YELENA THINKS ABOUT 510

STOCKHOLM (SWE): The queen is back. „I know I can jump higher," said Isinbayeva after her first world record since August 2009 in Zurich. „Right now my ambition is to jump as high as possible. I would like to reach number of records but also but would also like to jump so high the record will stand for a 100 years." Isinbaeva aims for third olympic gold and foresees: „Yes, I think 5.10m and even more is possible." Now to Istanbul and afterwards she looks into the following months: „Once the outdoors start I will think about London. I don't think it will be until early July before I have my first competition. In May and June I will not compete," she was quoted as saying for agencies.

TIRU FOR CARLSBAD

CARSLBAD (USA): First road race of olympic winner Tirunesh Dibaba is revealed. She will run the Carlsbad 5000 on April 1 as part of her preparation for this summer's Olympic Games in London. "This is a very important year for me as I prepare to defend my Olympic five and ten thousand meter titles," said Dibaba, who has also won four world track titles and five world cross country championships. "I'm very excited to be returning to Carlsbad this year as I build up to London 2012, I have great memories from racing there. It was one of my first races outside of Ethiopia back in 2002." Dibaba, who has three Carlsbad victories under her belt (2002, 2003 and 2005), ran 14:51 at "the world's fastest 5K" in 2005 to tie the then world-record held by Paula Radcliffe. Organizers are informing.

WITHOUT TOP RUNNERS

LONDON (GBR): UK Athletics head coach Charles Van Commenee said this year's European Championships would be used as „a preparation for London", adding that the leading British field event athletes would be selected, but that the policy for track runners would be different. „All track athletes who qualify for the Games after finishing in the top two in the Olympic trials will not be selected for Helsinki. The Championships come less than a week after the trials, and so we will select track athletes who didn't make the top two or who are still seeking qualifying times. Mostly those events will feature our number 3, 4 and 5 athletes. I don't think there will be many athletes in Europe who will rate the European Championships over the Olympics." Van Commenee added that the exception to this rule would be the sprint relay teams, and possibly also the 4x400m relay teams. Insidethegames informs.

OTHER NEWS

LAGOS (NGR): With barely 200 days to the 2012 Olympics in London, the National Sports Commission (NSC) contracted Los Angeles 400 m Olympic bronze medallist, Innocent Egbunike as head coach of Team Nigeria's track and field squad to the summer games.

PORT OF SPAIN (TRI): Olympic Games sprint relay silver medallist Marc Burns is among seven athletes selected to wear Trinidad and Tobago colours at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. Trinidad media are informing. Burns is entered for 60 m, in the 400 m three names were entered but only two will be able to compete (improved Lalonde Gordon, world medalist Renny Quow and Jarrin Solomon). All three added with Jereem Richards will form the 4x400 m team. Jamaal James should run the 800 m. Last and only female is the hurdler Aleesha Barber.

ROMA (ITA): 12,850 runners are scheduled to take part in the 38th edition of Rome-Ostia Half Marathon on Sunday. Also part of the event is Italian HM Championships. Kenyan marathon top runners Florence Kiplagat and Agnes Kiprop are the main favorites. Ethiopian challenge will be headed by Tirfi Beyene. Anna Incerti and Valeria Straneo will fight for the Italian title. Ethiopian Tujuba Megersa, who won last year's edition will compete against Kenyans John Kiprotich and Vincent Kipruto.

LONDON (GBR): London 2012 have announced that the strapline for the Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies will be „A Symphony of British Music" with an entirely British cast of high profile performers and music set to feature. The announcement was made by world renowned UK live events, theatre and TV choreographer Kim Gavin, the artistic director for the Olympic and Paralympic Closing Ceremonies. Rumoured to be amongst the cast of performers is multi-award winning artist Adele, but Gavin and his team refused to be drawn on specific performers. It was also revealed that London 2012 has awarded the contract to record the core orchestral soundtrack for the Olympic and Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies to the London Symphony Orchestra. Writes insidethegames.

BOSTON (USA): RRW informs that the organizers of the Boston Marathon, scheduled for Monday, April 16, announced a partnership with The Boston Beer Company, brewers of Samuel Adams beers. The company will be the official beer sponsor of the 2012 Boston Marathon, creating a special commemorative brew for the event.

ALBUQUERQUE (USA): World 1500 m champion Jenny Simpson confirmed that she will double at this weekend's USA Indoor Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Simpson, 25, is the defending champion in both the 1500m (the distance was actually one mile last year) and the 3000m. „I have the intention of doubling in both the 3000m and 1500m this weekend," Simpson wrote in an e-mail message to Race Results Weekly. „I think it's a good opportunity to practice both the physical and mental demands of racing back-to-back days, simulating rounds I hope to face at outdoor USA's." About Istanbul she said: „While I think racing at the World Indoor Championships would be a thrill, I have decided with my coach (Juli Benson) that I do not intend to participate if I do indeed earn a spot on the USA team."

MOSCOW (RUS): Russian fresh high jump champion and Doha title defender Ivan Ukhov dismissed informations that he does not want to compete in Istanbul. „Some publications were saying that I would not go to the World Championships but if I'm selected then, of course, I'll go." Ukhov cleared so far this season 234 cm and better in the lists is Qatari Mutaz Barshim 237 and Andrey Silnov 236. Aleksey Dmitrik who has 235 will most probably not be selected and the same 234 on the record of Briton Robbie Grabarz.

STOCKHOLM (SWE): After Stockholm UK statisticians are wondering about the shape of Joe Thomas. He clocked personal bests in six out of six meetings this winter (3:47.55 1500m, 1:47.82, 1:47.35, 1:147.26, 1:46.35, 1:46.33).