by Alfonz Juck
The Match will begin on Monday, 9 September. The facility is fantastic and the athletes are ready. EME News has posted the following updates:
All ready for The Match
MINSK (BLR): All is ready for historical first The Match between Europe and USA, weather forecast is good, ticket sales going well. Both teams full of motivation as World champion Brittney Reese says “we are ready.” US athletes admitted that currently they do not have such a stadium with environment for track and field as the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk. “This stadium is beautiful, it’s super nice. The only difference is we don’t get to train in stadiums like this in the US but we compete in stadiums of this size for the World Championships and Olympic Games. Stadiums like these bring out our best performances,” said Darrell Hill. Pole vault star Ekaterini Stefanidi added: “I think I’m shape to jump 4.90m – we have eight attempts maximum rule and with Anzhelika [Sidorova] in the meet, I think we will push each other. I hope we won’t push each other so much so we run out of attempts but I’m physically ready to jump 4.90m. I would be OK if it doesn’t happen tomorrow and happens three weeks from now [at the IAAF World Championships] but it would be nice if it also happens tomorrow and then in three weeks I jump 5.00m.” Points given are 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, in horizontal jumps and all throws all will have 3 attempts, but then always the last goes out so for the final round top 4 will remain. In pole vault and high jump athletes will have in total 8 attempts. With the help from European Athletics.
Day one promising great duels
MINSK (BLR): First day of men competition has US top options for wins by Mike Rodgers in the 100 m, Darrell Hill in shot put (but Konrad Bukowiecki also there), Hillary Bor could be a force in steeple (with Fernando Carro from Spain) and in the 400 m as all four US runners have this year sub 45 times headed by Nathan Strother (44.29). Also in 4×100 m US looks to be stronger with both teams. Chances for European wins for sure in hammer by Polish duo Fajdek-Nowicki, also in the 1500 m by British duo Grice-Wightman. High jump has home duo Nabokau with Nedasekau and Russian Ivanyuk. Greek Tentoglou is long jump favorite. In women events Europe looks to be more dominant with Stefanidi and Sidorova in pole vault (with them Nageotte), Lyakhova vs Brown in the 800 m, Gierisch vs Franklin in triple, Felix vs Swiety-Ersetic in the 400 m, Winger vs Khaladovich in javelin. Perkovic should dominate the discus. Open situation in 4×100 m and 3000 m with German Klein, British McColgan and on US side Rowbury.
