Zhanna Block (© Getty Images)
BirminghamWith all three rounds of both the men's and the women’s 60 metre races taking place today, the 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics are bound to undergo a very quick start.
The women will be first on track at 11.15 and among the several athletes lining-up with a serious hope of taking the gold medal back home will be World 100m champion Zhanna Block of Ukraine, whose decision to compete in the World Indoor Championships has only been taken recently.
“At the start of the season I never thought I would be taking part in the World Indoors as it wasn’t part of the plan. I normally use the indoors as speed training to prepare for outdoors. But, with my season going so well, I thought I would give it my best shot as it is always a great event.”
And indeed, the 30-year old Ukrainian seems to be in the best shape of her life. Not only is Block the fastest in the world this year but also a specialist of major championship races and the mental battles which that involves, having taken bronze at these championships as far back as 1993.
The Ukrainian will have to keep a close eye on other Americans in Birmingham and especially on the diminutive Angela Williams. The California-based 23 year old won her first National title a mere two weeks ago and is eager to improve on her silver medal of Lisbon two years ago.
Curiously the Americans have won only one gold medal in history of the women’s 60m at the World Indoor Championships thanks to none other than Gail Devers who has opted to run the Hurdles here in Birmingham.
If the Russians Marina Kislova and Mariva Bolikova also seem to be able to have their say in tomorrow’s races, the biggest question remains: can Chandra Sturrup defend her world indoor title?
The Bahamian Golden girl hasn’t yet run a race this season but confirmed she is ready for the big things.
“I feel good, I am strong and can’t wait to get on the track. This being my first competition of the year is no problem at all for me. The last time I won a world title I had only competed in two or three races before.
I am ready for running three races in one day. I am actually very happy that it is all in one day so I can go down there and get my job done. I think the competition will be very interesting with all those girls running fast this year.”
The final is scheduled for 6:10pm just two hours after the semi-finals and just ten minutes before the men’s final gets underway.
And it would be no surprise to find USA’s Terrence Trammell and Justin Gatlin among those men's finalists. After competing in 6 races on the same day at the US trials, Trammell proved that running three 60m races in one day is no such big deal after all.
IAAF
