Jadel Gregório leaps 17.25m in Belem (© Wander Robert/CBAt)
The Brazilian Athletics Confederation (CBAt) has announced the list of events to be contested at its two stops of the IAAF Grand Prix 2005, the only such meetings to be held in South America.
The events for men will be 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 110m Hurdles and Triple Jump, while the women’s are 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 3000m Steeplechase, Triple Jump and Shot Put.
The first stop will be a IAAF Grand Prix II event in Rio de Janeiro, the “Grande Prêmio Rio do Atletismo” on 15 May. It will be the second time that Brazil will host a GP II, and the total prizes given to the athletes will be 112,500 US dollars.
Three days later, in Fortaleza, the CBAt will present a meet of the South American Grand Prix, where 90,000 US dollars will be awarded to the athletes.
Finally, the XXI Edition of the “Grande Prêmio Brasil Caixa de Atletismo” – IAAF Grand Prix - shall be contested in Belém on 22 May at the “Mangueirão Stadium”, at which 42,640 spectators showed up last year.
A total prize of 180,000 US dollars shall be awarded, and it will be the fourth time that Belém, the capital of the State of Pará hosts the event.
More that 130 foreign and Brazilian athletes from among the world’s best are expected to participate in the 3 meetings.
2005 action
The competition in the latter part of the summer in the southern hemisphere started already with some good results.
At Ecuadorian Andes, in the city of Cuenca at an altitude of 2500m, Uruguayan youngster Andrés Silva began the 2005 season, his last in the Junior category with a 21.05 in the 200m (wind 1.0 on 27 February, a National junior record) and with 46.53 for the 400m (26 February).
In São Paulo, Brazil, on 5 March, Olympic finalist Matheus Inocêncio clocked 13.37 in 110m Hurdles (1.4 wind) followed by South American record holder Redelen dos Santos (13.47).
At the same meet, Panamanian Irving Saladino long-jumped 8.14, but he was aided by a 2.3 wind. On that day he also recorded another good jump (8.05) also wind aided. But in São Paulo on 2 March he jumped 8.10/0.5, which is his “low-altitude-best”, since his National record of 8.12 was established in last year in Bogotá, Colombia (2600m of altitude).
Saladino, guided by his Panamanian coach Florencio Aguilar, is going to prepare for the World Championships in Helsinki under the care of Brazilian Nelio Moura, who now, no longer prepares triple-jumper Jadel Gregório.
Thrower Elisângela Adriano has showed an early good form with SB’s of 17.55 in Shot (São Caetano do Sul, 26 February) and 55.71 in Discus (São Paulo, 5 March).
Also, the next generation on Brazilian middle distance runners seems to be sharp. At 800m in São Paulo, on 5 March, Diego Gomes (born 19.4.85) edged Kléberson Davide (b. 20.7.85) 1:47.77 to 1:47.79.
Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF
