by Larry Eder
Russia, Czech Rep, Denmark winners, Austria leads
CHEBOKSARY (RUS): Russia won for fourth time the European Team Championships, but for first time on home soil with 368.5 points ahead of Germany 347.5. First time bronze for France 319.5 ahead of Poland 316.5. Fifth as last time Great Britain 291 ahead of Italy 288 and Ukraine 281.5. Spain was 8h as in last two editions 230.5 and 9th Belarus as only one from promoted teams to remain in the highest class with 217 points. As after first day Scandinavia is relegated with Sweden 186.5, Finland 149.5 and Norway 121.
HERAKLION (GRE): Czech Republic is back to top category with clear 351 points win in First League ahead of home team Greece 327 and as Czechs back from relegation Netherlands third 299.5. Belgium got its all-time highest position as fourth 276.5 ahead of Portugal 270.5 and Ireland 261.5 (never were that high). Relegated from main category Turkey only 7th 260. From two promoted teams Switzerland saved the category as 8th 239.5 ahead of Romania 226.5 and Estonia 216. Going down are Lithuania 214.5 and second promoted team Latvia 169.5.
STARA ZAGORA (BUL): Denmarks achieved its highest position ever at the European team champs when winning the Second League with 224 points ahead of home team of Bulgaria 218 as both are promoted to First League. Third relegated Hungary 202.5. No team goes out here as Second League will be enlarged to 12 teams in 2017. Fourth Serbia 179.5 ahead of Croatia 167, Iceland 156.5 (their highest place ever), Cyprus 151 and Slovenia 127.5.
BAKU (AZE): Both relegated teams from Second League are leading the Third League in Baku as the event is part of inaugural European Games. Medals will be given at the end on Monday to top three teams, there are no individual medals. Austria has 250 points ahead of Slovakia 239 and Israel 238. Fight for last promotion spot between Moldova 216 and home Azerbaijan 215. Rest 9 teams are fighting for final ranking. Bosnia and Hercegovina is 6th just 4 points ahead of Luxembourg (161 to 157). Georgia clear 8th 140.5, Malta 9th 130.5, Montenegro rounds the top ten 123.5. Then with margin 11th Andorra 73.5, Macedonia 12th 71, Small States 68 and Albania also 68.
RESULTS: One world lead (women hammer), more European leads (women long jump equaled, women 4×400 m, men 4×400 m) and also meet records (women hammer, women shot, women long jump, men 800 m and men 4×400 m) highlighted theSunday programme. All this marks are coming from top division in Cheboksary. But not all winning marks were the best in Russia. On the men side better winners in First League in men 200 m and 3000 m and in Second League men discus. On the women side three marks better in First League 200 m, 1500 m and 5000 m. And to add one result from Baku first day was the best from all leagues in the men 5000 m.
Reports by League
CHEBOKSARY (RUS, Jun 21): Betty Heidler of Germany challenged Anita Wlodarczyk with a CR of 75.73 in the final round, but the Pole responded with a heave of 78.28 to snatch the CR back and take the win in the women’s hammer. Behind them there were personal bests for Alexandra Tavernier of France (74.05) and Alena Sobaleva of Belarus (72.86). There were also good marks for Sophie Hitchon of Great Britain (71.89) and Oksana Kondratyeva of Russia (71.07). Darya Klishina of Russia jumped a CR and EL equalling mark of 695 (1.6) in the third round to take the women’s long jump win. Volha Sudareva of Belarus improved her PB by 1cm to 686 (0.6) in second. Mariya Kuchina of Russia had a good clearance at 199 to win a competitive women’s high jump. World leader Ruth Beitia of Spain had to settle for second with 197. Other athletes clearing that height were Kamila Licwinko of Poland and Erika Kinsey of Sweden. The Swede improved her PB by 5cm. As expected, Christina Schwanitz took maximum points in the shot, with a best effort of 19.82. Irina Tarasova of Russia made sure that Germany didn’t get too much of a points advantage, by placing second with 18.51. Aliona Dubitskaya of Belarus recorded 18.38 for third. In the unusual fast for team competition men’s 800m, Giordano Benedetti of Italy (1:45.11) pipped Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (1:45.14) on the line for a surprise win. Adam Kszczot of Poland couldn’t match the first two in the final stretch and finished third (1:45.84). Pre race favourite Alina Talay (12.80, +0.4) took the win in the 100mH, earning Belarus their only 12 points from the weekend. Nina Morozova of Russia (12.85) and Cindy Roleder (12
.92) were next. Last year’s winner, and the championship record holder, Cindy Billaud finished 5th in 13.06. Sergey Shubenkov of Russia (13.22, -2.6), scored a convincing win against strong wind and over Pascal Martinot Lagarde of France (13.42) in the men’s 110mH. Lawrence Clarke ran 13.64 for third. Renaud Lavillenie of France started the men’s pole vault competition with two fouls, but then cleared 585 in his third vault of the competition to take the win. Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany made 585 on his third attempt. He then fouled twice at 590; a total of four fouls meant that he had no more attempts left. Lavillenie tried at 602 but had no success. Tero Pitkamaki of Finland wasn’t challenged in the men’s javelin, his 84.44 came in the fourth round. Italy’s Fabrizio Donato inflicted defeat to Russian favourite Aleksey Fydorov in the men’s triple jump with a 17.11 (3.3) effort to the Russian’s 16.92 (1.6). All four of Robert Urbanek’s efforts would have been enough to win the men’s discus. The Pole topped the competition with 63.03, with Martin Wierig of Germany (60.23) and Frank Casanas of Spain (60.01) also getting over 60m. Russia’s Anna Shchagina of Russia stormed down the home straight to take a strong victory in the women’s 1500m in a time of 4:15.22. Stepping down in distance, Karoline Grovdal of Norway ran 4:16.22 for second, with long time leader Rhianwedd Price of Great Britain hanging on well to place third in 4:16.59. Renata Plis of Poland hit the front with one lap to go in the women’s 5000m and eased away from the rest, winning in 15:49.29. Richard Ringer of Germany had by far the best kick in a tactical men’s 3000m, he won in very slow 8:43.35. European silver medallist Krystian Zalewski gapped the pack just before the bell and then moved further away to win in 8:37.51. In the women’s 200m, Nataliya Pohrebnyak of Ukraine dominated from the gun and claimed victory in a PB of 22.76 (0.5). Bianca Williams of Great Britain ran a strong second half to place second in 23.16. On the men’s side, Serhiy Smelyk of Ukraine ran in the slower section but came out with the fastest time, 20.45 (-0.9). Danny Talbot won the fast section in the second fastest time, 20.62 (-0.2). The event closed with the 4x400m relays. Russia was a clear victor of the women’s 4x400m, covering the distance in 3:24.98. France were the runner-up with 3:28.84. France overtook Great Britain in the final stages to win the men’s 4x400m in a championship record of 3:00.47. Great Britain (3:00.54), Poland (3:01.24) and Russia (3:01.71) followed.
HERAKLION (GRE, Jun 21): The European Team Championships First League saw two athletes complete sprint doubles. Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands secured the sprint double, and her third win, by taking the 200m in 22.45 (-0.4). After winning the 100m on day one, Likoúrgos-Stéfanos Tsákonas of Greece was a clear men’s 200m winner on day two in 20.44 (-0.6). The home nation also came out on top in the men’s pole vault and 110mH. Kostas Fillipidis cleared 580 to beat Jan Kudlicka (575) of the Czech Republic in the men’s pole vault. Arnaud Art of Belgium improved his PB to 565 on his third attempt. KonstadÃnos DouvalÃdis took the 110mH, running 13.58 (-0.8). The Turkish team had several winners. Ilham Tanui Ozbilen ran 1:47.97 to get the better of Mark English (1:48:28) in the men’s 800m and secure the middle distance double. Fellow Turk Tarik Langat Akdag won the 3000mSC with 8:44.53. Turkey’s Karin Melis Mey won the women’s long jump with 653 (-1.1), Halil Akkas won the men’s 3000m in 8:12.00 over Dennis Licht of the Netherlands (8:12.28) and Emer Dereli won the shot with 17.47. Estonia’s Tanel Laanmäe set a PB of 82.67 to win the javelin over Petr Frydrych of the Czech Republic (78.93). Anne Zagré of Belgium ran a SB of 13.03 (-0.8) to beat Noemi Zbaren (13.09) and young Dutch multi eventer Nadine Visser (13.16) in the 100mH. Philip Milanov of Belgium waited until the last round to take the men’s discus. His final effort of 62.02 was the best. Nelson Evora got top points in the triple jump for Portugal with 16.34 (-0.6). Claudia Bobocel of Romania ran a PB of 4:14.58 (fastest from all leagues) to beat Lithuania’s Natalija PiliuÅ¡ina (4:15.01) in the women’s 1500m. Fastest from all leagues was also the 5000 m women win by Dutch Jip Vastenburg 15:36.32. Oldriska Maresova won the high jump and Tereza Kralova hammer for Czech with 188 and 64.52. The Czech Republic won the two meet-closing 4x400m relays. Pavel Maslak helped the men to a 3:04.52 win and Zuzana Hejnova anchored the women to 3:32.37 finish.
STARA ZAGORA (BUL): Surprise winners Denmark had on Sunday only four male winners (Andreas Bube, 800 m 1:50.38, Mads Taersbol 3000 m 8:29.09, Andreas Martinsen 110mH 13.71 -1.0 and 4×400 m 3:08.01) and it was enough. The best result of the day was the discus by Hungarian Zoltan Kovago 64.73 (best from all leagues). Double winners home Mitko Tsenov (9:07.37 steeple), Denis Dimitrov (21.38 +1.9, 200 m), Ivet Lalova (22.90, -0.4, 200 m) and Serbian Amela Terzic (1500 m, 4:16.13). More Bulgarian wins by Militsa Mirtscheva in 5000 m (16:30.14), Mirela Demireva 191 in high jump, Georgi Tsonov in triple (16.36, -1.3) and women 4×400 m 3:38.78. Anita Marton fulfilled her favoritel role in shot put for Hungary (18.36). Serbian Vedran Samac won the javelin 79.52. Croatian wins by Andrea Ivancevic hurdles (13.38, -1.3) and Ivan Horvat (pole vault, 540). And one win for Iceland in long jump for Hafdis Sigurdadottir (645 +1.1 equaled national record) and for Slovenia by Barbara Spiler in hammer (63.80).
BAKU (AZE): Some 15 000 followed first day of athletics at giant main stadium in Baku and saw interesting competition with several national records. Austria had worst places at level of 5, and good winners on the women side Jenni Wenth 3000 m (9:11.98), Kira Grunberg pole vault (435), Verena Menapace 400 m hurdles (58.94 PB). Slovakia had 6 wins, but also some 7th places. Marcel Lomnicky got hammer (75.41), Matus Bubenik high jump (226), Martin Kucera 400 m hurdles (50.70), Iveta Putalova 400 m (outdoor PB 53.07), Tomas Benko 100 m (10.60, 0.0) and women 4×100 m 44.92 national record. Israeli world class athletes produced high quality. Dona
ld Blair Sanford 45.75 in the 400 m, Hanna Minenko 14.41 (+0.1, second Slovak Dana Veldakova 13.95+0.9) in triple and Margarita Dorozhon 58.00 in javelin. The home hero was Hayle Ibrahimov who achieved a rare one day double winning the 1500 m in 3:49.69 and then the 5000 m 14:02.16 (fastest from all leagues). Chaltu Beji won for home fans despite a fall at last water-barrier women steeple in 10:30.58. In depth the best race was women 800 m won by Charline Mathias of Luxembourg in 2:01.77 NR ahead of Luiza Gega of Albania 2:02.36 and home Anastasiya Komarova 2:02.50 PB. More wins for Israel in women 100 m Olha Lenskiy 11.61 (-0.3) and men 4×100 m (40.25). Good quality in men shot put by Hamza Alic of Bosnia and Hercegovina 20.26 m. Natalia Stratulat won for Moldova women discus 55.08 and Bakhana Khorava for Georgia men long jump 764 (-0.1).
NOTES
CHEBOKSARY: British 100m record holder Dina Asher Smith had been due to race the 200m in Cheboksary but had to withdraw due to illness. The 19 year old said that she has been feeling unwell for several days and that her condition worsenedon Saturday night.
CHEBOKSARY: Germany was re-instated first day at 4×100 m for men.
HERAKLION: Men in the 5000 m ran actually 5400 m, so no times in official results.
CHEBOKSARY: Fastest relay splits in the men 4×400 m 44.68 by Rafal Omelko of Poland, 44.6 for Delano Williams Great Britain and 44.73 French Mamadou Hanne. On the women side 50.79 by Russian Kseniya Ryzhina.
