by Larry Eder
Bolt vs Gatlin, Aman vs Kiprop, women high jump
ROME (ITA): The Golden Gala – Pietro Mennea first European stop of IAAF Diamond League 2013 (fifth meet of the year) is promising in all events exciting competition in favorable weather conditions what is in current worldwide weather situation something special. Spectators will be waiting for Usain Bolt and his third Golden Gala in a row (two wins in the past years 9.91 and 9.76) but also for action from Italian stars (Greco, Trost, Borsi among others). Daegu winners Dai Greene, David Storl will open their international season, young Gebrhiwot was not in Eugene in the 5000 m and Aman-Kiprop is a very unique 800 m duel. Clear favorites are Felix, Merritt and Perkovic. High jump of Anna Chicherova with Blanka Vlasic should be also something to see.
Event by event
Men
100 m: Usain Bolt in his European debut 2013. Gatlin so far unbeaten in four races.
400 m (non-DL): Merritt as clear favorite after beating James in Eugene.
800 m: Great duel Aman-Kiprop expected, WL of Rudisha 1:43.87 under threat.
5000 m: Gebrhiwot who was not at Pre will try for a fast time, surprise winner from Eugene Soi is also there, not to forget Merga. First sub 13 of the year?
110mH (non-DL): This time European favorites Martinot-Lagarde vs. Shubenkov.
400mH: Season debut for World champ D. Greene, but also running WL holder Dutch with Culson.
PV: Lavillenie with Otto and Holzdeppe, full London podium coming from great Pre competition. Bubka´s meet record 594 from 1984 under threat.
TJ: Home star Greco, oly winner Taylor, but also Tamgho, Compaore, improved Cuban Reve, and Eastern Europeans Adams with El Sheryf, so far the best field of the year.
SP: Whiting has two DL wins, international opener for World champ Storl.
Women
200 m: Felix for WL (22.31).
400 m: Montsho against Hastings and McCorory, she is unbeaten so far.
1500 m: The Doha duel replay Aregawi, Kipyegon, Genzebe, but also world champ Jenny Simpson in her first international race of the year.
Steeple: Chepkirui is the world leader, behind her strong Ethiopians and what about the shape of Chemos? WL should be a possibility.
100mH: Harper and Lolo against improved home elite headed by fresh record holder Borsi.
HJ: This stadium saw in 1987 the existing world record, Chicherova is there, Vlasic continues in her come-back, but young home talent Trost (her season opener) will attract the spectators.
LJ: Reese as top favorite, but Sokolova, Klishina and Lesueur want to fight on European soil.
JT: Will it be third in a row for Obergfoll after NYC and Eugene?
DT: Perkovic is expected to attack the meet record 68.90, Diamond League record 68.77 and own world lead 68.48. A 69 would make it all.
Pars 80.45, Salaam 10.09
VELENJE (SLO, Jun 4): Olympic champion Krisztian Pars won the hammer at the 18th International Miner´s Day meet (EA Classic) in Slovenia with second best mark of the year 80.45 and his 17th win a row since June 9, 2012. Second home hero Primoz Kozmus with season best 78.83 and third world leader Dilshod Nazarov 78.28 ahead of German Markus Esser 76.87. 2004 Olympic winner Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia won the 800 m in 1:45.72 meet record. In total four meet records were registered (men 100, 800 and women 200, 1500). US Mokie Salaam won the 100 m in 10.09 MR (+1.4) beating Briton Richard Kilty 10.23 equaling his best. World medalist LJ Van Zyl topped good 400 m hurdles in 49.11 Moscow qualifier ahead of Serbian Emir Bekric who clocked national record 49.15. Third South African Cornel Fredericks 49.81 over Cuban Yasmani Copello 49.98. Shot put winner another world medalist Dylan Armstrong from Canada 20.74 with South African Orazio Cremona second 20.19. Briton Luke Lennon-Ford won the 400 m in 46.38. In women events Russian World champion Mariya Abakumova achieved good 64.42. Fast 200 m by US sprinters Tiffany Townsend 22.82 MR (+0.9) and Charonda Williams 23.27. German Nadine Hildebrand won the hurdles 13.18 (+1.6) and Serbian talent Amela Terzic the 1500 m in 4:12.52 MR ahead of Nataliya Koreyvo of Belarus 4:13.09 and Diana Sujew of Germany4:13.18. In jumps Silke Spiegelburg cleared 440 in second (tried at 460) with Kristina Gadschiew 430 and Lisa Ryzih 425. Home win for Snezana Rodic in triple 14.00 (+1.4) over Russian Veronika Mosina 13.92 (+1.3). Serbian Ivana Spanovic leaped to 656 (+0.4) in the long jump ahead of Slovak Jana Veldakova 644 (+2.0).
Picardo 17.69 WL in triple jump
HAVANA (CUB, Jun 4): The traditional Barrientos Memorial suffered from bad weather. Despite that last year world junior triple jump champion Pedro Pichardo achieved new world leading life-time best 17.69 m. Mabel Gay won the women competition with 14.26. 2009 World champion Yargelis Savigne was only fourth 13.90. Other winners Robert Janet hammer (73.59), Jorge Fernandez discus 59.76 and Lismania Munoz women javelin 57.67. Pole vault competitions where Yarisley Silva and Lazaro Borges were scheduled to compete were cancelled due to weather conditions.
OTHER NEWS
MOUNTAIN VIEW (USA): Trackandfieldnews.com informs that Florida hurdler Eddie Lovett has been cleared to represent the Virgin Islands internationally. His this year improvement is 13.39 and he will compete this week at NCAA Championships.
SYDNEY (AUS): Later in the month, Australian fast women Lauren Boden and Melissa Breen will make their 2013 international debut in at the 27th Meeting International EAP de Nivelles in Belgium, before the IAAF Diamond League in Birmingham features four Australians including Dani Samuels, Alana Boyd and Collis Birmingham.
PORTLAND (USA): The Oregon House honoured Ashton Eaton, the 2012 Olympic decathlon champion from central Oregon. Eaton appeared in the House chamber with his mother, Roslyn, and his manager, Paul Doyle. “A small-town kid elevated to the status of the world’s greatest athlete is something we can all be proud of,” said House Republican Leader Mike McLane of Powell Butte. House Concurrent Resolution 31 was carried by Rep. Jason Conger, R-Bend. Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver, also spoke for it. Eaton is in good shape and ready to compete in dec
athlon at US Championships later this month.
PORTLAND (USA): Athletics Weekly writes that Mary Cain is what Americans call a “phenom”. Last month, just days after turning 17, she clocked 4:04.62 for 1500m – a time 10 seconds quicker than the next-best US high school runner in history. Then, at the Prefontaine Classic this weekend, she broke a 31-year-old US high school record when she smashed the two-minute barrier for 800m with 1:59.51. The waif-like runner from Bronxville in New York causes US track fans to fall into apoplectic shock every time she races. American athletics websites go into meltdown. Commentators reporting on her exploits scream that she’s ready to “take on the world”. The athlete herself seems more grounded. She describes herself as an “epic nerd” who runs, eats, sleeps, studies and not much else. She’s also smart – and lucky – enough to have Alberto Salazar as her coach. Writes Athletics Weekly. She will try to qualify for Moscow, another option would be to compete at World Youth Championships in Donetsk.
SCHONEBECK (GER): The throwing meet of Schonebeck scheduled for Friday was cancelled due to floods and high water. Among others competitors expected were Robert Harting and Betty Heidler. The organisers said in their release they are not seeing a sense to organise a sporting event when few kilometres away people are fighting for their basic needs.
RESULTS
MUNCHEN (GER, Jun 4): Karsten Dilla won the pole vault with 555 at the Jump and Fly meet at Odeon Square. Second Igor Bychkov of Spain and third Russian Aleksandr Gripich both 545. Unexpected German win in women long jump by Michelle Weitzel with 645 in last attempt. Second Alina Rotaru from Romania 644 and third US favorite Funmi Jimoh 639. Another favorite Naide Gomes was fifth (619). World junior record holder Russian Sergey Morgunov won the men long jump 787 over Ignisious Gaisah 766.
PRAHA (CZE, Jun 4): At the Praga Academica meet European champion Jirina Svobodova cleared 461 in the pole vault. In shot put battle Ladislav Prasil with 20.39 beat Antonin Zalsky 20.06. Jan Kudlicka went over 560 in men pole vault. In hurdles against the wind wins for Lucie Skrobakova 13.24 (-0.5) and Martin Mazac 13.83 (-0.6).
CHENNAI (IND, Jun 4): During first day at the National Inter-State Championships held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Anirudh Kalidas Gujar won the 100 m in 10.61. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia was an easy victor in discus with 56.73. Reigning Asian champion Mayookha Johny long jumped 649.
NOTES
PAPEETE (FPY): During first day of Oceanian Championships Banuve Tabakaucoro from Fiji won the 200 m in 21.08 (-1.5), but it was not his personal best. That is 21.01 from 2011.
EUGENE (USA): 2010 World Junior Champion Shaunae Miller of Bahamas is entered in the 400 m at the NCAA Championships.
