by Larry Eder
LAVILLENIE, FELIX AND GREAT JAVELIN
OSLO (NOR): The 49th Exxon Mobil Bislett Games will offer in planned excellent summer weather something to cheer for the full stadium in men javelin, men Dream mile and specially staged women 100 m. Internationally fast men 100 m, Lavillenie, Felix and top women high jump are the ones to specially mention.
Preview event by event
Men
100 m: European Challenge. Vicaut in two races sub 10, Thompson has the shape, Brits Gemili and Kilty. Home star Ndure.
Dream Mile: The usual highlight, Souleiman looks like favorite, crowd hopes for Ingebrigtsen improvement.
5000 m: First years sub 13 should happen, Rupp is in top shape, also C. Ndiku. Or surprise from behind? Gebremeskel did not run yet on the track this year.
Steeple: Birech and Kipsiele to fight for win. World lead?
110mH: Eugene revenge – Parchment to PML. WL is 13.13.
400mH (non-DL): Eaton on his way to sub 49. Van Zyl and Dutch to fight with him.
PV: Lavillenie in 6th competition of the year, can he come close to 600 cm MR. World champ Holzdeppe also wants to improve his season mark.
TJ: Claye leads the DR, Taylor to attack, is Adams enough healthy?
SP: Great field and US-Europe duel. Hoffa-Cantwell-Kovacs vs Majewski and Storl.
JT: Egyptian WL holder to confirm his position against top medalists Vesely, Pitkamaki and Thorkildsen.
Women
100 m (non-DL): Fans wants to see Okparaebo high, there are others with sub 11.20 this year.
200 m: Felix vs. Ahoure, both want to improve season best.
400 m: Novlene W-M won so far both races, again fighting with Montsho for that.
800 m: Sum to fight in-shape Martinez. Coming close to WL?
400mH: Spencer wants to continue in the DR, what is the shape of Doha winner Adekoya. And also Antyukh in her season opener.
HJ: The best field of the year so far. Chicherova, Kuchina, both Polish and Croatian duo Vlasic (season opener) + Simic.
LJ: Spanovic and Klishina fighting, but WR holder is Bartoletta.
DT: Perkovic to continue in her winning streak and attack the MR 69.78.
OSLO (NOR): The women’s high jump elite took a luxury yacht trip in the Oslo-fjord ahead of the Bislett Games on Wednesday, inform organisers. Anna Chicherova, and Tonje Angelsen and Blanka Vlasic were among those on board, along with Renaud Lavillenie and Andrea Thorkildsen. Vlasic said that she has more confidence now than she has had in a long time and is ready to “give the other girls some serious competition”. Lavillenie spoke highly of the Bislett audience, saying “The crowd responds well to the performances we deliver in the arena and the atmosphere is always good. Bislett’s audience knows how things work and what to look for. “I’m focused on delivering results.”
OSLO (NOR): The Diamond League press conference brought together World decathlon champion Ashton Eaton and Norwegian 400mH record holder Řyvind StrÅ™mmen Kjerpeset, inform organisers. Eaton, who improved his 400mH PB to 49.07 in Hengelo, said that he has also enjoyed competing in the 110mH this year and hopes to compete in the long jump and pole vault this season too. He said that this year’s switch to the 400mH will help him stay sharp and “not fall into bad habits and routines.”
OSLO (NOR): South African hurdler LJ van Zyl said that his poor performance in Hengelo was down to poor rhythm early on in the race followed by unexpected pressure put on him by Ashton Eaton, reportsupersport.com. „I am sure it will go better in Oslo but I’m never too confident about a race,” Van Zyl said. „I know I have a few good races still in my legs somewhere in the season.”
OSLO (NOR): At the Bislett Games press conference, Egypt’s javelin world leader, Ihab Abdelrahman, said that the ankle injury that hampered his performance in Beijing is now better and he feels good ahead of the competition on Wednesday where he will face World champion Vitezslav Vesely, World silver medallist Tero Pitkamaki and two time Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen. Despite knee problems that disrupted his pre-season preparation, Vesely thinks he can throw well; though he emphasised that the next two seasons are more important. Pitkamaki hasn’t slept for the last three nights, as he became a father yesterday to a baby boy. He says that he is “getting better” after early season elbow surgery. Thorkildsen has no such worries and says that he is in form to match Abdelrahman’s WL of 89.21.
OSLO (NOR): Legendary Carl Lewis is the special guest in Oslo, he gave advice to young sprinters attending the press conference with him (Vicaut, Gemili, Kilty, Ndure). They all confirmed their aim to succeed at European Championships in Zurich. Kilty wants to concentrate on the 100 m this year where Ndure said that his main event should be the 200 m. Gemili plans later some 200 m and Vicaut also noted he might qualify for both for Zurich. In the women part of the conference, Allyson Felix and Muriele Ahoure said they want to improve their season bests on Wednesday. Ahoure plans also to compete at African Championships in August in Morocco.
OSLO (NOR): Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie joined World champion Raphael Holzdeppe at the annual traditional curtain-raiser to the Bislett Games and IAAF Oslo Diamond League at the famous strawberry party at Oslo’s City Hall, inform organisers. Lavillenie said that he will again try to break Tim Lobinger’s meeting record of 600; “Hopefully I can jump 5.90m/6.00m and it will be a good performance. If there’s no wind, we’re up for it.” He wants to consistently achieve 580 to 600 to put him in a good position to win the European Championships. Holzdeppe admitted he is struggling to reach high heights after an injury ruled him out of the indoor season, saying “it’s been a really bad time for me.” Although, he thinks that he found his rhythm in Eugene and hopes to finally jump well tomorrow, with a target height of 575.
