2012 Istanbul Special Edition: World Indoors, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

EME NEWS (FEB 28, 2012) ISTANBUL SPECIAL



DOHA DEFENDERS FOR ISTANBUL: 11 yes, 13 no

BRATISLAVA (SVK): As usual in olympic year many athletes are
calculating differently with their planning. The list of athletes
who will defend their World Indoor titles from Doha 2010 also in
Istanbul
2010 is at 50 percent level. On the men side 5 will compete and 7
not.
Dwain Chambers at 60 m, Chris Brown in the 400 m, Bernard Lagat
at 3000 m, Dayron Robles (60 m Hurdles) and Ivan Ukhov in high jump.
Not competing will be triple jump title defender Teddy
Tamgho who is banned by French Athletics Federation and due to his
injury did not plan for indoors in any case. Christian Cantwell in
the shot put did not qualify, Steve Hooker and Fabrice Lapierre are
not having the shape for that kind of event, Abubaker Kaki (800 m)
was
injured, Deresse Mekonen of Ethiopia in the 1500 m was not competing
during the indoor season and Bryan Clay at the end of the day did not
confirm the invitation for the heptathlon.  On the women side confirmed
for Istanbul are 6 title defenders
and 6 will not compete. The stars will be Veronica Campbell-Brown at
60 m and Nadezhda Ostapchuk in shot put, Meseret Defar in the 3000
m, Brittney Reese in the long jump, Olga Rypakova in the triple jump
and Jessica Ennis in the
pentathlon. No for Istanbul from Debbie Dunn at 400 m (after stress
fracture), Mariya Savinova at 800 m, Kalkidan Gezahegn in the 1500
m, Fabiana Murer in pole vault, injured Lolo Jones for hurdles,
after surgery is Blanka Vlasic in the high jump.

DAEGU WINNERS FOR ISTANBUL: 11 to compete

BRATISLAVA (SVK): Another group to follow for the World Indoors are
the last year Daegu individual world champions. In relevent events confirmed participation comes
from World women AOY Sally Pearson, Jesse Williams in high jump,
David Storl in shot put, Brittney Reese in long jump and Valerie
Adams in shot put. Also in this list Christian Taylor for triple jump, Russian high jumper Anna
Chicherova,  Kirani James for 400 m, Mo Farah for 3000 m, Veronica
Campbell-Brown for 60 m and Tatyana
Chernova is invited for pentathlon. Competing during indoor season, but no for Istanbul
Pawel Wojciechowski, Trey Hardee (after surgery will do US CE Champs
this weekend but only selected events), Mariya Savinova, Jenny Simpson and Olga
Saladukha. No for the whole indoor season came from Yohan Blake, Usain
Bolt, David Rudisha, Asbel Kiprop, Dwight Phillips, Jason
Richardson, Carmelita Jeter, Amantle Montsho, Fabiana Murer and
Vivian Cheruiyot.

TEAM SELECTIONS (more to be added later, for example USA)



EUROPE


CZECH REPUBLIC: Unfortunately Roman Sebrle injured his hamstring
during warm-up on Saturday before 60 m hurdles heats at National
Championships and will not be able to compete in 8th straight indoor
global event. The team has so 12 names, top entries are Donetsk pole
vault winner Jirina Ptacnikova, last year European indoor champion
Denisa Rosolova, fresh 400 m record holder Pavel Maslak and
experienced high jumper Jaroslav Baba. Men – 400 m: Maslak, 800 m:
Holusa, HJ: Baba, 4×400 m: Maslak, Holusa added with Jares, Prorok,
Lichy, Barak.  Women – 60 m: Cechova, 400 m: Rosolova, 800 m: Masna,
60mH: Skrobakova, PV: Ptacnikova.

PORTUGAL: Three athletes have been selected. Only male will
be shot putter Marco Fortes. Two women are sprinter Sonia Tavares
for 60 m and Sara Moreira for 3000 m.

SLOVAKIA: Two jumpers wanted to travel, but improved high jumper
Michal
Kabelka injured himself on Saturday (foot) and the only
representative will be so the twice world indoor finalist in the triple
jump
Dana Veldakova. She was 6th in Doha and 8th in Moscow.

ESTONIA: Two representatives are high jump national record holder
Anna Iljustsenko and invited Mikk Pahapill for heptathlon.

POLAND: 14 athletes will represent Poland. Despite other thoughts
earlier world leader Adam Kszczot changed his plans and will compete
in Istanbul at the 800 m. With European champion 2010 Marcin
Lewandowski they will be a strong pair hard to beat. Another top
favorite is shot put olympic winner Tomasz Majewski. Also in the men
ranks two hurdlers Artur Noga and Dominik Bochenek and 4×400 m team
(Krzewina, Krawczuk, Sobinski, Domagala, Marciniszyn). On the women
side (4) pole vaulter Anna Rogowska is missing. Angelika Cichocka is
selected for 1500 m, Lidia Chojecka for 3000 m, Paulina Guba for
shot put and invited for pentathlon is Karolina Tyminska.

FRANCE: Pole vault world leader and European gold medalist Renaud
Lavillenie is the top name in 11 names strong French team. As it was
known earlier Christophe Lemaitre did not plan for Istanbul and
Jimmy Vicaut is injured. In the team except of Lavillenie other 7
men: Emmanuel Biron for 60 m, Gregory Beugnet for 1500 m, duo for
3000 m Yoann Kowal with Yohan Durand, hurdler Pascal
Martinot-Lagarde, Roman Mesnil for pole vault and Benjamin Compaore
for triple jump. Three women are Hind Dehiba at 1500 m, Vanessa
Boslak in pole vault and Jessica Cerival in the shot put.

NETHERLANDS: Four athletes from Oranjes. Three fast women, Dafne
Schippers and Jamile Samuel for 60 m and hurdler Sharona Bakker. The
only male representative will be shot putter Rutger Smith.

GERMANY: In total 17 athletes from Germany, 9 men and 8 women. Medal
contenders for sure shot put world champion David Storl, pole
vaulters Bjorn Otto and Malte Mohr and on the women side Silke
Spiegelburg. Female shot putter Nadine Kleinert will have her 46th
national team appearance. Others in the team, men – 60 m: Blum, 3000
m:Gabius, 60mh: Schwarzer, Traber, HJ: Spank, SP: Bauer. Women – 800
m: Walter, 60mH: Roleder, PV: Gadschiew, LJ: Käther, TJ: Gierisch,
SP: Schwanitz.

RUSSIA: Russian Federation informs that two Russian combined
eventers got invitations for the heptathlon in Istanbul. Artyom
Lukyanenko and Ilya Shkurenev. The final team number is so
increased to 43.

SWITZERLAND: Two female jumpers selected, Nicole Buchler for pole
vault and Irene Pusterla for long jump.

SLOVENIA: Triple jumpers Marija Sestak and Snezana Rodic are leading
the quartett. Also competing Marina Tomic at 60 m hurdles and
newcomer Vid Trsan in the men´s 800 m.

AUSTRIA: Hurdler Beate Schrott and 800 m runners Raphael Pallitsch
with record holder Andreas Rapatz are making the team of 3.

ICELAND: Without standard one male and one female athlete (but not
for technical events) are accepted. Female sprinter Hrafnhild Eir
Hermodsdottir (7.69) runs the 60 m and male 400 m runner Trausta
Stefansson has 48.05.

ITALY: 16 athletes from Italy, equally divided 8 men and 8 women.
Top names triple jumpers Fabrizio Donato and improved Daniele Greco
and experienced world medalist Antonietta Di Martino in the high
jump. Shot putter Chiara Rosa is subject to health fitness. Men – 60
m: Collio, Tumi, 400 m: Valentini, 60mH: Abate, Dal Molin, HJ:
Chesani, TJ: Donato, Greco. Women – 60 m: Alloh, 400 m: Spacca, 800
m: Cusma, 3000 m: Weissteiner, 60mH: Borsi, Caravelli, HJ: Di
Martino, SP: Rosa.

SPAIN: 20 Spanish athletes is a solid number. In the team 14 men and 6
women. The biggest number as usual from distances. Most experienced is
the high jumper Ruth Beitia, going to her 7th world indoors. Men – 60 m:
Rodriguez, 400 m: Ujakpor and added with Testa, S. Garcia and Carrion
for 4×400 m, 800 m: Reina, Marco, 1500 m: Abad, Bustos, 3000 m: V.
Garcia, 60mH: Quinonez, LJ: Caceres, Meliz, SP: Vivas. Women – 1500 m:
Macias, 3000 m: P. Gonzalez, HJ: Beitia, LJ: Montaner, TJ: Sarrapio, SP:
Ruiz.

BULGARIA: Women are dominating in the 8 athletes team. They are seven
with two sprinters for 60 m Ivet Lalova and Inna Eftimova, Vania
Stambolova for 400 m, Venelina Veneva for high jump, two triple jumpers
Andriana Banova with Petya Dacheva and shot putter Radoslava Mavrodieva.
The only male in the team is the high jumper Viktor Ninov.

ROMANIA: In total 13 athletes, also here females are in the majority.
Ioana Doaga will run the 1500 m, Angela Morosanu 60 m Hurdles and also
relay with Mirela Lavric, Alina Panainte, Mihaela Nunu and Adelina
Pastor. Strong jumping group Esthera Petre in high jump, Cornelia Deiac
and Viorica Tigau in long jump and Adelina Gavrila with Cristina Bujin
in the triple jump. The only two males are Mihai Donisan in high jump
and former olympic medalist Marian Oprea in the triple jump.

LITHUANIA: Only one male athlete is sprinter Rytis Sakalauskas.
Remaining four are women – Lina Grincikaite for 60 m, Sonata
Tamosaityte for 60 m hurdles, Airine Palsyte for high jump and
invited is Austra Skujyte for pentathlon.

SWEDEN: 4 athletes from Sweden for Istanbul. High jumpers Ebba
Jungmark and Emma Green Tregaro added with Michel Torneus for long
jump and Moa Hjelmer for the women 400 m.
 
MOLDOVA: Confirmed is the entry of 800 m runner Elena Popescu who
now competes for Moldova. The national federation also asked about the
possibility for one male jumper (Vladimir Letnicov for triple or
Alexandru Cuharenco for long jump) as they do not have the necessary
standard.

NORWAY: The only representative will be improved high jumper Tonje Angelsen.

BELGIUM: Olympic high jump winner Tia Hellebaut is the star of the
Belgian team. Other two representatives will be Jan Van den Broeck in
the 800 m and Eline Berings in the 60 m hurdles.

HUNGARY: Shot putter Lajos Kurthy and hurdler Balazs Baji are the men
duo added with talented female sprinter Anasztazia Nguyen (19) for 60 m.

OTHER CONTINENTS


JAMAICA: 11 athletes will compete, but no relays. Headliner world
and olympic winner Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 60 m. She will
compete with relay world winner Aileen Bailey. In men´s 60 m as
expected strong duo Lerone Clarke and Nesta Carter. In women 60 m
hurdles Natasha Ruddock with Vonette Dixon. Strong also the new name
Patricia Hall in the 400 m along with Dominique Blake. In the men´s
60 m hurdles Eric Keddo and Richard Phillips are selected. The only
technical event representaticve is Kimberly Williams for the triple
jump.

MOROCCO: Four men and four women were selected. Stronger the female
part with world leader Malika Akkaoui in the 800 m, also strong
Meryem Selsouli (still to decide between 1500 m and 3000 m) and
Siham Hilali (also 1500 m or 3000 m) and Btissam Lakhouad in the
1500 m. Male 1500 m duo is strong with world leader Abdelaati
Iguider and Amine Laalou, Aziz Ouhadi is in the 60 m and Mohamed
Moustaoui in the 3000 m.

GHANA: Two sprinters Tim Abeiye (former British) and Vida Anim added
by former world indoor champion Ignisious Gaisah for long jump.

HAITI: Samyr Laine in the triple jump will be the only athlete from this country.

CANADA: Five athletes headed by shot put world medalist Dylan
Armstrong, together with him improved Justin Rodhe. Mike Leblanc and
Justyn Warner will run the 60 m and world finalist Nikita Holder the 60 m
hurdles.

JAPAN: National record holder Chisato Fukushima will compete in the women 60 m.

SENEGAL: Long jumper Ndiss Kaba Badji will be the only athlete to compete.

INDIA: Another one member team. Mayookha Johny, the Daegu finalist, in the women long jump.