Padua, Italy - Marian Oprea’s winning 17.56m in the men’s Triple Jump, and a confidence boosting win by Olympic champion Felix Sanchez over World titleholder Bershawn Jackson in the men’s 400m Hurdles highlighted the 20th anniversary edition of the EAA meeting in Padua, last night (1).

Oprea triples to meet record

Romanian Marian Oprea, world and European bronze medallist, leapt to 17.56m, third on the world seasonal list, on his second attempt to strip Cuban Yoel Garcia of the meeting Triple Jump record (17.43) set in 1995. Oprea backed up this record with 17.43m.

In second place, Slovakian Dmitrij Valukevic produced a wind-assisted 17.34m, in a high-quality competition in which four men broke the 17 metres barrier, the others being USA's Aarik Wilson (17.19) and Italian outdoor and indoor record holder Fabrizio Donato (wind-assisted 17.16).

“I feel good. I am getting back to form after a difficult season plagued by injuries. I had many problems in mid-season. I have two more competitions: the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart and the World Cup in Athens”, said Oprea.

Sanchez is back!

Olympic champion Felix Sanchez took a confidence-boosting win after two troubled years of injury. With seven races this summer the 29-year-old had a best of 49.72 and no victories before last night but on his eighth outing he took a promising 49.10 win over World champion Bershawn Jackson who finished second in 49.14. Olympic bronze medallist Naman Keita finished a distant third in 49.59.

“It was very difficult for me after two years of troubles,” confirmed Sanchez. “When I came to Europe I was not 100 percent fit. It is very important to finish the season with a win. It is a big confidence boosting. I want to come back next year stronger and hopefully without injuries”, said Sanchez.  

Robles over Merritt

The 110 metres hurdles young Cuban sensation Dayron Robles, a 13.04 performer this summer, took on the other new generation standout, former World junior champion Aries Merritt of the USA (13.12 this year). Robles, who finished second behind multiple World champion Allen Johnson in Zagreb the day before running 13.20, sprinted to an impressive 13.31 in headwind conditions (-1.4 m/s) with Merritt crossing the finish-line in second place in 13.48.

Bubka back at one of his World record meetings

Under the watchful eye of pole vault legend Sergey Bubka, 6 metres vaulter Toby Stevenson vaulted 5.75 at the second time of asking. The Olympic silver medallist wearing his trade mark crash helmet, had three unsuccessful attempts at 5.85m. Japanese record holder Daichi Sawano, the winner in Rovereto on Wednesday, vaulted 5.70m to take the runner-up spot on count-back over Viktor Chistiakov.

Bubka, who set one of his 35 World records in Padua, was the special guest for the 20th anniversary of the Padua meeting. Bubka vaulted 6.12 on 30 August 1992 in the old Colbacchini stadium where the meeting used to take before being moved to the Euganeo Stadium. “It is always a big pleasure to be in Padua where I have still a lot of friends. I had a great memory of that day when I cleared 6.12”, said the World record holder who is now an IAAF Council Member.

A shot record too!

This year’s European champion Natalia Khoronenko from Belarus set a new meeting record in the women’s Shot Put with 20.17m improving on Astrid Kumbernuss’ previous Padua meet record (19.43). European championships fifth placer Assunta Legnante confirmed her recent good results with a solid 18.38 for second place. Local favourite Chiara Rosa, italian champion and eighth in the european championships final, continued her consistent season with 18.03 in third place.

Close 800s

World 800m champion Zulya Calatayud, winner in Rovereto on Wednesday, held off World indoor silver medallist Kenia Sinclair from Jamaica in a high-quality women’s 800 metres battle, clocking 1:59.55. Sinclair took second spot in 2:00.19. Elisa Cusma, who climbed to second in the Italian all-time list behind Gabriella Dorio’s 1:57.66 with her notable 1:58.90 in Rieti last Sunday, was third with 2:00.45. 

This year’s Rome Golden Gala winner Amine Laalou, second in the world seasonal list with 1:43.25, edged out local favourite Andrea Longo in an exciting tussle in the final straight of the men’s two-laps winning in 1:45.36 to 1:45.61. Olympic finalist Ismail Ahmed from Sudan ran 1:45.76 to finish third ahead of Frenchman Florent Lacasse (1:45.88).

New Italian record holder Andrea Barberi (45.19), fifth place finisher in the Gothenburg European Championships, produced a fine win in Padua over USA’s Leonard Byrd in 46.41.

“I had a very good feeling. It was my third race in five days. After running three rounds in three days in Gothenburg I no longer fear racing so many races in one week. Next year I want to dip under 45 seconds”, said Barberi.

Women’s 1999 World 400m Hurdles champion Daimi Pernia returned to winning ways, with a 55.99 seconds run beating Ukraine’s Anastasya Rabchenyuk (56.17) and US Sheena Johnson (56.31).

The Bahamas Christine Amertil clocked a winning 51.76 in the women’s 400 metres holding off Belarus Ilona Usovich (52.00) and 2003 World champion Amy Mbacke Thiam from Senegal (52.13).  

Tezdehan Naimova from Bulgaria, World junior 100m and 200m champion in Beijing, made her second appearance on Italian soil after Rovereto on Wednesday, notching up the 100 metres in 11.51, a time slowed by a -1.5m/s head wind. Brianna Glenn finished runner-up with 11.57. 

A head wind (-1.6 m/s) also slowed the men’s 100 metres where US sprinter Trell Kimmons (6.53 in the 60 metres indoors in the 2006 winter), ran in a winning 10.43. Last year World Athletics Final 200 metres runner-up Christopher Williams clinched first place in the men’s 200m event with 20.70. Kimmons, in his second outing of the night, finished second in 20.80.

2003 World champion Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus produced a best release of 20.21m to win the men’s Shot Put, while Andreas Haklits from Croatia took the men’s Hammer Throw with 75.91m beating Sydney Olympic silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni (74.95).

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF