by Larry Eder
BALAKHNICHEV CLEARS THE ISSUE
MOSCOW (RUS): President of the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) Valentin Balakhnichev made excuses in connection with the fastest men on the Earth through misunderstandings during official press-conference of World Championships 2013 Local Organization Committee. “I addressed myself to Usain Bolt after some international media wrote about his ‘big financial appetite’ for being the face of future World Championships in Moscow. It’s just peculiarity of translation. Such words as ‘expensive’ and ‘dear’ sounds the same in Russian. Certainly, PR campaign of Moscow 2013 with fastest men in the world would give for our Championships much higher status. But Russia has own star athletes and we want to promote our competitions using their faces. I think it’s natural wish and correct decision. Soon you will see first promo-video with Olympic Champions Anna Chicherova and Mariya Savinova” – Balakhnichev said forrusathletics.com. He added that Usain’s manager Ricky Simms already informed ARAF that Bolt is ready for further collaboration with LOC. “Bolt is of particular importance for all the sport including World Athletics Championships in Moscow. He’ll be our dear guest.”
PORTER’S AWARDED
ANN ARBOR (USA): They met as University of Michigan track-and-field athletes, fell in love, married 17 months ago and competed in the 2012 London Summer Olympics. World class hurdlers Tiffany and Jeff Porter. “It was a tremendous honor going to the Olympics to represent something so much greater than myself,” said Tiffany, who grew up in Ypsilanti. Jeff, originally from Newark, N.J., agreed. “It was a dream come true. Representing the U.S.A. has been a lifetime dream of mine.” They didn’t win medals in London, but they still train most days and hope to compete again in four years. “God willing, that’s the plan,” Tiffany said. Canton Township Supervisor Phil LaJoy gave them a framed resolution honoring their accomplishments.
KOMON READY
BERLIN (GER): Organizers of the Berlin Runs Asics Grand 10 announced that 10-km world record holder Leonard Patrick Komon will race in the German capital city on Sunday, October 14, aiming to win his third straight race title. Komon, 24, is the event record holder; he ran a German all-comers record of 27:12 in 2010. Last year, Komon earned an easy victory by clocking a then world-leading time of 27:15. On Sunday, the Kenyan looks to be challenged by compatriots Alex Korio and David Kogei, both whose personal bests are under 28-minutes. Also in the field is Olympic steeplechaser Steffen Uliczka of Germany. Anna Hahner (GER), Katarina Beresova (SVK), and Lucie Sekanova (CZE) lead the list of women’s entrants for Sunday’s race. Run on a loop course leading through the western part of Berlin’s center, the race takes participants through parts of the Berlin Zoo. Nearly 7,000 runners are expected to compete.
OTHER NEWS
BLOEMFONTEIN (RSA): Last year world leader at 400 m hurdles LJ Van Zyl married on September 29 the Olympic games marathon participant Irvette van Blerk.
MOKRICE (SLO): 2008 olympic hammer winner and London silver medalist Primoz Kozmus said his ultimate goal for next year is to be back at 80 m level and be succesful at Moscow World Championships. He organised a special conference in historical place of Mokrice close to his hometown Brezice. Kozmus also confirmed his long term goal is next Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. His coach remains Primoz Cetrtic and new member of the team is former decathlete Rok Derzanic who studied in USA and should be helpful in overall physical condition. Interestingly Kozmus himself is the oldest member of his team. Slovenian media are informing.
MOSCOW (RUS) Former High Jump World Junior Champion (1998) and World Silver medalist from Paris 2003 Marina Kuptsova found herself as a designer. After Achilles injury in 2004 she came back to athletics but wasn’t able to return to her previous technique and top results. After retirement from athletics in 2007 Kuptsova started her own business, created special shoes comfortable for former athletes and later added the clothes design to her hobby. “I have been getting some offers from Russian factories and even tried to produce mass products. But my clients want to wear exclusive things,” said Kuptsova who also established the competitions suits for World Champion in boxing Natalia Rogozina. But even now she cannot imagine her life far from athletics. In 2011 Kuptsova became director of Moscow Olympic Youth Sport School â„– 44.
WARSZAWA (POL): Triple pole vault world medalist Monika Pyrek (32) was among the delegates of Thursday´s election conference of Polish athletics federation and admitted she is considering her retirement. “I want to make my decision until end of the year. For sure I will not compete indoors next year. I was hoping to end my career at London Games,” said Pyrek who was the youngest delegate at the conference.
TRENTO (ITA): The Giro Internazionale Città di Trento road race this Saturday confirmed its fields. Main star for the 10 km is the Kenyan olympic bronze medalist Thomas Longosiwa with his team-mate Edwin Soi and talented Ethiopian Mukhtar Edris. Italian runners will be represented by top entries from Daniele Meucci, Andrea Lalli and Patrick Nasti. Also running multiple European cross winner Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine and home runner Yuri Floriani.
HENGELO (NED): The Hengelo FBK Games (part of IAAF World Challenge) is as per media reports fighting with Hengelo municipality as they want to offer the stadium to football club Twente Enschede to use it. The organisers (FBK Games Foundation) are secure for 2013 edition (June 15) but for the future the situation could be dangerous and even reduction of the track to six lanes due to football interestes is mentioned. The necessary editions of the municipality are expected next week.
MOSCOW (RUS): High Jump Olympic Champion Ivan Ukhov said to Russian Media about his intention to get second higher education. Graduated from Ural State Economic University Ukhov is aiming to become the student of the law department. “I have one reason more to enter an institute now. I would like to compete at Universiade in Kazan next summer and I have to be a student for making my dreams come true. My current planning sees training camp in Spain where I’ll begin my preparation for 2013 year.”
NEW YORK (USA): With 17 Olympians, the 2012 Dash to the Finish Line 5-K, scheduled for Saturday, November 3 in New York gives some of the world’s best track runners a chance to go head-to-head in one more race after their summer Olympic season. The second annual event, organized by the New York Road Runners, serves an appetizer for the ING New York City Marathon which uses the same finish line and is held the following day. Chris Thompson, the British Olympian who won the inaugural edition of the race last year, has decided to return to defend his title. He’ll be up against two-time American Olympians Matt Tegenkamp and Lopez Lomong, plus USA steeplechase champion Evan Jager, former American 10,000m record-holder Chris Solinsky, and USA 5-K road running champion Ben True. Other top Americans include Aaron Braun, Andrew Bumbalough, Chris Derrick, German Fernandez, Elliott Heath, Luke Puskedra, and Alan Webb. Mexican Juan Luis Barrios, Kenyan Leonard Korir, Italian Daniele Meucci and Canadian Cam Levins make the race truly international. The women’s field is just as strong, led by global medalists Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher, both of whom ran the London Olympic Marathon for the United States. Their Olympic teammates Molly Huddle, Lisa Uhl, and Kim Conley will also compete, along with British Olympians Claire Hallissey and Julia Bleasdale, and Canadian Olympian Sheila Reid. The course records are 13:53 (13:52.11) by Chris Thompson and 15:56 (15:55.17) by Sara Hall. Informs Race Results Weekly.
BANSKA BYSTRICA (SVK): Slovak world hammer medalist 2009 Martina Hrasnova changed her coaching team. Her brother Branislav Danis (69.20 hammer thrower who studied in USA) will coach her together with Jozef Paricka who is also former thrower. The European silver winner from Helsinki changed the coaches for third time in her career. She started to work with Jozef Cencer and in 2008 changed to Jozef Hanusovsky.
POZNAN (POL): PoznaÅ„, one of the favourites to host the 2018 Youth Olympics, has pulled out of the race to stage the Games due to a lack of financial guarantees. The Polish city was bidding for the competition for the second time in succession, having narrowly lost out to Nanjing for the 2014 edition of the event by five votes. But it has stunningly withdrawn from the race, with the City Council failing to provide the financial guarantees of around 25 million USD to organise the Youth Olympic Games, with 27 councillors voting against allocating the budget with only four in favour. But despite the withdrawal of PoznaÅ„, the bid race remains the most competitive in the short history of the Youth Olympic Games with Buenos Aires, MedellÃn, Glasgow, Guadalajara and Rotterdam all still involved. IOC members will elect the host city at their meeting in Lausanne on July 4, 2013. The 2018 Youth Olympics will be the third edition of the summer event following the inaugural competition in Singapore in 2010 and Nanjing 2014. Informsinsidethegames.biz.
KINGSTON (JAM) : According to the Hype Life magazine, Usain Bolt has been contacted by several Hollywood producers with the interest of casting ‘The World’s Fasted Man’ in an upcoming action film. Clearly the producers believe that getting one of the most marketable men on the world could really skyrocket potential sales for this movie writes Trackalerts.com.
MADRID (ESP): A recent poll by Mediapost shows 80.2 percent of people in Madrid are supporting the Spanish city’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Across the nation, 79 percent of the Spanish people voiced support for the 2020 bid. The poll shows there is an increasing support for Madrid to host the 2020 event according tosportsfeatures.com.
LONDON (GBR): Moscow 2013 announced it will start selling tickets online on October 15, almost a year before the IAAF World Championships get underway in the Luzhniki Stadium on August 10-18 reports Insidethegames. Starting in February 2013 there will be a massive sale of tickets for all spectator tribunes which, as well as on the internet, will take place at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex and other ticket booths around the city. The announcement is a direct response to the co
mments of the IAAF’s President Lamine Diack earlier this year when he said that filling the stadium would be the organisers’ “biggest challenge”.
NEW YORK (USA): South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has discussed his involvement at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on NBC’s Tonight with Jay Leno show, one of the biggest television chat shows in the United States. Pistorius, who appeared alongside US actor Tyler Perry and the music band Plain White T’s, discussed the Games with Leno, claiming that it was his team that had helped him make both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in top condition writes Insidethegames.
STANFORD (USA): Australian up and coming 400m runner Steven Solomon has settled in at Stanford University where he is set to start medical studies. Solomon trained full time ahead of the London Olympic Games but now has decided to make a major change by leaving Australia and entering the NCAA system.
EINDHOVEN (NED): Ethiopia’s Sisay Jisa could become a De Lage Landen Marathon Eindhoven hero if he hits his target in the Dutch race this coming Sunday (October 14). Jisa, now 29, kept alive his dream of becoming a professional athlete for almost a decade by combining his training with doing whatever came his way to make ends meet. “Now, I want to run 2:04 in Eindhoven. I am confident I have this capability because I train with the men who were second and third in the Chicago Marathon last Sunday. I saw whet they did and now I know what I can do,” Jisa confidently told a press conference in Eindhoven on Thursday.
