by Larry Eder
ISTANBUL NEWS
ETHIOPIA: 10 runners will compete for Ethiopia. Nearly all with medal
ambitions. Legendary Meseret Defar will go for 5th title in the 3000 m,
along with her Gelete Burka (she was gold medalist in 2008 and third in
2010 at 1500 m). World leader Genzebe Dibaba (with junior Tizita Bogale)
is the top favorite in the 1500 m. Medal contender another junior
Mohamed Aman in the 800 m. Solid chances also for 1500 m duo Gebremedhin
Mekonnen and Aman Wote (made breakthrough at age of 28) and 3000 m pair
Dejen Gebremeskel with Yenew Alamirew. Last team member is Fantu Magiso
in women 800 m.
ENTRIES: Biggest number of entered athletes in men events in the 60 m
with 62 followed by 400 m 37 and 800 m with 60 m hurdles both 35
entries. In women events again 60 m with 67 (the overall highest number)
followed by 400 m 36 and 60 m hurdles 34. The lowest in men running
events is 3000 m with 22 and lowest women running event is 1500 m with
18. In technical events the highest by men is shot put (24) and women
triple jump (32). Lowest men pole vault 11 and women also pole vault 17.
It is right so as both pole vaults will be staged as straight finals.
In 4×400 m relays 12 men and 6 women teams are entered.
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina,
Cyprus, Georgia, San Marino all have entered one male and one female
athlete. Malta, Monaco. Macedonia and Gibraltar have one athlete
entered. Other European entries were included into EME NEWS already
earlier. From bigger athletics countries in Europe only Finland is not
competing. Other three not having athletes in Istanbul are
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Montenegro.
Pearson 12.49, Rudisha 1:44.33
MELBOURNE (AUS, Mar 3): Third year of IAAF World Challenge started in
Melbourne with excellent 12.49 (+0.8) in wet conditions by Sally Pearson
at 100 m hurdles, it is her fourth fastest ever (and fastest ever in
Australia) and shows who will be the favorite at the distance next
weekend in Istanbul. US Yvette Lewis was way back second 13.22. Pearson
said for Athletics Australia: “It was really, really good. There’s no
words that can describe it other than pure excitement and probably not
shock is the right word as I knew I was in good shape and was ready for
it so I knew I could produce something pretty special.” She also won the
200 m in 23.02 (+1.0). The rain may have fallen heavily during the day
but that didn’t deter a 4000-strong turnout at Lakeside Stadium for the
second day of the Qantas Melbourne Track Classic and Olympic Trials.
World record holder David Rudisha opened his 800 m season with fastest
of the 2012 1:44.33 ahead of Australians Jeff Riseley 1:45.62 and
Lachlan Renshaw 1:46.06. Craig Mottram won the 5000m, which was the
requirement for an automatic nomination. Mottram and Collis Birmingham
were neck-and-neck as the bell sounded but with 250m to go the former
Olympic finalist kicked hard and ran home in 13:18.58 (second Birmingham
13:22.30). Henry Frayne won his second competition of the Qantas
Melbourne Track Classic in the long jump. Joined by world indoor
champion Fabrice Lapierre (second, 800 cm) Frayne won with his fifth
attempt, with 809 (0.0). Newly crowned Australian record holder Alana
Boyd was undone by her training partner Liz Parnov in the pole vault.
Both athletes cleared 445 but it was Parnov who won on count back,
having cleared the height at her first attempt as opposed to Boyd who
took three goes. 2009 World champion Dani Samuels went agonizingly close
to a second Olympic qualifier with her fourth attempt of 61.30m, but it
was enough to win the competition, In one of the most anticipated races
of the evening, John Steffensen came out on top in the 400m in 45.74.
He was followed by Ben Offereins in 45.96, Steve Solomon in 46.37 and
Sean Wroe 46.74. There was a huge personal best shot put by Dale
Stevenson who threw 20.16m to win the competition and improve his
confidence ahead of the IAAF world indoor championships next weekend in
Istanbul (TUR). Two athletes went over 80 meters in javelin: Jarrod
Bannister 82.97 and New Zealand´s Stuart Farquhar 80.97. Isaac Ntiamoah
won the 100 m in life-time best 10.35. With the help from Athletics Australia.
Zepeda wins in 3:48:37
CHIHUAHUA (MEX, Mar 3): Mexican Omar Zepeda won the 50 km walk during
the first round of IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Mexico with olympic
qualifier 3:48:37. 22-years old Clemente Garcia improved to 3:50:56 as
second ahead of Jose Leyver 3:51:30, Cristian Berdeja 3:52:17 and
Horacio Olivares 3:52:46. Norway´s world medalist Trond Nymark was
pushing the pace until the 40th km but then faded outside the top five
with 3:55:30 and missed the olympic standard of 3:53. Top four also
qualified for Mexican team for IAAF World Cup in Russia. In junior races
home wins for Jesus Vega (41:52) and Alejandra Ortega (47:22) at 10 km.
Men and women 20 km will still be held.
INDOOR RESULTS
VALENCIA (ESP, Mar 3): Spanish Istanbul bound 800 m runner Antonio Reina
improved national 600 m record to 1:16.23. The former mark of Coloman
Trabado 1:17.2 was achieved back in 1982.
MADRID (ESP, Mar 3): Angel David Rodriguez improved his season best at 60 m at a local meet to 6.61.
SARANSK (RUS, Mar 2): During first day of Russian U23 Indoor
Championships Sergey Shubenkov improved to excellent 7.56 at 60 m
hurdles. Yuriy Kovalyov achieved 17.04 in the triple jump over Aleksey
Fyodorov 16.92. Anzhelika Sidorova cleared 440 in the pole vault and
Maksim Polovkin was the fastest in the 60 m (6.71).
VAL DE REUIL (FRA, Mar 3): Germany won the international junior match
against Italy and home France. Italian Michele Tricca posted good 47.23
in the 400 m, Pierre Chalus was the French 60 m winner 6.79. Alessia
Trost cleared 186 in the junior girls high jump. Another solid Italian
jumping win for Roberta Bruni 420 in the pole vault.
LEE VALLEY (GBR, Mar 3): Tony Whiteman won the 1500 m in masters world
indoor record (40+ category) with 3:44.12. Former mark by Russian
Vyacheslav Shabunin was 3:44.39. Istanbul bound Samson Oni went over 221
in the high jump.
STEINKJER (NOR, Mar 3): Line Kloster clocked new Norwegian 400 m record
54.22 during first day of National Indoor Championships. Cathrine
Larsasen cleared 430 in the pole vault and Swedish guest Johan Wissman
posted fast 20.95 in the 200 m heats.
FAYETTEVILLE (USA, Mar 2): Maurice Mitchell confirmed good shape with
6.61 and 20.70 wins at Arkansas Qualifier meet. Second in his race at
200 m Estonian Marek Niit 20.85. In another race Akheem Gauntlett posted
20.75 and another fast winner was LaShawn Butler 20.79 ahead of former
world and olympic 400 m winner Jeremy Wariner 20.93. It was first ever
indoor 200 m race for Wariner and first indoor race since 2004. Tiffany
Townsend was the fastest in the women 200 m (23.30) and Cass Brown
improved hugely at 400 m to 46.39. Ivanique Kemp improved Bahamian
indoor record at 60 m hurdles to 8.13.
GENEVA (USA, Mar 2): Remontay McClain achieved 6.67 fastest heat time at
60 m during NAIA Championships. Robbie Haynie improved to 5781 points
to win the heptathlon.
BIRMINGHAM (USA, Mar 2): Brent Lee won the 60 m in 6.73 at SWAC
Championships (faster 6.71 in heats). South African Anaso Jobodwana (19)
won the 200 m in PB 21.15.
BLOOMINGTON (USA, Mar 3): Decathlon world champion Trey Hardee competed
for first time since his win in Daegu in selected events at US Combined
Events championships. 6.75 at 60 m and 715 in the long jump.
HALLE (GER, Mar 3): Great results for former olympic discus winner Ilke
Wyludda. At German disabled indoor championships she achieved discus PB
in her category F58 25.54 and was fourth. She also showed great spirit
with 8.31 in the shot put. Her another sporting career really started
well.
OUTDOOR RESULTS
BELVILLE (RSA, Mar 3): 2009 World champion Caster Semenya showed fine
early form at the second Yellow Pages Interprovincial, comfortably
winning the women’s 400 metres in 53.62 in difficult wind conditions.
For example Thuso Mpuang clocked 21.23 in the 200 m against -4.4. wind.
Very good in the wind the 5000 m times for Galdwin Mzazi 13:28.25 and Stephen Mokoka
13:29.08 with Istanbul bound Elroy Gelant distant third 13:45.65.
Burger Lambrechts got 19.71 in the shot put. Fastest in the men´s 400 m
was Sibusiso Sishi with 46.86, top hurdler Cornell Fredericks was 4th
(47.49).
SPLIT (CRO, Mar 3): European discus champion Sandra Perkovic won the
national winter throwing title with excellent 66.85 m. Roland Varga
achieved 61.08 in men discus and Marin Premeru 19.90 in shot put.
LOUGHBOROUGH (GBR, Mar 3): During first day of Winter throws champs two
national records in hammer throw for reigning World junior champion
Sophie Hitchon: 69.94 in round two and 70.40 in round five. Mens hammer
was won by Alex Smith with PB 75.63, best by a British athlete since
2001. Goldie Sayers won the javelin with 62.18 olympic qualifier, solid
also men´s 79.70 by Mervyn Luckwell.
SZOMBATHELY (HUN, Mar 3): World medalist Kristian Pars achieved 75.98 in hammer at Hungarian Winter Throwing championships.
JACKSONVILLE (USA, Mar 2): Dentarius Locke clocked good 10.29 (+1.3) at the 100 m during UNF Spring Break meet.
