Teams for European Champs, Torino, Italy, by Alfons Juck

Alfons Juck compiled information on some of the final teams for the 2009 Indoor European Championships in Torino, Italy, March 6-10, 2009….

EME NEWS (MAR 2, 2009) TORINO TEAMS
SWEDEN: After weekend´s national championships Sweden will send 13 athletes to Torino. The main hopes are High Jumper Linus Thornblad and Pole Vaulter Alhaji Jeng who are in top five of current indoor lists. Also big hopes are connected to Olympic 400 m finalist Johan Wissman.
The team
Men – 400 m: Johan Wissman, 800 m: Mattias Claesson, 3000 m: Olle Wallerang, Johan Wallerstein, Oskar Kack, 60mH: Robert Kronberg, HJ: Linus Thornblad, PV: Alhaji Jeng, LJ: Michel Torneus
Women – 60 m: Lena Berntsson, Emma Rienas, 3000 m: Ulrika Johansson, SP: Helena Engman
SLOVAKIA: Slovak Republic is sending its biggest team since independency with 11 athletes. Ambitions to achieve the finals are mainly connected to jumping twins Dana (triple jump) and Jana (long jump) Veldakova. In the team also up and coming generation getting the chance to compete for first time at European senior level. Unfortunately the qualified 800 m runner Jozef Repcik is not able to travel due to foot injury.
Men – 400 m: Peter Znava, 60mH: Matus Janecek, HJ: Peter Horak, Martin Kalafus, Michal Kabelka, LJ and TJ: Jaroslav Dobrovodsky, SP: Milan Haborak, Daniel Vanek
Women – 60mH: Miriam Bobkova, LJ: Jana Veldakova, TJ: Dana Veldakova
BELARUS: Belarus will be represented in Torino with young team. Olympic medalist n Shot Put Nadezhda Ostapchuk is passing the event and so is injured Olympic decathlon medalist Andrey Kravchenko.
Women – 60 m: Oksana Dragun, Yulia Balykina, 60mH: Yekaterina Poplavskaya, Alina Talay, TJ: Natalya Byatkina, Anastasiya Mironchik, 4×400 m: Alena Kievich, Yekaterina Bobrik, Anna Tashpulatova, Yekaterina Mishchina, Olga Ostashko
Men – 60mH: Maksim Lynsha, TJ: Dmitriy Detsiuk, HJ: Artyom Zaytsev, SP: Andrey Sinyakov
CZECH REPUBLIC: The Czechs expected a bigger team, at the end 14 athletes will travel. The biggest medal hope is the legendary versatile Roman Sebrle who will fight for his fourth title in a row in indoor heptathlon. Also in good shape long jump Olympic finalist Roman Novotny. Finally, the hurdles record holder Petr Svoboda passed a test on Sunday and will travel.
Men – 60 m: Libor Zilka, 400 m: Petr Szetei, 60mH: Petr Svoboda, HJ: Jaroslav Baba, PV: Michal Balner, LJ: Roman Novotny, Hep: Roman Sebrle
Wom – 800 m: Dana Satrova, 1500 m. Marcela Lustigova, 60mH: Lucie Skrobakova, HJ: Iva Strakova, PV: Jirina Ptacnikova, TJ: Martina Sestakova, Pen: Denisa Rosolova
ESTONIA: Lucky number for Estonia could be 13 this time with thirteen athletes selected. Mainly Mikk Pahapill and Andres Raja in heptathlon are the hopes along with Kaie Kand in women pentathlon. Long Jumper Ksenija Balta could also attack the medal podium.
Men – 3000 m: Tiidrek Nurme, LJ/TJ: Jaanus Uudmae, SP: Raigo Toompuu, hep: Mikk Pahapill, Andres Raja
Wom – 60 m: Kadri Viigipuu, 400 m: Maris Magi, HJ: Anna Iljustsenko, PV: Liane Pintsaar, LJ: Ksenija Balta, Sirkka-Liisa Kivine, TJ: Kaire Leibak, pen: Kaie Kand
FINLAND: Finland is sending 15 athletes, mainly world championships 2005 medalist Tommi Evila could aim for the participation in the final.
Men – 60 m: Joni Rautanen, Jarkko Ruostekivi, 400 m: Jussi Heikkilä, Visa Hongisto, 800 m: Mikko Lahtio, Robert Rotkirch, 1500 m: Mikael Bergdahl, Niclas Sandells, 60mH: Juha Sonck, LJ: Tommi Evilä, Petteri Lax, Juho-Matti Pimiä
Women – 800 m: Karin Storbacka, 1500 m: Mari Järvenpää, PV: Minna Nikkanen
HUNGARY: Seven athletes will represent Hungary. Good chances for finals for shot putter Lajos Kurthy. Only women in the team is also a shot putter.
Men – 800 m: David Takacs, 1500 m: Barnabas Bene, Peter Szemeti, 3000 m: Albert Minczer, 60mH: Balazs Baji, SP: Lajos Kurthy
Women – SP: Anita Marton
IRELAND: Double gold medallist David Gillick will defend his 400m European Indoor title as he is one of five athletes who have been added to the now 17-strong squad. For medals considered is also Mary Cullen at 3000 m.
Men – 60 m: Paul Hession, 400 m: David Gillick, 800 m: David McCarthy
Wom – 60 m: Ailis McSweeney, Niamh Whelan, 400 m: Marian Andrews, Bronagh Furlong, 1500 m: Roisin McGettigan, 3000 m: Deirdre Byrne, Mary Cullen, 60mH: Derval O´Rourke, HJ: Deirdre Ryan, PV: Zoe Brown, LJ: Kelly Proper, 4×400 m: Marian Andrews, Bronagh Furlong, Gemma Hynes, Claire Bergin, Christine McMahon, Jessica Zebo.
ICELAND: Only representative will be the shot putter OdinnBjorn Thorsteinsson who achieved this winter 19.16 m.
LITHUANIA: Eleven athletes from Lithuania will be in Torino headed by experienced Austra Skujyte who this time will compete only in Shot Put.
Men. 60 m: Martynas Jurgilas, HJ: Raivydas Stanys, LJ: Povilas Mykolaitis, Darius Aucyna
Wom: 60 m: Lina Grincikaite, Edita Kavaliauskiene, SP: Austra Skujyte, Pen: Viktorija Zemaityte, 4×400 m: Grincikaite, Kavaliauskiene, Agne Orlauskaite, Jekaterina Sakovic,Zivile Borkoriute
ROMANIA: Shot putter Anca Heltne is the greatest medal hope of 15 athletes strong team of Romania
Men: 60 m: Catalin Cimpeanu, 400 m. Ioan Vieru, LJ: Adrian Vasile, TJ: Alin Anghel
Wom: 60 m and 60mH: Angela Morosanu, 800 m: Mirela Lavric, Mihaela Neacsu, 1500 m: Ancuta Bobocel, HJ: Esthera Petre, LJ: Cornelia Deiac, Viorica Tigau, Alina Militaru, TJ: Cristina Bujin, Cristina Toma, SP: Anca Heltne
SLOVENIA: Seven athletes will represent Slovenia with medal hopes connected mainly to Olympic triple jump finalist Marija Sestak.
Men – 60 m: Matic Osovnikar, 1500 m: Cene Subic, SP: Miran Vodovnik
Wom – 1500 m/3000 m: Sonja Roman, LJ: Nina Kolaric, TJ: Marija Sestak, Snezana Rodic
UKRAINE: Multiple European CC champion Sergiy Lebid and world indoor 800 m medalist Tetyana Petluyk are the headliners of Ukrainian team. Together 21 athletes (14 men and 7 women). At the end olympic heptathlon winner Natalya Dobrynska did not accept the invitation and interestingly no female high jumper will compete. On the other hand three men will be there in high jump competition.
Men – 60 m: Igor Bodrov, Konstantin Vasyukov, 400 m: Stanislav Melnikov, 800 m: Oleksandr Osmolovich, Vitaliy Voloshin, 1500 m: Oleksandr Borisyuk, 3000 m. Sergiy Lebid, HJ: Viktor Shapoval, Bohdan Bondarenko, Oleksandr Nartov, PV: Oleksandr Korchmyd, TJ: Evhen Semenenko, Viktor Yastrebov, hep: Oleksiy Kasyanov
Wom – 60 m: Yelizaveta Bryzgina, 400 m: Natalya Pigida, 800 m: Tetyana Petluyk, Natalya Lupu, Tamara Tverdostup, 60mH: Olesya Krasovska, TJ: Svitlana Mamyeyeva
CROATIA: High Jumper Blanka Vlasic who is not having any medal from European indoor championships so far (4th in 2007 and qualification in 2002) is the big star of Croatian team which is having 3 athletes. Hurdler Jura Grabusic and Shot Putter Nedzad Mulabegovic are the other two.
POLAND: In total 25 athletes will represent Poland in Torino. The main star and shot put favorite is the Olympic gold medalist Tomasz Majewski. Miler Sylwia Ejdys will make a decision about the event in Torino. Unfortunately due to injury Pole Vaulter Anna Rogowska will not compete.
Wom – 1500/3000 m: Sylwia Ejdys, 3000 m: Lidia Chojecka, HJ: Kamila Stepaniuk, PV: Joanna Piwowarska, LJ/TJ: Joanna Skibińska, Pen: Kamila Chudzik, Karolina Tymińska
Men – 60 m: Dariusz Kuć, Jacek Roszko (6.64), 400 m: Jan Ciepiela, Piotr Klimczak, 4×400 m: Ciepiela, Klimczak, Marcin Sobiech, Marcin Marciniszyn, JarosÅ‚aw Wasiak, Rafal Wieruszewski, 800 m: Marcin Lewandowski, Adam Kszczot, PaweÅ‚ Czapiewski, 1500 m: Łukasz ParszczyÅ„ski, HJ: Sylwester Bednarek, PV: Łukasz Michalski, Mateusz Didenkow, Adam Kolasa, LJ: Marcin Starzak, SP: Tomasz Majewski
BULGARIA: Triple jumper Momchil Karailiev could be the hope for participation in finals in Bulgarian team which will have 8 athletes.
Men – 60 m: Veselin Pankov, LJ: Nikolay Atanasov, Boris Bozhinov, Atanas Rusenov, TJ: Momchil Karailiev, PV: Spas Bukhalov
Wom – 60 m: Inna Eftimova, 400 m: Tsvetelina Kirilova
PORTUGAL: Portugal is sending 5 men and 7 women. Olympic medallist Rui Silva is the medal contender in his event (1500 m).
Men – 60 m: Arnaldo Abrantes, 1500 m: Rui Silva, Bruno Albuquerque, LJ: Gaspar Araujo, SP: Marco Fortes
Wom – 400 m: Patricia Lopes, 800/1500 m: Sandra Teixeira, 3000 m: Jessica Augusto, Sara Moreira, Ines Monteiro, PV: Eleonor Tavares, Elisabete Tavares
DENMARK: Denmark is sending pretty big team with 13 athletes.
Men – 60 m: Martin Krabbe, 400 m: Jacob Riis, Andreas Bube, Nicklas Hyde, 60mH: Jon Yde Bentsen, Christian Laugesen, PV: Rasmus Jorgensen, LJ: Morten Jensen, SP: Kim Christensen, Nick Petersen
Wom – 60 m: Anna Olsson, 400 m: Sara Pedersen, PV: Caroline Bonde
SERBIA: Six athletes will compete for Serbia. Old timer Dragutin Topic for sixth time (competed already in Genua 1992 with bronze).
Men – 800 m: Goran Nava, HJ: Dragutin Topic
Wom – 1500 m: Marina Muncan, 3000 m: Sonja Stolic, 60mH: Jelena Jotanovic, TJ: Biljana Topic