problematic achilles tendon. Liu
Xiang’s coach, Sun Haiping said: “The series of tests Liu was put
through shows he is recovering well, even he is not at 100-percent,
like someone who never had this injury, but his recovery provides us
confidence as we prepare for next year’s London Olympics.”
