The start of the men's 100m at the Ximena Restrepo Meeting (© c)
In one week, Chile saw its 3 stops of the South American Grand Prix, and the best present that the tour brought was the Area junior record set by 18-year-old Natalia Ducó (CHI) at the meeting of Valparaíso (22 April) with a 16.87m shot put.
The other 2 stops took place in San Fernando (25 April) and Santiago (28), with one of the most traditional meets of the South American calendar, the “Orlando Guaita” memorial.
Ducó beat the previous mark of 16.84m, set on 15 June 1991 in São Paulo, by Brazilian Elisângela Adriano, with the following series: 15.67, 16.43, 16.87, 16.12, 16.14, 16.04.
Overall, the best performer of the week was Adriano, who at the age of 34, and after 17 years of regional supremacy, still can hold the honour of being the best.
The South American record holder (19.30/’01 at SP and 61.96/’99 at DT), won the Shot in Valparaíso with 17.36m, her best performance of the season. Later she beat Ducó again in San Fernando: 16.85m to 16.23m, and in Santiago: 17.29m to 15.90m.
The Brazilian also contested the Discus in San Fernando and Santiago with victories of 57.71m and 57.17m, both times ahead of 19 year-old Argentinean Rocío Comba, who obtained her best performance in Santiago (51.13m).
Ecuadorian record at 3000m
The cold temperatures didn’t create appropriate conditions to see great performances. The best from Valparaíso came from Ecuadorian Bayron Piedra (NR of 7:57.89 at 3000m), Diego Moraga (CHI) with 70.99m in the Javelin, and Gilvaneide Parrela (BRA) at 110m Hurdles with 13.54 (1.4 m/s).
In San Fernando, Piedra beat Argentinean Leonardo Price 3:42.78 to 3:44.11 in a good 1500m race, while 19-year-old Chilean Ignacio Guerra won in the Javelin with 70.70m.
Good performances for Andrés Silva and Germán Lauro in Santiago
The “Estadio Nacional” in Santiago, saw the best meet of the week. The victories on the male side went to Vicente de Lima (BRA) at 100m with 10.40/-0.7; Leonardo Price (ARG) at 800m with 1:49.93; Sergio Lobos (CHI) at 3000m with 8:04.73, 19-year-old Peruvian Jorge McFarlane at 110m hurdles with a new National Junior record of 14.23/1.4 and in the Long Jump (7.42/0.0).
Also, Uruguayan Andrés Silva won the 400m Hurdles (50.57), Brazilian Fábio Gomes da Silva the Pole Vault (5.10m), Argentinean Germán Lauro the Shot Put (18.99m), Chilean Patricio Palma the Hammer Throw (67.20m) and 19-year-old Paraguayan Víctor Fatecha the Javelin (74.22m), ahead of Ignacio Guerra (71.69m).
The female winners were Brazilian Lucimar de Moura (11.74/0.2 at 100m), Colombian Muriel Coneo (2:09.14 at 800m), Gilvaneide Parrela (13.55/-0.2 at 100m Hurdles), multi-event specialist Lucimara da Silva (BRA) at High Jump (1.83m) and Long Jump (6.09m/-0.1), with pbs, Karla da Silva (BRA) at Pole Vault (4.00m), and Odette Palma (CHI) at Hammer Throw (58.16m).
Competitive Javelin at Medellín GP
The track and field activity also began in Colombia, at the “Ximena Restrepo” South American Grand Prix meeting in Medellín (28 April).
Twenty-four year-old Colombian Arley Ibargüen won the Javelin with a personal best of 76.10m, ahead of Argentina’s Pablo Pietrobelli (74.32m) and Colombian Noraldo Palacios (74.24m).
Zuleima Araméndiz took female event with 56.65m.
In the rest of the programme, the most outstanding performances came from Colombian athletes. 37-year-old Gilmar Mayo, won the High Jump with 2.20m (ahead of Dominican Julio Luciano, also with 2.20m), Darlenys Obregón took the 100m in 11.57/1.6, and Eli Johana Moreno the Hammer Throw with 63.30m.
Canadian Tyler Christopher added to the line-up at upcoming Brazilian GPs
23-year-old Canadian Tyler Christopher, 400m bronze medallist at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, has been confirmed to participate at the “Grande Prêmio Caixa/Sesi de Atletismo” in Uberlândia on 6 May.
The Canadian record holder (44.44) will make his seasonal debut in Minas Gerais, and will also compete a week later in Rio, but only as a part of his 4x400m national team.
His main opponents will be 29-year-old American Jamal Ashley (pb of 44.75) , 2nd at the 2005 NCAA Championships and a member of the US team that won the 4x400m relay at the Athens World Cup, and Uruguayan Andrés Silva (pb 45.02), winner of the 2006 Ibero-American Championships.
Among the Brazilians will be Sanderlei Parrela, the South American record holder (44.29) and silver medalist at the 1999 World Championships in Seville.
Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF
