2011 Euro Indoor Champs, Day 2, Session 2, Part 2, by Larry Eder

Simona La Mantia of Italy won the gold in the triple jump, with jumps in round 2 and round 5 of  14.60 meters. Her series was 14.16m, 14.60m, 14.49m, foul, 14.60m, foul. La Mantia’s jump of 14.60m is the world leader.

Olesya Zabara of Russia took the silver medal in the triple jump with her seasonal best of 14.45 21.eters. Her series was 14.08m, 13.98m, 14.45m, 12.59m, 14.21m, and 14.28m.

Dana Veldakova of the Slovak Republic was the the bronze medalist, with a jump of 14.39 meters. Her series was foul, 14.39m, 14.09m, foul, foul, 14.26m.

Snezana Rodic of Slovenia was fourth in a personal best of 14.35 meters. Cristina Bujin of Romania was fifth in 14.19 meters, her seasonal best. Natalya Kutyakova of Russia was six with a best of 14.18 meters.

Well, you have to give it to Teddy Tamgho: his double was pretty impressive. Tamgho tried valiantly, but it was not to be! Tamgho fouled, then jumped 7.78m, then fouled, then went 7.83m, 7.94m, and finally, 7.98 meters. This jump gave him fourth, and .02 from the bronze and .05 from the silver! What must be taken into account is that Tamgho was not jumping at his best-his jump of 7.98 meters was .07cm from the board.

Morten Jensen of Denmark, with a series of foul, foul, 8.00 meters, his season best!, then fouls in rounds 4 and rounds 5, and a 7.88 meter final jump. Jensen’s 8.00 meter jump gave him the bronze!

To the delight of the French crowd, Katetien Gomis, had a very good day. Opening in 8.02 meters, Gomis then fouled, jumped 7.93m, fouled, then jumped 8.03 meters and 8.00 meters in his final jump. Gomis won the silver medal with his fourth round jump of 8.03 meters.

Sebastian Beyer of Germany won the gold in the long jump for men. His series of a foul in round 1, 8.10 meters in round 2, a foul in round three, 8.16 meters in round 4, followed by fouls in rounds 5 and 6. Beyer’s round four jump of 8.16 meters gave him the gold medal. It is also Sebastian Beyer’s seasonal best.

What a final! The best jumpers in the world are in one place and some serious jumping is taking place!

Raul Spank of Germany did not have a good day, clearing 2.20 meters on his first jump, and missing three times at 2.25 meters. He was eighth.

Janick Klausen of Denmark cleared 2.15 m, 2.20 m, 2.25 meters all on his first jump, then got into trouble at 2.29 meters, missing there three times. Klausen placed seventh.

Marco Fassinotti of Italy took three jumps to clear 2.15 meters, then cleared 2.20 m on his first jump, 2.25 meters on his second attempt, 2.29 meters on his second attempt and then failed at three attempts at 2.32 meters. Fassinoti placed sixth.

Dimitrios Hondrokoukis of Greece cleared 2.15m, 2.20m, 2.25m, on his first, then, 2.29 meters on his second, and missed three times at 2.32 meters. Hondrokoukis was fifth.

Konstandinos Baniotis of Greece cleared 2.15m, 2.20m, 2.25m, all on first jumps, took two to clear 2.29 meters, three to clear 2.32 meters, and missed three times at 2.36 meters. Baniotis was fourth.

Aleksandry Shustov of Russia cleared 2.20 meters, 2.25 meters on his first attempt. He took two attempts to clears 2.29 m, 2.32 meters, then took three attempts to clear 2.34 meters, his new personal best. Shustov tried three attempts at 2.36 meters, but failed. Shustov took home the bronze medal!

Jaroslav Baba of the Czech Republic had a very good day. He cleared 2.15m, 2.20m, 2.25m, 2.29m, 2.32m, 2.34m,  all on first attempts! Baba then, played to win, pulling a Bubka (Sergei Bubka would always move up the heights in the pole vault, trying to win).

Baba made an attempt at 2.36 meters missed, and then made an attempt at 2.38 meters, missed and then, in a move to win the whole shebang, Baba made a game attempt at 2.40 meters, only to miss. Baba’s gamemanship was rewarded with his silver medal!

Tonight was Ivan Ukhov’s night, and he deserved it.

Ukhov, the best jumper of the 2011 indoor season, showed it on Saturday night in the Palais des Sports. Ivan Ukhov, long hair reminiscent of Alvin Lee of the seminal band,Ten Years After, cleared 2.20 meters, 2.25 meters, on first attempts. Ukhov then took two attempts at 2.29 meters, then cleared, on first attempts, 2.32 meters, 2.34 meters, 2.36 meters, and then cleared 2.38 meters. Ukhov then passed at 2.40 meters. Ukhov is deceptively fast: the world record, in my humble opinion, will be his this year. 

When Babba missed at his only attempt at 2.40 meters, Uhkov had the event won. He then made three game attempts at 2.44 meters, but that was not the goal–Ivan Ukhov is the best high jumper in Europe tonight, and also in the world. His 2.38 meters equals his World leader and European leader!

Silver medalist Jaroslav Baba spoke after the competition:

” After seven long years, I am back and with a medal on my neck. I cannot describe the feeling. Many people just did not believe I can jump high again, and I am sure I finally showed what I was trained for. The years of hard work were worth it. Ivan Ukhov is a different level of high jumping. I admire him and did not think before the competition that this result can be different. He was my favorite.”

400 meters, Women, Final

In a stunning upset, Olesya Krasnomovets of Russia, who lead at halfway in 24.07, was caught and run down by Denisa Rosolova of the Czech Republic, who ran 51.73, her personal best.

In the fourth position, Vania Stambolova of Bulgaria ran 52.58 and in fifth, Jarin Lindenberg of Germany ran 52.62. Marta Milani of Italy ran 53.23 for sixth place.