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News18 Feb 2013


Stasek 20.73m, Kudlicka 5.77m, Torneus 8.15m at national indoor champs

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Martin Stasek in action at the 2013 Czech Indoor Championships (© Jan Kucharčík - atletika.cz)

The second day of various national indoor championships were held across Europe on Sunday (17), and there were impressive results in Prague from Czech shot putter Martin Stasek and pole vaulter Jan Kudlicka, as well as Swedish long jumper Michel Torneus.

At the Czech Indoor Championships in Prague, Stasek went beyond 20 metres for the first time in the shot put and his series included marks of 20.16m, a European-leading 20.73m and 20.14m.

Olympic finalist Kudlicka, after needing three attempts at 5.60m, went over a career best of 5.77m before unsuccessfully attempting a national record of 5.82m.

Jaroslav Baba, as expected, took the high jump title with 2.24m and 800m runner Lenka Masna dropped down distance and won the 400m in 53.79. Denisa Rosolova and Zuzana Hejnova, seventh and third respectively in the Olympic 400m hurdles final, decided to battle over 200m, with the former coming out on top with a win in 23.51 to Hejnova’s 23.71.

Torneus and Ekelund win Swedish titles

The current Swedish athlete of the year Michel Torneus confirmed his good shape before the European Indoor Championships on home soil in Gothenburg next month when he won the long jump with and indoor best of 8.15m at the Swedish Indoor Championships in Norrkoping.

Young sprint talent Irene Ekelund, who does not turn 16 until 8 March, again improved over 200m to 23.15. European 400m champion Moa Hjelmer was second in a personal best of 23.32.

High jumper Emma Green Tregaro improved her season’s best to 1.94m to win over Ebba Jungmark, who cleared 1.92m. In the men’s track events, Nil de Oliveira won the 200m in 21.14 while Danish guest Nick Ekelund-Arenander set a national indoor record of 46.85 when winning the 400m.

Greek titles for Filippidis and Panetta

A second-time clearance at 5.60m was enough for pole vaulter Konstadinos Filippidis to win at the Greek championships in Pireaus, although he was not close in his three attempts at 5.75m. There was also a good win for Niki Panetta in the women’s triple jump with 14.29m

On the track, Athina Koini set a national indoor under-23 record in the 3000m with 9:14.45.

Moreira does the double

At the Portuguese Indoor Championships in Pombal, Sara Moreira added to her 1500m title on Saturday with a high quality 3000m victory in 8:55.24, running against the clock in the final laps. Marco Fortes achieved 19.72m in the shot put.

Former world junior heptathlon champion Dafne Schippers confirmed she is in form with a 60m win in 7.26 at the Dutch Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn. Tessa Van Schagen was a surprise 200m winner in 23.63, while Sharona Bakker got the 60m hurdles title in 8.11.

In the men’s events, Jerrel Feller got the 200m gold in 21.21 and Jesper Arts won the 400m in 47.38. Thijmen Kuipers was little bit slower than in his 800m heat but won over four laps of the track in 1:48.65 ahead of returning Robert Lathouwers in 1:48.95.

Long jumper Eero Haapala again went over eight metres when he won the Finnish indoor title in Jyvaskyla with a leap of 8.03m while European junior 100m hurdles champion Nooralotta Neziri clocked a national 60m hurdles record of 8.07 in her heat but then false-started in the final. Hannu-Maari Latvala won the women’s 200m in 23.32.

Sara Aerts was the star of the Begian Indoor Championships, held over just one day in Gent on Sunday. She won the 60m hurdles in a personal best of 8.01 and then the 60m flat in 7.41.

There were personal bests at the Irish Indoor Championships in Athlone from middle-distance winners Mark English, who won the 800m in 1:48.44, and 3000m gold medallist John Travers in 7:58.54. Two-time European cross-country champion Fionnuala Britton posted an outright 1500m PB of 4:13.96.

Phil Minshull for the IAAF