Padua, Italy - Cuban stars Yipsi Moreno and Dayron Robles topped the bill at the Padua EAA Permit meeting (7 and 8 July). The competition was also highlighted by an impressive 5.80m vault by Mexican Giovanni Lanaro.

Moreno produces impressive series topped by 75.65

On the eve of the main meeting programme, the women’s Hammer Throw was held in the old Colbacchini Stadium on Saturday (7). This is the venue where Sergey Bubka set one of his 35 World records with 6.12 in 1992.

The 2001 and 2003 World champion Yipsi Moreno improved the meeting record with a Hammer Throw of 75.65m, which also established an Italian all-comers record. She improved the previous meeting record she set in 2004. Moreno backed up this result with an impressive series of throws: foul – 73.55 – 74.49 -75.14 – foul – 75.65.

Another solid performer was Manuela Montebrun from France who threw 72.55 (complete series: 70.47- 72.55 – 71.31 – 70.86 – 71.07 – foul).

Also on Saturday there was some quality women’s discus throwing by Nicoleta Grasu, European bronze medallist in Gothenburg in 2006, won with 63.11. China’s Aimin Song finished runner-up with 62.64 ahead of compatriot Ma Xuejun (58.10 metres).

Robles runs 13.42 into a strong head-wind

The main programme,of the 21st edition of the Padua meeting Trofeo Banca Antonveneta which attracted athletes from 39 countries, was held on Sunday evening in the Euganeo Stadium.

The Padua EAA meeting had attracted three individual reigning Olympic champions - Tim Mack in the Pole Vault, Felix Sanchez in the 400m Hurdles, and Yumeilidi Cumba in the women’s Shot Put.

Dayron Robles clinched his fourth win this week after Athens, Zagreb and Paris. The young Cuban won the 110m Hurdles in 13.42 seconds fighting against a strong headwind of -2.1 m/s. Sergiy Demidyuk from the Ukraine finished runner-up in 13.60 closely ahead of US Championships fourth placer David Payne (13.61). 

Robles, who equalled Anier Garcia’s Cuban record running by 13.00 at the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart last year, was back in action just two days after his IAAF Golden League win in Paris where he beat Olympic champion and World record holder Liu Xiang. 

“Paris was a big win. Beating Liu Xiang means a lot. Today there was too much head wind but I feel very well. This year I have not a specific goal. I want to continue winning,” said Robles.

Lanaro flies high

Giovanni Lanaro, the Mexican record holder in the men’s Pole Vault with 5.82m a height which he set at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut in April, produced one of the best results in Padua clearing 5.80m on his third attempt. This result which makes him a serious contender for the podium at the World Championships in Osaka especially as Lanaro has also won the World Athletics Tour meeting in Eugene this season.

2003 World champion Giuseppe Gibilisco (5.70 in Athens last week), took second place with 5.60m beating on count-back reigning World Junior champion German Chiaraviglio from Argentina.

Sanchez fades badly in Tinsley’s wake

Michael Tinsley, who ran 48.02 at the US Championships in Indianapolis but failed to qualify for the World Championships in Osaka, won the men’s 400m Hurdles in a solid 48.40.

“It was a very good race. It’s my first season as a professional athlete. This year I can dip under 48 seconds. I will run in Rome and maybe in Lausanne.”

Osaka-bound Derrick Williams, third in Indianapolis, finished in second place in 48.74.

Reigning Olympic champion Felix Sanchez started very fast but made a technical mistake in the ninth hurdle and faded into third place in 49.04. “I feel very frustrated. I made a big mistake in the ninth hurdle. The problem is to find the rhythm after two years of injuries. But I have plenty of time to come back before Osaka. I will not make the same mistake in Rome next Friday. After Rome I will run at the Panamerican Games”, said Felix Sanchez.

Bispo takes some elite scalps

In the men’s Long Jump, an emerging talent Rogerio Bispo from Brazil leapt to a solid seasonal best of 8.17 to clinch the win over South Africa’s Ghodfrey Khotso Mokoena, second with a wind-assisted 8.06. Third was USA’s Miguel Pate with 8.03 m.

“Jumping 8.17 is the best result in my career in Europe. I was helped by the fantastic crowd who supported me during the competition. I hope to win a medal at the Panamerican Games in Rio de Janeiro and reach the final in Osaka”, said Bispo.

Rosa’s first home town win

Italian record holder Chiara Rosa won for the first time in her home town Padua with a Shot Put of 18.70. Rosa, who set the national record with 19.15 in Milan last month, took a very narrow win over Cuban Misleidis Gonzales (18.69) with 2004 Olympic champion Yumeilidi Cumba, third with 18.57.

“It’s my first win in front of my family in my native town. It was very hard but I got it. Now I want to win the italian title at the National Championships in Padua (27-28 July) and then finish in top eight in Osaka”, said Rosa.

And elsewhere on the programme…

Mikele Barber, twin sister of World Indoor 60m champion Melissa Barber from the USA  took the first of two women’s 100m races in 11.38, while Cydione Mothershill from the Cayman Islands who won the second in 11.46.

Two races were also run in the men’s 100 metres. The first heat went to Jamaican Marvin Anderson in 10.34 in a very close race beating USA’s Joshua Johnson by one hundredth of a second in headwind conditions (-1.6 m/s). The overall win went to Anderson who ran three hundredths of a second faster than his compatriot Dwight Thomas who took the second run in 10.37 (-1.0 m/s).

Over 800m Jonathan Johnson ran a winning 1:46.34 to prevailing over former European indoor champion Pawel Czapiewski from Poland; former World and Olympic finalist Michael Blackwood notched a easy win in the 400m in 45.54 over Trinidad’s Ado Modibo (46.09) and Zimbabwe’s Young Talkmore Nyongani (46.19); USA’s Damu Cherry edged out Jamaican Vonette Dixon in 12.99 to 13.01 in the women’s 100m Hurdles; Erin Donohue of the USA held off Italian 800m specialist Elisa Cusma in the 1500 metres - 4:09.54 to 4:09.60. Cusma, who finished a notable third last Monday in Athens in 1:59.22, will run the 800 metres in Osaka.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF