Sunday, 19 July 2009
2.01 High Jump clearance for Beitia in Zaragoza
2.01m clearance by Ruth Beitia in Zaragoza (Ricardo Martí)
Zaragoza, Spain - Spain’s reigning European indoor High Jump silver medallist Ruth Beitia stole the show at the ‘Gran Premio Gobierno de Aragón’ held on Saturday (18) on a sunny but quite windy day.
The ‘Gran Premio Gobierno de Aragón’ is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final, to be held on 12-13 September in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Beitia eyes Berlin success
The 30-year-old Spaniard produced first time clearances over 1.86 and 1.91 to clear 1.95 and 1.97 on her second attempt before setting a SB of 2.01 at her opening jump. Afterwards, Beitia unsuccessfully tried a would-be National record and career best of 2.03, although none of her three attempts were particularly close. Lavern Spencer of St Lucia, fresh from a gold medal performance at the Caribbean Championships earlier this month, was runner-up with a 1.95 third-time clearance to set a new career best.
With Saturday’s performance Beitia has put herself into the Berlin Worlds medal picture as only Germany’s reigning European indoor champion Ariane Friedrich (2.06) and Croatia’s current World champion Blanka Vlasic (2.05) have gone higher than the Spaniard this outdoor campaign. An accomplished indoor performer with no less than three medals under her belt (European indoor silvers in Madrid 2005 and Turin 2009 plus World bronze in Moscow 2006) the 1.92-tall Santander-native has still to grab his first outdoor medal at a major championships.
A joyful Beitia declared: “after winning the IAAF permit in Madrid on 4 July I had to have two stitches on my left ankle as I suffered a minor accident during a training session the following Monday (6 July); it didn’t let me to train properly for a week but fortunately I felt fully recovered today.”
“Despite the wind I always enjoy competing in Zaragoza as that’s the city where I first became Spanish champion, in the U-15 category, back in 1995” explained Beitia who also confirmed that here next outing will be in London next Friday (24 July) followed by the Spanish championships on 1-2 August in Barcelona.
On her ambitions at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15– 23 Aug), a confident Beitia said: “I’ve always meant to win a major outdoor medal and let’s hope I can take it in Berlin. I feel fine both physically and mentally and look forward to fighting for a podium place at the Worlds”. Asked who would she pick for gold in Berlin, Beitia replied: “Germany’s Friedrich seems more consistent than Croatia’s Vlasic this year but I don’t pick anyone for gold as the medals are open for all of us. You just have to fight and see what happens.”
Windy 10.00 for Atkins
Bahamas’ reigning World silver medallist Derrick Atkins stamped his authority in a classy men’s 100m with a strong following wind of 3.0 m/s. A false start made by Panama’s Alonso Edwards – who was fastest in the semifinal round with a 10.08 (+2.5) time – hampered the early effort of the whole field in the valid start and so Atkins bounced back from a poor 0.204s reaction time to pull away clearly from lane six and romp home in 10.00 with a 0.08 advantage over Portugal’s European champion Francis Obikwelu and Qatar’s Samuel Francis, both sharing 10.08 clockings.
USA’s Dwight Phillips, the current World Long Jump leader this season at 8.74m, had to settle for fifth timed 10.14 while Portugal’s Arnaldo Abrantes was given the same time in fourth.
Asumnu registers 10.95w
The women’s event also witnessed a high calibre performance as the 24-year-old Gloria Asumnu of the USA became an overwhelming winner in 10.95 but the wind speed was measured at +2.5m/s. After a dreadful start (0.297s her reaction time) Asumnu found no challenge from her compatriot Tianna Madison, the 2005 World Long Jump champion, and crossed the tape absolutely unopposed to built a massive three-tenth margin on Madison, who clocked 11.26.
After failing to make the USA team for the Berlin Worlds Asumnu is enjoying a successful European tour with no fewer than five 100m victories so far in July as the American had already managed top spots at the IAAF Grand Prix in Madrid, Lapua, Lappeenrante and Luzern albeit her PB remains at 11.03 from last year.
Casañas dominates Pestano
The awaited clash between the top Spaniards in the Discus saw Mario Pestano’s early lead thanks a 65.53m toss which was seriously threatened by Casañas’ 65.06m release in round four; finally, the Cuban-born thrower unleashed a 66.35m final effort to snatch the win ahead of Pestano who could not go further in his very last attempt although he at least hold off the challenge of Hungary’s 2004 silver medallist Zoltan Kovago, who reached 65.29m in round six.
Elsewhere...
Newly minted USA silver medallist Brianna Glenn took the women’s Long Jump ahead of her fellow American Grace Upshaw with respective windy leaps of 6.72m and 6.67m while Danielle Carruthers, also of the USA, managed the win in the women’s 1oom Hurdles with a heavily wind-assisted (+3.6m/s) 12.82 clocking ahead of Canada’s Angela Whyte, 13.02.
Fast-improving Jeremy Scott, who made the USA team for Berlin by placing second at the trials in Eugene, took a comfortable victory in the Pole Vault thanks to a 5.65m success while the men’s 400m hurdles went for USA’s Justin Gaymon thanks to a 49.94 clocking clearly ahead of Poland’s reigning World bronze medallist Marek Plawgo, runner-up in 50.25 and Michelle Carter took the women’s Shot Put contest with a 18.44m toss.
A trademark powerful late burst of speed gave Spain’s reigning World bronze medallist Mayte Martínez a fine win in the 800m barely 0.02s clear of 2005 World Champion Zulia Calatayud of Cuba, 2:01.85 the winning time for the Spaniard.
The 3000m events were taken by Hungary’s Krisztina Papp in 8:53.61 and Kenya’s Kiprono Menjo who narrowly beat Spain’s reigning European 5000m champion Jesús España, 7:44.15 and 7:44.49 their respective times while another pair of Spaniards in the guise of Javier Alves and Sergio Sánchez clocked 7:45.30 and 7:45.51 respectively.
After the withdrawal of Cuba’s Yeimer López, the surprise victor in the men’s 800m was Italy’s 1500m specialist Christian Obrist, a late addition to the field, in a low-key 1:48.68 marginally ahead of Hungary’s Tamas Kazi (1:48.73) and Manuel Olmedo of Spain (1:48.77) albeit the quickest time took place in the ‘B’ race won by Zambia’s Prince Mumba in1:48.01.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF
The ‘Gran Premio Gobierno de Aragón’ is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final, to be held on 12-13 September in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Beitia eyes Berlin success
The 30-year-old Spaniard produced first time clearances over 1.86 and 1.91 to clear 1.95 and 1.97 on her second attempt before setting a SB of 2.01 at her opening jump. Afterwards, Beitia unsuccessfully tried a would-be National record and career best of 2.03, although none of her three attempts were particularly close. Lavern Spencer of St Lucia, fresh from a gold medal performance at the Caribbean Championships earlier this month, was runner-up with a 1.95 third-time clearance to set a new career best.
With Saturday’s performance Beitia has put herself into the Berlin Worlds medal picture as only Germany’s reigning European indoor champion Ariane Friedrich (2.06) and Croatia’s current World champion Blanka Vlasic (2.05) have gone higher than the Spaniard this outdoor campaign. An accomplished indoor performer with no less than three medals under her belt (European indoor silvers in Madrid 2005 and Turin 2009 plus World bronze in Moscow 2006) the 1.92-tall Santander-native has still to grab his first outdoor medal at a major championships.
A joyful Beitia declared: “after winning the IAAF permit in Madrid on 4 July I had to have two stitches on my left ankle as I suffered a minor accident during a training session the following Monday (6 July); it didn’t let me to train properly for a week but fortunately I felt fully recovered today.”
“Despite the wind I always enjoy competing in Zaragoza as that’s the city where I first became Spanish champion, in the U-15 category, back in 1995” explained Beitia who also confirmed that here next outing will be in London next Friday (24 July) followed by the Spanish championships on 1-2 August in Barcelona.
On her ambitions at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15– 23 Aug), a confident Beitia said: “I’ve always meant to win a major outdoor medal and let’s hope I can take it in Berlin. I feel fine both physically and mentally and look forward to fighting for a podium place at the Worlds”. Asked who would she pick for gold in Berlin, Beitia replied: “Germany’s Friedrich seems more consistent than Croatia’s Vlasic this year but I don’t pick anyone for gold as the medals are open for all of us. You just have to fight and see what happens.”
Windy 10.00 for Atkins
Bahamas’ reigning World silver medallist Derrick Atkins stamped his authority in a classy men’s 100m with a strong following wind of 3.0 m/s. A false start made by Panama’s Alonso Edwards – who was fastest in the semifinal round with a 10.08 (+2.5) time – hampered the early effort of the whole field in the valid start and so Atkins bounced back from a poor 0.204s reaction time to pull away clearly from lane six and romp home in 10.00 with a 0.08 advantage over Portugal’s European champion Francis Obikwelu and Qatar’s Samuel Francis, both sharing 10.08 clockings.
USA’s Dwight Phillips, the current World Long Jump leader this season at 8.74m, had to settle for fifth timed 10.14 while Portugal’s Arnaldo Abrantes was given the same time in fourth.
Asumnu registers 10.95w
The women’s event also witnessed a high calibre performance as the 24-year-old Gloria Asumnu of the USA became an overwhelming winner in 10.95 but the wind speed was measured at +2.5m/s. After a dreadful start (0.297s her reaction time) Asumnu found no challenge from her compatriot Tianna Madison, the 2005 World Long Jump champion, and crossed the tape absolutely unopposed to built a massive three-tenth margin on Madison, who clocked 11.26.
After failing to make the USA team for the Berlin Worlds Asumnu is enjoying a successful European tour with no fewer than five 100m victories so far in July as the American had already managed top spots at the IAAF Grand Prix in Madrid, Lapua, Lappeenrante and Luzern albeit her PB remains at 11.03 from last year.
Casañas dominates Pestano
The awaited clash between the top Spaniards in the Discus saw Mario Pestano’s early lead thanks a 65.53m toss which was seriously threatened by Casañas’ 65.06m release in round four; finally, the Cuban-born thrower unleashed a 66.35m final effort to snatch the win ahead of Pestano who could not go further in his very last attempt although he at least hold off the challenge of Hungary’s 2004 silver medallist Zoltan Kovago, who reached 65.29m in round six.
Elsewhere...
Newly minted USA silver medallist Brianna Glenn took the women’s Long Jump ahead of her fellow American Grace Upshaw with respective windy leaps of 6.72m and 6.67m while Danielle Carruthers, also of the USA, managed the win in the women’s 1oom Hurdles with a heavily wind-assisted (+3.6m/s) 12.82 clocking ahead of Canada’s Angela Whyte, 13.02.
Fast-improving Jeremy Scott, who made the USA team for Berlin by placing second at the trials in Eugene, took a comfortable victory in the Pole Vault thanks to a 5.65m success while the men’s 400m hurdles went for USA’s Justin Gaymon thanks to a 49.94 clocking clearly ahead of Poland’s reigning World bronze medallist Marek Plawgo, runner-up in 50.25 and Michelle Carter took the women’s Shot Put contest with a 18.44m toss.
A trademark powerful late burst of speed gave Spain’s reigning World bronze medallist Mayte Martínez a fine win in the 800m barely 0.02s clear of 2005 World Champion Zulia Calatayud of Cuba, 2:01.85 the winning time for the Spaniard.
The 3000m events were taken by Hungary’s Krisztina Papp in 8:53.61 and Kenya’s Kiprono Menjo who narrowly beat Spain’s reigning European 5000m champion Jesús España, 7:44.15 and 7:44.49 their respective times while another pair of Spaniards in the guise of Javier Alves and Sergio Sánchez clocked 7:45.30 and 7:45.51 respectively.
After the withdrawal of Cuba’s Yeimer López, the surprise victor in the men’s 800m was Italy’s 1500m specialist Christian Obrist, a late addition to the field, in a low-key 1:48.68 marginally ahead of Hungary’s Tamas Kazi (1:48.73) and Manuel Olmedo of Spain (1:48.77) albeit the quickest time took place in the ‘B’ race won by Zambia’s Prince Mumba in1:48.01.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF