by Larry Eder
photo by PhotoRun.net
Kenenisa Bekele has been racing into shape this season. ” I was running poorly,” Kenenisa Bekele told RBR at Pre only a few weeks ago. There, he ran a 13:01.48. Five days later, in ExxonMobil Bislett, Kenenisa ran a second faster, 13:00.54.
But Kenenisa running in the 2012 AVIVA Trials 10,000 meters, an open race, showed that he is racing into shape, by sprinting, per observers, 12.54 for the last 100 meters in the race, to take a very close race over his brother, Tariku Bekele, and Gebre Gebremariam.
The Ethiopian selectors had noted that Kenenisa Bekele, the World record holder at 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, had to show his fitness. The world knows he is back.
As one top coach noted, when telling us about Kenenisa’s race,”Well, Bekele is back!”
Well said.
Bekele 27:02.59
BIRMINGHAM (GBR, Jun 22): Last race of the day (first day of UK Aviva Trials) was one of the last chances for Ethiopians to run fast times at the 10 000 m in order to qualify for Olympic Games. Distance star Kenenisa Bekele won the race in 27:02.59 new stadium record and UK All-comers best, also third fastest in the world this year. And mainly the fastest by an Ethiopian this year. That should mean London team place as for second Tariku Bekele in 27:03.24 and third Gebre Gebremariam in 27:03.58. Close fourth Sileshi Sihine 27:03.65. Fifth Moses Kipsiro of Uganda clocked PB of 27:04.48 and PB also for 6th Thomas Ayeko also from Uganda 27:43.22. Best Briton Michael Skinner as 8th (29:40.78). In 100 m men heats two most impressive results from Adam Gemili (10.27, +0.4) and Dwain Chambers (10.34, +0.3). In women 100 m heats fastest Anyika Onuora (11.47, +2.1). Nathan Woodward (50.34) and Christine Ohuruougu (52.14) were the fastest in men 400 m hurdles and women 400 m heats. Mo Farah easily won his 1500 m heat in 3:47.51 with 55 seconds last lap.
Mohr 591 WL
LEVERKUSEN (GER, Jun 22): German European indoor medalist Malte Mohr cleared at Ingolstadt meet in second attempt world leading personal best 591 in the pole vault. He then tried at 601 three times. Second Karten Dilla went over 553 cm.
Atkins qualifies
NASSAU (BAH, Jun 22): First day of Bahamaian Olympic Trials saw World medalist 2007 Derrick Atkins winning the 100 m in 10.38 (-1.5). Rodney Green who was the fastest in heats with 10.20 (+0.1) was only fourth (10.70). Atkins had in heats 10.28 (-0.3). 41-years old Chandra Sturrup won the women 100 m in 11.53 (+0.4). Junior boys 100 m win for Teray Smith in 10.54 (-0.5). Leevan Sands won the triple jump with 17.04 (-0.9) and Bianca Stuart was the best in the long jump (646, -0.1). Demetrius Pinder was the fastest in the 400 m heats with impressive 44.94.
OTHER NEWS
NAIROBI (KEN): World youth champion at 800 m Leonard Kosencha had reasons why he did not qualify for Saturday finals at Kenyan Trials. His agent Gianni Demadonna explains: “He did not train the last 10 days due to chicken pox. He competed against my advice and the coach advice from Renato Canova. He should be ok for the races later in July or in the post Games period.”
CHEBOKSARY (RUS): Olympic winner Yuriy Borzakovskiy tested his shape before Helsinki at the Russian Junior Championships. As guest he won the 1500 m in 3:47.36.
HELSINKI (FIN): Tero Pitkamaki, Antti Ruuskanen and Ari Mannio are in the Finnish javelin team for Helsinki European Championships. In total Finland entered five names, but this three should be throwing.
EUGENE (USA): In a clarification there is no chasing of A-standards after trials. The US Olympic Team is set at the trials.
EUGENE (USA): NCAA distance standouts Jake Riley (Stanford) and Colby Lowe (Oklahoma State) have joined the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, an in-residence training group based in Rochester Hills, Mich. Riley and Lowe just completed their NCAA eligibility, and Riley will wear the Hansons-Brooks colors here tonight in the 10,000m at the USA Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. Informs RRW.
BARCELONA (ESP): With just two weeks to go to the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain over 1800 athletes representing a record 186 countries are looking forward to what is likely to be the beginning of a long and successful career in athletics. Shaunae Miller, Jacko Gill and Angelica Bengtsson will attempt in Barcelona something special, to defend their World Junior title from 2010. Writes IAAF. Only one man and 10 women have previously succeeded in the defence of their World Junior titles, with Osleidys Menendez (1996 & 1998), Irina Stankina ( 1994 & 1996), Blanka Vlasic and Carolina Klüft (2000 & 2002) standing out as those who would go on to also become World senior champions. Informs IAAF.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch 800m runner Yvonne Hak has withdrawn from the European championships. Hak is still suffering from an Achilles injury and aims at running the Olympic standard in competition before July 8 th according to losseveter.nl.
ZURICH (SUI): Two withdrawals from Swiss Helsinki team. Decathlete Simon Walter because of a heel bruise and 4×100 m relay team member Aron Beyene because of a muscle strain.
KINGTSON (JAM): Several coaches, such as Stephen Francis and Glenn Mills, are upset at the JAAA charging an accreditation fee for the upcoming Jamaica Olympic Games trials, June 28 to July 1 at the National Stadium in Kingston. Coaches and other accompagning persons will be charged with a 12 dollar fee to be able to get accreditation reports trackalerts.com.
ATHENS (GRE): Javelin thrower SpirÃdon Lebésis withdrew from the Greek team for Helsinki, as he felt sharp pains in his elbow, which were probably due to an older injury. Lebésis threw a 83.02 pb earlier this season. According to the doctors he will abstain from throwing for at least ten days. Also long jump record holder Loúis Tsátoumas is still suffering from pains in his waist and the chances for participating in Helsinki are very slim. The pains forced Tsátoumas to take only two jumps in the Greek championships final, depriving him thus of the national title for the first time since his first victory in 2003 (he did not compete in 2009).
RESULTS
BIALYSTOK (POL, Jun 22): Krzysztof Brzozowski improved national junior record at National Junior Championships first day in the shot put (6 kg) to 21.14. Karol Zalewski won the 100 m in 10.51 (+0.7).
USTER (SUI, Jun 22): Eritrean Abraham Tadesse won the 10 000 m Swiss championships in 29:15.46 ahead of Christoph Ryffel (son of former champion) who got the national title in 29:31.86. Mirja Jenni got the women title in 34:00.67.
FUZHOU (CHN, Jun 23): Chinese national GP meet saw Zhao Xiaoxi leaping to 809 (+3.5) in the long jump and new best for Wang Guangfu 19.82 in men shot put. World finalist Zheng Xingjuan cleared 192 in the women high jump.
ST. PETERBURG (RUS, Jun 19-20): Yulia Chizhenko showed top shape in the 1500 m here with fast 4:02.23 ahead of Natalya Yevdokimova 4:06.10. Aleksey Dmitrik cleared 225 cm in the high jump.
GREFRATH-OEDT (GER, Jun 20): The 800 m sensation from Botswana Nijel Amos clocked here 400 m PB 45.94.
