Mahledine Mekhissi Benadbbad, London 2012 Olympics, photo by PhotoRun.net
Mahledine Mekhissi Benadbbad ran an excellent 2,000 meters in Riems, in 4:56.85, as this issue catches us up from around the world!
TOP NEWS
NAIROBI (KEN): Kenya's Abel Kirui has pulled out of the world athletics championships in Moscow due to a persistent leg injury, the two-time world marathon champion said. Also Olympic marathon bronze medalist Wilson Kipsang has pulled out of the Kenya team to the world championships, in Moscow. "Kipsang has other engagements and wants to attempt a world record either in Berlin or somewhere else. So he asked to be left out," said Kenyan federation.
OKLAHOMA CITY (USA): Shot put oly winner Valerie Adams confirmed her plan until World Championships in London with meets in Paris, Luzern and London. In other news in the basketball Thunder selected Steven Adams (her brother) with the No. 12 pick in the NBA draft.
OSTRAVA (CZE): Pole Vault star Yelena Isinbayeva confirmed she wants to take a break in 2014 to marry and have a family. "Maybe after that I will return and try for Rio 2016," she said. Her plans for the moment are seeing Russian National Championships end of July as the next meet after Ostrava outing.
NIJMEGEN (NED): Kenenisa Bekele confirmed he wants to try a marathon in his career, possibly this autumn, but before a half-marathon test should happen. In another development Flemish federation VAL confirmed Bekele will run at a local B-meeting in Lier on Sunday. A special 10 000 m race has been added to the program with the hopes of helping Bekele reach a fast time. It will be Bekele's last chance to qualify for Moscow.
MOUNTAIN VIEW (USA): US stars Stephanie Brown-Trafton and Chaunte Lowe are taking a break from the season as they expect children.
SPALA (POL): High jump world leader Mutaz Essa Barshim cancelled Ostrava, Birmingham and Asian Championships. The reason is a torn muscle in his back.
IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE NEWS
LAUSANNE (SUI): For its 38th edition, the IAAF Diamond League meet Athletissima promises an evening full of great performances on 4 July, with the best athletes of the moment in each event, including 33 medalists in the last Olympic Games. In the 100m, the attention will be focused on Gay, who ran the world-leading time of the year at the U.S. Championships last weekend (9.75). The athletes competing in this race do all have sub 10 second PBs, except for Jimmy Vicaut (10.02). The 200m will be the opportunity to see two very promising talents: Isiah Young (USA), who has just qualified for the Moscow world championships with a great result (19.86) and Jason Young (JAM), who ran the same time last year. In the 800m, the Junior world champion Nijel Amos, silver medalist at the London 2012 Olympic Games, will face the world's youngest indoor world champion Mohamed Aman. The 5000m is also likely to be run at a very fast pace, with the Ethiopians Yenew Alamirew and Hagos Gebrhiwet. The 13 second mark could well be cracked for the first time this season in the 110m hurdles, where the main favorites will be Wilson, Oliver, Richardson and Ortega. In the 400m hurdles, Tinsley seems capable of winning the race. Indeed, the London 2012 silver medalist is the only athlete who ran under 48 seconds this season so far. The field events will be just as exciting, with the world's best on the start list as well. To name just a few: Lavillenie, Holzdeppe and Otto in the pole vault, Drouin and Kynard in the high jump, Taylor and Tamgho in the triple jump, Majewski, Storl and Whiting in the shot put and Vesely and Tarabin in the javelin throw. In the women's events, in the 200m,Kimberlyn Duncan (21.80), Allyson Felix and Carmelita Jeter will face each other, while the U.S. trials winner (10.85) English Gardner is also in the field. In the 400 m, Amantle Monstho, who has dominated the season so far, will face U.S. champion Natasha Hastings and London 2012 vice-Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu. The World and Olympic champion Sally Pearson, who has confirmed her participation in the 100 m hurdles. Sofia Assefa will be the favorite of the 3000m steeple, olympic winners Brittney Reese in the long jump and Sandra Perkovic in the discus throw. The meet will end with the women 4x100 m.
MONACO (MON): The current 100m and 200m World leader USA's Tyson GAY will once again compete in the Principality of Monaco at the Herculis meet on July 19. He will face Justin Gatlin. World and Olympic champion Sally Pearson is also returning to Monaco, and she will be facing the newly crowned American record holder Brianna Rollins. Christian Taylor is confirmed for triple jump, Felix Sanchez, Michael Tinsley and Javier Culson for the 400 m hurdles. Another "Monaco frequent flyer", Kenya's Asbel Kiprop has set both his 800 m and 1500 m personal bests in Monaco and will run again. For US High Jump champion Brigetta Barrett Herculis has an even stronger importance as the 2011 edition was simply her first ever time outside the US.
TOP EVENTS
OSTRAVA (CZE, Jun 27): 52nd Ostrava Golden Spike meet (IAAF World Challenge) saw two world leads (30:26.67 Tirunesh Dibaba and 20.88 Valerie Adams) before nearly 15 000 spectators at a newly reconstructed stadium (still 2nd part of reconstruction to follow before 2014 edition of the meet). In total 5 meet records: Dibaba plus Zuzana Hejnova 53.31 who just missed national record and world lead, Renaud Lavillene 592 (tried at 6 meters), Milcah Chemos in steeple and finally the oldest meet record by Alberto Juantorena (44.70 in 1976) went as Kirani James clocked 44.49. Dibaba WL went later as the news from Sollentuna came. Also close to MR Sally Pearson with 12.67 in her first meet since London Olympic Games or when Yelena Isinbayeva and Yarisley Silva had close attempts at 484 in the women pole vault. Also close to WL with third best mark of his career was Vitezslav Vesely 87.58in javelin. Special the situations in both steeple races as in men competition Clement Langat fell into water barrier and could not fill his pacemaker role (leaving top talent Kipruto alone in his quest for world junior record) and three women in their race crashed into the barrier. But the top non-traditional situation was with two 100 m starts within 26 minutes. First Asafa Powell crossed the line (9.97) but during that run the starter three times was shooting after a false start of Kemar Hyman. After the break Powell won in 10.06. Great races delivered by Ethiopians Mohamed Aman 1:43.78 in the 800 m and Edris Mukhtar in the 5000 m 13:03.69 PB (Bekele fourth 13:07.88). Former Ethiopian Sifan Hassan, now representing the Netherlands, kicked away hard down the home straight in the 1500m to win with a PB of 4:04.02, going to second on the Dutch all-time list and close behind meet record. The meet also saw four European leads (Maslak at 400 m, Hejnova, Jarzynska Polish 10 000 m record and Isinbayeva).
SOLLENTUNA (SWE, Jun 27): The claim of "the greatest ever night of 10,000m running" is of course open to discussion, but it is an indisputable fact that never before have the combined winning times of the men's and the women's 10,000m races in a one-day competition been below 57 minutes. On Thursday night (27) at the Folksam Grand Prix in Sollentuna, Ethiopian duo Meseret Defar and Dejen Gebremeskel won the two 10,000m finals with their combined time being 56:59.08. The previous best one-day combination was recorded at the Prefontaine Classic last year by Tirunesh Dibaba (30:24.39) and Wilson Kiprop (27:01.98) for a total of 57:26.37. Both winning performances in Sollentuna were extremely impressive not just in plain numbers - Gebremeskel 26:51.02 and Defar 30:08.06 - but also because both winners took the lead long before halfway and could still muster blistering finishes. Their performances indicated that they will be in the hunt for the World titles in Moscow in less than two months. In the men's 800m Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman showed that he is not just a strong and tenacious runner but also carries considerable speed. Sprinting away from training parther Musaeb Bala in the final stages, Suleiman recorded a national record of 1:43.63. Lesotho's Mosito Lehata lowered his national 200m record by 0.12 when winning in 20.37 (+1.8), pulling home runner Nil de Oliveira to a 20.53 PB, just 0.01 off the Moscow 'A' standard. From the IAAF.
MERSIN (TUR, Jun 26-28): At the Mediterranean Games Emmanuel Biron of France won the 100 m in 10.22 (+0.2) over Ramil Guliyev for Turkey 10.23 and Michael Tumi of Italy 10.25. In the 200 m Greek Lykourgos-Stefanos Tsakounas clocked 20.45 (-0.7) PB over Guliyev 20.46. Italian gold for Matteo Galvan 45.59 PB in the 400 m. Turkish wins for Ilham Tanui Ozbilen 3:35.09 at 1500 m and Polat Arikan Kemboi 28:17.26 in the 10 000 m. Steeple winner Amar Benyahia was timed with 8:14.05 national record for Algeria. Greek winners also Kostadinos Douvalidis 13.45 (-0.8) over the hurdles and Kostadinos Baniotis 234 in the high jump (European lead 2013). Daniele Greco got the triple 17.13 (+1.4) and Giuseppe Gibilisco pole vault 570 for Italy. Turkish javelin gold by Fatih Avan 83.84 over Ihab El Rahman Egyptian record 82.45. In women events Siham Hilali of Morocco won the 1500 m in 4:04.06, Italian Marzia Caravelli 12.98 (-0.3) at 100 m hurdles and Moroccan Hayat Lambaki 55.27 PB at 400 m hurdles. Slovenia win as Martina Ratej got the javelin 60.28 and in the triple jump Athanasia Perra of Greece 14.48 (+1.9) over Snezana Rodic 14.36 (+1.1).
OTHER NEWS
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch hurdler Gregory Sedoc told Dutch media he is over the moon with his qualification for the IAAF World championships in August. Sedoc managed to run 13.50 while in Dublin for the European team championships.
PARIS (FRA): Jimmy Vicaut confirmed he will not travel to Tampere for the European U23 championships and prefers to compete over 200m against Christophe Lemaître at the French national championships. Vicaut, who already qualified for the 100m, also said he hopes to qualify for the IAAF World championships in the 200m.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): The GB & NI team for the European Cup Combined Events Super League in Tallinn has been announced - minus Jess Ennis-Hill.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): British Athletics has confirmed that sprinter Delano Williams (coached by Neil Harrison) has completed the IAAF transfer of allegiance and is now eligible to compete for the Great Britain & Northern Ireland (GB & NI) team in international competition with immediate effect. The 2012 World Junior 200m champion, who holds dual citizenship for both Turks & Caicos (TCI) and GB & NI, was previously eligible to compete for the British team at the Olympics.
JOHANNESBURG (RSA): Athletics South Africa (ASA) have been suspended by the country's own National Olympic Committee after its members ignored sanctions placed on its ruling Board - leaving its top athletes in limbo.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Departing UK Athletics head coach Peter Eriksson believes he is leaving the sport in good health after taking charge of a Great Britain team for the final time. The Swede departs with a heavy heart after seeing several rising stars shine on the senior stage at the European Team Championships in Gateshead at the weekend.
PARIS (FRA): 34-year old Bouabdellah Tahri is back in top shape after long term injuries. Tahri already showed his top shape in Gateshead last week and now announces he thinks about making the double in 1500m and 5000m at the IAAF World championships. Tahri confirmed he will run in the 1500m in Birmingham this weekend and then continues with a 5000m in Laussane. Later on his plans to double at the French national championships reports athle.com.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Dutch Miranda Boonstra will not compete in the marathon at the IAAF World championships and will focus on running a marathon in the fall. Boonstra fell back in training due to an injury and will not be ready in time for Moscow she said on her website.
LIEGE (BEL): Belgian super talent Nafi Thiam is the face of this year's meeting international de Liege on July 10th. The junior athlete will compete in the long jump at the meeting, which is being held in her home club. Organizers also announced the duel of Kevin Borlée against Olympic medalist Lalonde Gordon. In a special triathlon, Hans Van Alphen takes on Eelco Sintnicolaas, Oleksiy Kasyanov and Andrei Krauchanka.
BERLIN (GER): German athletics federation DLV has selected 51 athletes for the IAAF World youth championships in Donetsk. Germany is sending a large team of youngsters as they believe the competition to be vital for future success among their athletes confirmed Idriss Gonschinska according to leichtathletik.de.
BERLIN (GER): Berlin is the only candidate for the European Championships 2018. Final decision by European Athletics is expected in November.
VIENNA (AUT): Austrian top hurdler Beate Schrott injured her left hamstring and passed this weeks meet but her participation in Moscow should not be in danger.
PRETORIA (RSA): Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympic sprinter who faces trial for the alleged murder of his model girlfriend, has resumed training, his spokesman announced Friday.
ISTANBUL (TUR): The latest doping scandal leaves thirteen more Turkish athletes facing doping use allegations, the federation chairman vows to tackle the issue to save the face of athletics in Turkey. Thirteen Turkish athletes were suspected of testing positively for banned substances, the sport's national governing body announced on June 27. The tally marked an increasing trend after Olympic champion Aslı Çakır Alptekin and European champion Nevin Yanıt were also provisionally left out of the Turkish athletics squad due to doping suspicions in April. It also came after eight weightlifters had tested positive last week. TAF chairman Mehmet Terzi admitted that 24 athletes were suspected of doping this year. Five athletes competing in the European Team Championships had previously been accused of doping and the list became longer today with additional names. Eşref Apak, Kaan Şencan, Elif Yıldırım, İsa Can, Umut Aday, Ummuhani Karaçadırlı, Fatih Eryıldırım and Narin Kahraman became the latest athletes to have tested positive for banned substances.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Heptathlete Remona Fransen will not compete in the heptathlon this year. Fransen has been suffering with an achilles problem as well as with pain in her knee, herefore, the Dutch athlete is unable to jump. Fransen toldlosseveter.nl she will focus on the 400m in 2013 and is confirmed to compete in Hilversum and the Dutch national championships over 400m.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Churandy Martina confirmed he will compete in the first edition of the Flame Games Amsterdam on August 31st. It is not yet decided whether he will run the 100m or 200m.
RESULTS
ADDIS ABABA (ETH, Jun 27-28): Pre-race favourite Senbere Teferi was an impressive winner of the women's 5000m title on the third day of action at the Ethiopian Championships in 16:20.99. In the men 10 000 m Belete Assefa won in 28:28.54.
REIMS (FRA, Jun 28): At EA Premium Meet great 2000 m won by French steeple star Mahiedine Mekhissi Benabbad with 4:56.85 ahead of Kenyan Geoffrey Barusei4:59.52 and Moroccan Jamal Hitrane 4:59.97, also sub 5 for US Andy Beyer4:59.99. Poland´s Artur Noga beat a good hurdles field with Lehan Fourie second 13.50 and Dwight Thomas third 13.50. Cuban Dayron Robles was fifth in 13.60. Ukrainian Roman Avramenko confirmed his shape with 83.87 javelin win. In the 5000 m walk personal best for Kevin Campion 18:44.79 with Yohan Diniz fifth19:24.87. Bulgarian sprinter Ivet Lalova continued in winning the 100 m in 11.35 (+0.5) over Lekeisha Lawson 11.41 and Carrie Russell 11.45. Marie Gayot dominated the 400 m in 51.93 and Marina Arzamasava of Belarus the 800 m in2:01.65. Briton Charlene Thomas took the 1500 m in 4:12.03. Technical events wins for Mary Saxer 451 in the pole vault and Russian Gulfiya Khanafeyeva 72.08 in hammer.
GOTEBORG (SWE, Jun 28): At "Världsungdomsspelen" new Norwegian national record at 400 m hurdles for Oyvind Strommen Kjerpeset 49.95.
OSTRAVA (CZE, Jun 26): During throwing pre-program rain did not allow world leads or meet records. But all three events were decided in last round. First Krisztian Pars achieved in pouring rain 80.75 over until leading home Lukas Melich 80.16. Then because of the rain women started with nearly one hour delay and again in last round Betty Heidler still in rain achieved 75.24 to beat until leading Anita Wlodarczyk 74.98. In the discus without rain but cold a very dramatic competition was registered. World champ Harting took the lead in first round 65.73, in third Hadadi went to first 66.98, in fourth Malachowski attacked 66.95 but in fifth round sensational 67.46 for another German Wierig. Despite improving to 66.09 Harting was 5th going into his last throw because Kanter got 66.97 before him in last round. There he improved to 67.10 and was second. Between first and fifth 49 cm.
CHELYABINSK (RUS, Jun 24-26): At Russian U23 Championships sensational world leading 49.80 of Russian Kseniya Ryzhova in the heats of the 400 m race. It is new PB for the relay medalist in different top competitions, she was running out of competition so was not allowed into the final as she is 26 years old. In other events Lev Mosin won the 400 m in 45.91, Danil Tsyplakov cleared 230 in the high jump, Sergey Morgunov leaped to 804 (+1.3) in the long jump and Viktoriya Dolgacheva 14.33 (0.0) in the triple jump.
THUN (SUI, Jun 26): Noemi Zbaren clocked here new Swiss junior record at 100 m hurdles 13.20 (+0.7).
BELFAST (GBR, Jun 25): Ireland hurdler Ben Reynolds improved to 13.49 (+1.9), Australian Collis Birmingham won the 1500 m in 3:37.18.
HASSELBY (SWE, Jun 25): New personal best for Gabriel Wallin in javelin 83.23 m.
FOR THE ARCHIVES
KINGSTON (JAM, Jun 23): Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Warren Weir provided the highlights of the final day of the Jamaica Athletics Administration Association (JAAA)/Supreme Ventures Senior Championships with sizzling 200m wins 22.13 and 19.79 PB. Her training partners Sherone Simpson and Anneisha McLaughlin were a distant second and third respectively in 22.55 and 22.58. Nickel Ashmeade, who failed to keep pace with Weir after 120 meters, was second in 20.06 while Jason Livermore finished third in a personal best 20.13. The men's 400m saw the changing of the guard as 20-year-old Javere Bell produced a another personal best 45.08, having already improved to 45.26 in Saturday's semi-final. Bell beat junior star Javon Francis, who is still only 18 but also produced a personal best of 45.24, with Akheem Gauntlett, third in 45.48. London 2012 Olympic Games finalist Novlene Williams-Mills took the women's 400m final in 50.01 which equaled the third fastest time in the world this year, coming home ahead of Stephanie McPherson, whose 50.28 for second place was just outside the 50.16 PB she set in the heats. Patricia Hall was third in 51.13. The women's 100m Hurdles also saw some new faces emerge with 20-year-old Danielle Williams, the fastest Jamaican this season, taking victory in a big personal best of 12.69. Andrea Bliss finished second in 12.82 and Williams' older sister Shermaine, third in 12.93. From the IAAF.
DES MOINES (USA, Jun 23): Tyson Gay was concerned how he would respond in the 200m on Sunday after winning the 100m in 9.75 two days earlier in the USA Championships but it went excellent. He won the 200m in a world-leading 19.74 (+1.6) to complete his first sweep of the 100m and the 200m national titles since 2007, when he was the male World Athlete of the Year. The top three finishers all broke 20 seconds. Isaiah Young was second in 19.86 and Gay's training partner Curtis Mitchell was third in 19.99. Three-time IAAF World Championships medalist Wallace Spearmon placed fourth in 20.10. Another world lead for Duane Solomon in the 800 m with 1:43.27. He led from the start and held off a homestretch charge from five-time defending champion Nick Symmonds, who came home second in1:43.70. Solomon's teammate Brandon Johnson, a former 400m hurdler, was third in 1:43.97. Alysia Montano used a similar race plan as Solomon to hold on for a1:58.62 to 1:58.76 victory over Brenda Martinez. Ajee' Wilson, the 2011 World Youth and 2012 World Junior champion, was third in 1:59.55. The final session of the four-day meeting also included upset wins, not least Kimberly Duncan beating Allyson Felix in the women's 200m, the pair clocking windy times of 21.80 and 21.85 (3.2mps). Ryan Wilson, 32, won his first national title in the 110m Hurdles with his win in 13.08 to earn his trip to a major international championship. Dalilah Muhammad, like Wilson a graduate from University of Southern California, won the women's 400m Hurdles in 53.83 after a thrilling duel with 2012 Olympic Games finalist Georgeanne Moline who was second with 53.88. Christine Spence was third in 54.56. Ryan Whiting won the Shot Put with a third round effort of 22.11m, the second best mark of his career and just shy of his world-leading 22.24m set at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha last month. Former World champion Reese Hoffa in second in 21.34m while Zack Lloyd was third with a personal best of 21.09m. Reigning Olympic champion Jenn Suhr won the women's Pole Vault at 4.70m and was the only women to go higher than 4.60m. She then had three unsuccessful attempts at a US outdoor best of 4.93m. Last year's Olympic Games silver medalist Erik Kynard won the High Jump on the countback over Dusty Jonas at 2.28m and George Kitchens won the Long Jump with a wind-aided 8.23m. Evan Jager won the men's 3000m Steeplechase in a stadium record 8:20.67. Jenny Simpson, the 2011 1500m World champion, won the women's 5000m in 15:33.77 while Bernard Lagat won a tactical 5000m over 10000m winner Galen Rupp in14:54.16. From the IAAF.
ZAPOPAN (MEX, Jun 23): Luis Rivera Morales achieved 817 (+0.2) at the Mexican Champs second day.
WATERFORD (BAR, Jun 22): Ramon Gittens won the 100 m at National championships with 10.18 (+0.1) and 2009 World champ Ryan Brathwaite got 13.25 (-0.4) hurdles win with faster 13.23 (+0.8) in heats.
HIRATSUKA (JPN, Jun 23): Seito Yamamoto cleared at Japan Collegiate Championships 575 in the pole vault.
PORT OF SPAIN (TRI, Jun 23): Lalonde Gordon clocked fast 20.26 (+0.5) to win the 200 m at the National Championships. Jehue Gordon achieved 49.25 at the 400 m hurdles. In the women 200 m Kelly-Ann Baptiste was timed with 22.36 (+0.3).
MONCTON (CAN, Jun 23): Final day of Canadian Champs saw Angela Whyte winning the marquee event hurdles in 12.90 (-0.4) and Kimberley Hyacinthe the 200 m in 22.91 PB (-1.0).
HOBART (AUS, Jun 23): New PB for Hamish Peacock in javelin 80.38 m.
ILAWA (POL, Jun 21): At the Kaper Cup 2013 high jump meet Wojciech Theiner and Piotr Sleboda cleared 228 in two first places.
CALABAR (NGR, Jun 21): Blessing Okagbare won two events at Nigerian Champs last day 668 (+0.4) in the long jump and 22.65 (-0.7) the 200 m.
SAD NEWS
PARIS (FRA): French marathon legend Alain Mimoun has passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92 announces the French athletics federation. The Frenchman won Olympic gold in the marathon at the 1956 Olympic Games. Before that, he had managed silver medals over 10.000 m in 1948, and over 10.000m and 5000 m in 1952.