by Larry EderLast weekend, Galen Rupp broke four minutes, on an oversized indoor track, with his 3:57.86. This has been a superb indoor season for Galen, running a 7:44 for 3,000 meters at the Reebok BIG, then the AR for 5,000 meters with his 13:18 at Tyson and now this. This coming week, Rupp will be running the NCAA Indoor Championships. Rupp is preparing for bigger and better things, such as Berlin 2009 and London 2012, but it seems that Mr. Rupp it taking one thing at a time. Allowed to be a normal college student at track mad Oregon, Rupp is maturing into one of our top distance runners. We wish him luck this weekend !
Rupp running 3,000 meters at Reebok Boston on February 7, 2009. Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.
March 8-9 Catch up, EME News
CHAMBERS NOT WANTED IN RELAY
LONDON (GBR): Dwain Chambers has accepted there will no place for him in the British 4×100 metres relay team in the build up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
UK Athletics had considered including Chambers winner of the European 60m gold medal in Turin on Sunday, as a short term measure possibly starting at this summer‘s World Championships in Berlin. Although he is eligible to compete at most major championships the reformed drug cheat who served a two years suspension after failing a test for the steroid THG in 2003, is banned for life from the Olympics. That has seen Charles van Commenee UKA‘s head coach after a meeting with the 30-year-old sprinter, inform him he doesn‘t figure in the relay squad‘s preparation or competition plans. On Monday Chambers‘ controversial book, ‚Race Against Me‘, went on sale and there have been indications he may be involved in legal action with at least one person mentioned in the content.
Chambers of his omission from the squad, said: „I am comfortable with the decision and I feel it is important that the 4x100m team go out to Berlin and succeed. I wish them all the best.“ Chambers insisted there should be no suspicion after detractors noted that he is running faster now than during the days he was using drugs.
„If you run slow they say you‘re rubbish,“ he said. „If you run fast they say you‘re on stuff. It shouldn‘t be like that. They can raise their eyebrows. I‘m not failing any drug tests. I‘m doing my sport clean.“ Writes David Martin.
SUAREZ SCORES 8415 POINTS
HAVANA (CUB, Mar 6-7): Great decathlon score already early in the season for Olympic bronze medalist Leonel Suarez with 8415 points (including excellent javelin 72.93). Yordani Garcia also competed on high note with 8365 score. At Janet Memorial for throwing events Yunio Lastre improved in discus to 63.67, Carlos Veliz won the Shot Put (19.96). In women events Misleidys Gonzalez achieved good quality 19.05 in shot put ahead of world junior champion Natalia Duco of Chile (18.19). Olympic medaliost Yarelis Barrios won the discus (60.91) and Italian Clarissa Claretti went over 70 metres in hammer (71.66). Yanet Cruz confirmed solid javelin shape (59.71).
BRITISH WALKING RECORD AND SERIES OF BERLIN STANDARDS
LUGANO (SUI, Mar 8): Jo Jackson clocked excellent UK 20 km walk record at European Athletics Permit walking meet in Switzerland (7th Memorial Albisetti) with 1:31:16. Interestingly she missed the UK Athletics Berlin standard (higher than IAAF) by only one second. Second Olga Povalyayeva of Russia achieved 1:31:32 and third Brigita Virbalyte also improved her best to 1:32:08. Czech Zuzana Schindlerova was fourth in new PB and qualified to Berlin with 1:32:26. The same for fifth Swiss Marie Polli with national record 1:32:36 and sixth Slovakian Maria Galikova (PB 1:33:03), both qualified to World Championships. In men 20 km Russian win for Aleksandr Yargunkin (1:21:40) beating Belarus top walkers Ivan Trotskiy (1:22:21) and Andrey Stepanchuk (1:23:39). Solid German junior men win at 10 km for Carl Dohmann (42:49).
TORINO THINKS ABOUT WORLD INDOORS 2014
TORINO (ITA): Italian media are reporting that after succesfull European Indoor Championships, the city of Torino and national federation FIDAL are considering a bid to stage World Indoor Championships 2014. This event was never held in Italy and next two editions will be in Doha (2010) and Istanbul (2012).
TORINO FACTS
BEST RELAYS: Claudio Licciardello taking the home team to gold had the fastest split of all runners 45.82. Piotr Klimczak who anchored Poland was the second fastest (46.18) and Matteo Galvan running second leg for Italy was the third best (46.24). On the women side Russian Antonina Krivoshapka clocked 50.86 in last part of winning team. Her team-mate Darya Safonova was timed at 52.08 in second leg and British Vicky Barr was the third fastest (52.18 in third leg).
NOBODY: Nobody from seven title defenders competing in Torino was succesfull. Oksana Zbrozhek (800 m) and Gregory Sedoc (60mHurdles) won silver medals. Roman Sebrle was third in heptathlon, Asunta Legnante was fifth in shot put, Lidia Chojecka 7th at 1500 m (and did not finish the 3000 m heat), Danny Ecker did not qualify in pole vault for the finals and David Gillick after collision was out in 400 m semifinals. But there were three other champions from earlier past who could win again. Yuriy Borzakovskiy won the 800 m gold after 9 years as he was first in 2000 (Gent). Rui Silva won for third time the 1500 m after 1998 and 2002 and Ladji Doucoure was the best at 60 m Hurdles for second time after 2005. All other 21 individual winners achieved the European indoor gold for the first time.
TOP ATHLETES: From best on paper from those who were competing in total 6 men and 7 women were gold medal winners. The men are Chambers, Borzakovskiy, Farah, Ukhov, Lavillenie and Majewski. On the women side Krivoshapka, Alminova (1500 m), Berings, Friedrich, Golubchikova, Taranova and Bogdanova. From two Olympic individual medalists from Beijing competing in Torino Majewski won again gold, but Blanka Vlasic did not succeed.
BEST RESULTS: Comparison of winning marks shows that men winners in Torino were better than two years ago in Birmingham clearly 9:4, but women winners in Torino achieved only in three events better marks than Birmingham winners (3:10). The three events were triple jump, shot put and 800 m. The best individual result in men category according to IAAF Scoring Tables was the 871 long jump by Sebastian Bayer worth of 1277 points. The 6.42 by Dwain Chambers have 1253 score, if he would be wanting to be better than Bayer he would need to run new world record 6.38. On the women side the best result the 1:58.10 at 800 m by Natalya Savinova worth 1211 points ahead of Ariane Friedrich High Jump (201 is 1204 points).
RESULTS
TAMANA (JPN, Mar 8): Kazuhiro Maeda won the Tamana Half Marathon in 1:03:00. Women 10 km winner was Hiroko Miyauchi (32:32).
ALPHEN AN DEN RIJN (NED, Mar 8): Wilson Chebet dominated the classic 20 km race in Netherlands with good quality 57:51 ahead of Ethiopians Tesema Abshiro (57:58) and Raji Assefa (57:58). Pauline Wangui was the best woman in 66:39.
QINGEON (CHN, Mar 7-8): Tilastopaja reports about Chinese CC Championships which brought two double winners. Dong Guojian won both male events (6 km in 18:04 and 12 km in 37:00) and Jia Chaofeng both women races (4 km in 13:23 and 8 km in 27:29).
VERBANIA (ITA, Mar 8): Sensational win for unknown Tanzanian Ezekiel Ngimba at 2nd Lago Maggiore Half-marathon in 1:00:41. The young runner is supported and living currently in Czech Republic under the help of best men club AK Kromeriz. Kenyans followed as Jacob Yator clocked 1:00:43 and David Kemboi 1:00:44. Hungarian Aniko Kalovics continued in her heavy racing schedule with another win (1:15:21).
KIGALI (RWA): Dieudonné Disi was crowned Rwanda’s cross-country champion in Kigali this week-end. Disi clocked 37:31.6 to defeat Jean-Baptiste Simuceka by one second (37:32.9). Gervais Hakizimana followed in 37:41.5. Claudette Mukasakindi had easy victory in the women’s 8km winning with more than one minute lead over marathoner Epiphanie Nyirabarame (27:19.4 to 28:37.2). Despite his victory, Dieudonné Disi won’t be looking for a spot in Rwanda’s team for the World Championships in Amman as he’s preparing for his marathon debut in Paris on April 5, the News Times informs.
PARIS (FRA, Mar 8): Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka went back to France to claim victory in the Paris half-marathon one year after her second place behind Kenya’s Linah Cheruiyot. This time Prokopcuka defeated Ethiopia’s Makda Harun Haji, 1:10:43 against 1:10:57, while Peninah Arusei of Kenya was third in 1:11:38. Ethiopians dominated the men’s race as Bazu Worku and Fikadu Lemma took the first two spots in 1:01:56 and 1:02:00. Barnabas Kosgei was third in 1:02:25.
KYOTO (JPN, Mar 8): Ryuji Kashiwabara won the Kyoto City Half Marathon clocking 1:03:16. Women winner Kasumi Nishihara achieved 1:11:58.
BUCURESTI (ROU, Mar 6-8): Discus world medalist Nicoleta Grasu achieved 63.28 at Romanian Winter Throwing Championships. Bianca Perie won U20 and senior hammer competitions (66.20 and 67.97).
BUDAPEST (HUN, Mar 8): Solid 5623 heptathlon score for Attila Szabo at Hungarian Combined Events Championships.
US INDOOR WEEKEND ROUND-UP
SEATTLE: Galen Rupp improved his mile best at oversized track to 3:57.86.
BOSTON: Reggie Dixon clocked 20.91 at 200 m during IC4A Championships and Cazal Arnett improved to 46.34 at 400 m.
BLACKSBURG: Jonathan Hancock is a new name to follow with 6.63 improvement at 60 m. Cadeau Kelley achieved Liberian long jump record 786 cm.
AMES: At oversized track here (300 m) the fastest time of the year at 400 m as Botswana´s Garolgwane Masheto achieved 45.80. Trinidad´s Rondell Sorillo was fast at the 200 m (20.83). Bahamian Trevor Barry cleared 224 in High Jump and Florida State with Belgian Borlee brothers clocked 3:05.48 at 4×400 m.
LUBBOCK: Another fast times at oversized track during JUCO Championships (252 yards). Panamian sprinting talent Alonzo Edward clocked excellent 20.69 at 200 m and Trinidad´s Rennie Quow 46.45 at 400 m. New national record at 600 m for Virgin Islands as Tabarie Henry achieved 1:18.39.
JOHNSON CITY: Ramon Miller of Bahamas was fast double winner at NAIA Championships here with 20.97 at 200 m and 46.98 at 400 m (track is 280 m long).
OTHER NEWS
LONDON (GBR): Agencies are informing that former agent of sprinter Dwain Chambers, John Regis has denied helping the British athlete buy performance-enhancing steroids. Regis, who won a silver medal with Great Britain‘s 4x100m team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, was Chambers‘ agent at the time he tested positive for the banned THG steroid in 2003. Chambers wrote in his new book that Regis knew he was taking the steroid but Regis, who is threatening to sue Chambers, insists he had no influence over how his client spent his money, nor did he know on what he was spending it.
KINGSTON (JAM): Jamaica Star informs, that sprinting star Usain Bolt is reported set to lend his sprinting expertise to FIFA World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo, of Manchester United later this summer. However, in the report carried in the Sunday Telegraph, Bolt‘s competition agent, Ricky Simms, was quick to point out it‘s not a commercial stunt. „We‘ll sort something out in this summer when Usain comes to Europe to compete,“ the Telegraph quoted Simms as saying. Norman Peart, Bolt‘s manager, said Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, had written to the Olympic triple gold medallist advising him he would be welcomed at the club to meet the players. In the same paper MVP coach Stephen Francis has expressed his doubts regarding world-record holder Usain Bolt‘s ability to withstand the heat expected from Asafa Powell this season. Francis, quoted in an interview carried by the Australian online newspaper, said „I expect Asafa to be able to run well enough this year to break the world record,“, and predicted Bolt, will not have things so easy against his athlete this season.
AZUSA (USA): Olympic champion Bryan Clay looks ahead towards his next athletics goal and is keen to follow World record holder Roman Sebrle’s advice. Informs IAAF. “A long time ago I asked my good friend Roman Sebrle: “What does it take to break the World record?†He said “You need to have two consecutive years without injuries and maintain great shape. If you can do that you will be ready to break the World record. So we have decided the goal is to train and compete but what I really want to do is build on things I have done the last few years. I am still busy speaking to lot of kids at schools, going to a lot of events and doing appearances,†Clay was quoted. As he is saying maybe not in 2009 where World Championships in Berlin is the goal, but in 2010 the world record attack could happen.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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