GAY SIGNING FOR KIDS

LAUSANNE (SUI): In the Mini-Stars Relay 95 teams took part and special guest was fastest man of 2013 Tyson Gay who signed autographs. The 8th edition of the Mini-Stars Relay was held in the gardens of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Also attending top US hurdler David Oliver. Athletes are continuing to arrive to Lausanne. Gay came already on Saturday. Also in Lausanne Britney Reese, Andreas Thorkildsen and Felix Sanchez. Special guest coming from Ostrava is legendary Bob Beamon. He had business meetings including with IOC President Jacques Rogge. Swiss media are informing that late cancellation is Allyson Felix from the 200 m, she wants to train more before the World Championships. Still the 200 m has US Champion Kimberlyn Duncan with the hope to achieve first legal sub 22 seconds of the year. Also running European Champion Mariya Ryemyen with Carmelita Jeter, Lashauntea Moore and Lauryn Williams from USA.

ZARIPOVA SEASON OPENER

MOSCOW (RUS): Russia announced huge national team for World University Games in Kazan composed of 54 male and 54 female athletes. Men squad will be leading by high jump Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov, 110m hurdler European champion Sergey Shubenkov, European indoor champion in long jump Aleksandr Menkov. Among names also Sergey Mudrov (high jump), Dmitriy Tarabin (javelin) and Sergey Litvinow (hammer throw). Strong women team is topped by olympic winner Yuliya Zaripova in 3000 m steeple (her season opener), Mariya Abakumova in javelin, Dariya Klishina and Yelena Sokolova in long jump, Anastasiya Savchenko and Aleksandra Kiryashova in pole vault, Kseniya Ustalova at 400m, Yelena Kotulskaya at 800m, Yekaterina Sharmina at 1500m, Mariya Kuchina in high jump and Anisiya Kirdyapkina in race walk.

BORZAKOVSKIY FOR BUDAPEST

MOSCOW (RUS): 800m Athens Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy informed All Sport news agency about future competition plans. Before national trials 32-year-old Russian aims to perform at Moscow championships on July 4 and at EA Classic Gyulai Memorial in Budapest on July 10. “I think three competitions will be enough to gain a top shape before major season event. Russian national champs should become my ‘dress rehearsal’ for Moscow Worlds as I’ll run there in 3 rounds” Borzakovskiy said. During last winter Yuriy prepared to the season self-coaching but before Worlds joined his previous group. “My coach is satisfied with my current shape. Training tests show that my shape becomes better day by day” added Borzakovskiy from his training camp in Cheboksary.

GREAT NUMBERS FOR TAMPERE

LAUSANNE (SUI): European Athletics informs that a total of 997 athletes from 45 European Athletics Member Federation countries have entered for the 9th European Athletics U23 Championships to be held in Tampere, Finland, from 11-14 July. The final entries list includes 559 starters in the men’s events and 438 in the women’s events. At the 2011 European Athletics U23 Championships in Ostrava, 949 athletes from 42 member federations had participated.

SILNOV WILL JUMP AT NATIONALS

MOSCOW (RUS): High jump Beijing Olympic gold medalist Andrey Silnov informed Russian media he will perform at national championships in Moscow. “We just came back home from training camp in Sochi which has passed in very good working surroundings. And our next training camp will start from July 3 in Novogorsk. There I’ll prepare for Russian national championships. It’ll be my first competitions after the surgery but nevertheless I’m aiming to be selected for Moscow Worlds.” Olympic winner Ivan Ukhov has a bye, so the jumpers will compete for remaining two places at the nationals.

SOLOMON 1:13.28 SECOND BEST EVER

BURNABY (CAN, Jul 1): The Harre Jerome meet part of National Track League in Canada had Angela Whyte clocking fast 12.78 (0.0) at 100 m hurdles ahead of Jessica Zelinka 12.86 and Brianne Theisen 13.18. But the highlight was 1:13.28 at 600 m by 800 world leader and olympic finalist Duane Solomon. It is second fastest ever behind Johnny Gray´s all time mark 1:12.81 from 1986. Second Casimir Loxsom 1:14.84. Wallace Spearmon also showed good shape with 20.19 (-1.0) 200 m win. Aaron Brown won the 100 m in 10.20 (+1.0) after he was saved by starter judges when his first start looked like a false one. Josh Mance won the 400 m in fast 45.16 ahead of Kyle Clemons 45.30 and Manteo Mitchell 45.47. Decathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton was fifth 46.25. In middle distances Joe Abbott of USA won the 800 m in 1:45.35 PB and Nate Brannen the 1500 m in3:37.17. On the women side Melissa Bishop got the 800 m in 2:00.67 and Hillary Stellingwerf the 1500 m in 4:07.51. Mary Wineberg took the 400 m 51.58 and Crystal Emmanuel the 100 m 11.40 (0.0). In technical events Dylan Armstrong won the shot 20.67, Sultana Frizell hammer 71.39 (3rd German Kathrin Klaas 67.04), Melissa Gergel pole vault 440 and Cristabel Nettey long jump 668 (-0.4).

OTHER NEWS

MOSCOW (RUS): Reigning 800m world and Olympic champion Mariya Savinova informed Russian media she will most probably not competing at national championships at the end of July. “We plan to go to one more long training camp to complete my preparation for Moscow Worlds. At Znamenski Memorial in Zhukovskiy I just checked physical condition to know my weak points in preparation. Now we’ll work to get out of some mistakes.”

WARSZAWA (POL): Poland is sending big team of 57 athletes for the 9th European U23 Championships next week in Tampere. Top medal hopes are runner Szymon Kulka, pole vaulter Robert Sobera and Piotr Lisek, long jumper Tomasz Jaszczuk, shot putter Janusz Szyszkowski, javelin thrower Marcin Krukowski and on the women side Justyna Swiety at 400 m and Paulina Guba in shot put. As always relay teams are having good chances.

KYIV (UKR): Heptathlon Beijing Olympic champion, pentathlon world indoor record holder and vice-president of Ukrainian athletics federation Nataliya Dobrynska was decorated with an Order of Glory from the hands of first Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk for outstanding sport achievements and noble deeds which are increasing good name of Ukraine.

KINGSTON (JAM): Jamaica’s team for the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Championships was finally released. The event will be held in Michoacan in Mexico July 5-7. Jamaica is sending 21 women and 25 men. From top names female sprinters Sheri-Ann Brooks and Aleen Bailey, for the 400 m Shereefa Lloyd, Nickeisha Wilson at 400 m hurdles, 800 m runner Natoya Goule and triple jumper Kimberly Williamson. On the men side sprinters Oshane Bailey, Dexter Lee, Jason Livermore. In the 400 m Dewayne Barrett, Dane Hyatt, Allodin Fothergill. In the 400 m hurdles Isa Phillips with Roxroy Cato. From Trackalerts.

KINGSTON (JAM): Trackalerts writes that it is unclear when Jamaica’s athletes will depart for the 8th IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine. The 26-member team, which assembled in Kingston for departure on Monday, failed to leave the island because of visa problems. In the team top medal hopes on the girls side 100 m hurdler Yanique Thompson and 400 m runner Yanique McNeil. On the boys side sprinter/hurdler Michael O´Hara, 400 m runner Devaughn Baker and high jumper Christoff Bryan.

BASSETTERRE (SKN): The St. Kitts & Nevis Amateur Athletic Association announced its team for the 24th Central America & Caribbean Championships in Mexico headlined by the sprinters Antoine Adams (200 m) and Jason Rogers (100 m). They will be also part of 4×100 m a team which is a medal contender.

LAUSANNE (SUI): According to the new system used at European Cup Combined Events (only one score per team men and women together) relegated from Super League are Ukraine and Italy. Promoted instead from First League are Netherlands and Switzerland. From First League relegated Hungary and Greece which did not compete. And promoted from Second League Norway and Portugal.

MINSK (BLR): Belarus is sending 12 athletes for World Youth Championships in Donetsk, mostly throwers. In the team 7 boys and 5 girls.

PRAHA (CZE): Czech Republic selected 16 young athletes for Donetsk, with 10 girls and 6 boys. Interesting to have in the team Barbora Dvorakova for hurdles and long jump, the daughter of decathlon world champion and world record holder and current National team head-coach Tomas Dvorak.

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): British Athletics has confirmed the second wave of selections for the European Under 23 Championships in Tampere. Following the first wave of athletes selected on 17 June, a further 15 athletes have been added to the team. Reigning European Under 23 400m hurdles champion Jack Green has been added. He will be joined by Niall Flannery and Sebastian Rodger, who are ranked third and fourth respectively in Europe. British senior record holder Sophie Hitchon is almost two meters clear at the top of the European under 23 women’s hammer rankings. Adam Gemili selected for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay in the first wave of selections, will be another leading British medal hope. World junior long jump champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson will compete in the heptathlon. Pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale has withdrawn with an injury and will now focus on regaining fitness for the IAAF World Championships. British Athletics web informs.

ATLANTA (USA): Following tradition, a world-class men’s and women’s field will toe the line at the start of the 44th running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race on Thursday, July 4. For the first time, the AJC Peachtree Road Race will host the USA Women’s 10 km Championship as it welcomes back the USA Men’s 10 km Championship for the fifth time in seven years. The event will also serve as the 2013 Professional Road Running Organization’s (PRRO) Race of Champions. Athletes in the 2013 AJC Peachtree Road Race will be competing for a share of the 139 500 USD overall prize purse. This year, both the men’s and women’s 2012 AJC Peachtree Road Race champions will return to defend their titles. The men’s field is stacked with nearly 40 runners, including Kenyan Peter Kirui, who finished first (27:37) last year. Kirui will be joined at the line by fellow Kenyan and two-time Peachtree champion, Sammy Kitwara. On the women’s side, Ethiopians Mamitu Daska and Buzunesh Deba are competing for the PRRO bonus. Organisers are informing.

RESULTS

TRONDHEIM (NOR, Jul 1): Tonje Angelsen cleared her 192 in the high jump.

KOPER (SLO, Jun 29): Croatian guest Ivo Horvat cleared here new national pole vault record 562 cm. At the national U23 Champs Barbara Spiler achieved in hammer Moscow standard 70.88 m.

BUCURESTI (ROU, Jun 28-30): Second part of National Championships saw sprinter Andreea Ograzeanu clocking twice 11.37 (+0.7 and +0.5) in semis and finals of the 100 m. In the 200 m heats she clocked 22.91 (-0.2) PB. Marian Oprea got windy 17.32 (+2.3, legal 16.88) in the triple jump. Daniela Stanciu cleared 190 in the high jump and Sergiu Ursu achieved 63.32 in men discus. New national youth boys record in shot put (5 kg), 20.34 by Andri Toader.