News17 Jul 2004


Bungei -1:43.72 - and Feofanova - 4.80 - in Madrid

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Wilfred Bungei takes the tape in Madrid - 1:43.72 (© Juan José Úbeda)

The performances of Kenyan 800m runner Wilfred Bungei and women’s World Pole Vault champion Svetlana Feofanova provided the two main highlights of the Madrid Super Grand Prix meet held tonight.

Failed attempts at 4.90 World record

Feofanova who captured the World Pole Vault record on 4 July in Greece (4.88m), vaulted 4.80m to win the IAAF Super Grand Prix competition, having had first time clearances at 4.40 (her opening height), 4.50, 4.60 and 4.70. She successfully passed 4.80 on her third attempt before failing three times at a would-be World record of 4.90.

With European and World titles already to her credit Feofanova, who turned 24 the day before, will try to take the Olympic crown in Athens the only missing medal in her fabulous collection.

“It was a shame not to get a World record again but I’m happy anyway. I’m consistent over 4.80, also in training and it gives me confidence to reach higher heights in the future,” said Feofanova.

Behind the Russian, Iceland’s Thorey Elisdottir vaulted a PB of 4.60 at her second try and won on countback over Poland’s Monika Pyrek.

Bungei wins 800m in style

Kenya’s 2001 World 800m silver medallist Wilfred Bungei set a new world season’s leading performance with a 1:43.72 clocking to better Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer previous mark of 1:43.88.

Paced by Brazil’s Anderson Dos Santos through the first 400m (50.87) Bungei always had the race under control, and with 100m remaining it became clear that, barring disaster, he would be the winner. This year’s Kenyan Olympic trials winner was untroubled in the home straight and crossed the finish line in 1:43.72 well ahead of fellow countryman Justus Koech timed at 1:44.26 .

Morocco’s Amine Laalou came third in 1:44.48, 0.03s clear of Bahrain’s Youssef Saad Kamel, who ran a PB of 1:44.51.

Spain’s Manuel Olmedo (1:45.25, PB) surprisingly beat his compatriot Antonio Reina (1:45.31) running inside the qualifying Olympic standard with Kenya’s Nicholas Wachira spliting them with 1:45.30. Bahrain’s Rashid Ramiz did not compete.

“I felt really strong despite the fact that this week has been a tough one with severe (training) sessions until Thursday as I have planned my training to peak exactly in Athens and not before,” confirmed Bungei, “as this Olympics will be my chance to clinch a medal. Two of my toughest rivals will be Wilson Kipketer and Yuriy Borzakovskiy. I’ll only compete in the Golden League meets of Paris and Zurich before travelling to Athens.”

Francique runs 44.52

Grenada’s Alleyne Francique may have lost his position as the fastest athlete this year at 400m (America’s Jeremy Wariner ran a PB of 44.37 to win the Olympic Trials on 15 July) but the World Indoor champion left no doubt he is in top form by recording a marvellous win timed at 44.52 - running from lane 4.

Francique was never headed by Congo’s World indoor silver medallist Gary Kikaya who lowered his seasonal best to 44.80, while 2002 World Cup winner Jamaica’s Michael Blackwood clocked 45.00, 0.01 outside his 2004 best.

European champion Ingo Schultz of Germany ran a season’s best of 45.07, while Australia’s Clinton Hill set a PB of 45.16, ahead of Britain’s Daniel Caines, sixth in 45.43.

An elated Francique said: “This is an extremely important win for me because a powerful field was assembled and it gives me a real idea of where I am. It’s logical that my world leading mark have been lowered in the American Olympic Trials but I’m still confident of taking an Olympic medal in Athens. That would be the first ever medal for my country in any sport”, declared Kikaya, who plans to compete next Friday at the TDK Golden League meet in Paris.

Phillips leaps 8.36

World Long Jump champion Dwight Phillips didn’t need to wear his ‘Spider-man’ suit to get success today. A remarkable 8.36 opening effort into a headwind of 0.2 was enough for Phillips, who came straight here from his Olympic trials victory. He had only one more valid leap (measured at 8.04).

Spain’s Joan Lino Martínez (he switched nationality from Cuba earlier this month) was runner-up with a 8.15 jump (1.2 wind), while Britain’s Christopher Tomlinson took third in 7.99 (no wind).

Asked what measure will guarantee the gold medal in the Athens Olympics Phillips answered: “The Olympics are about competing, the only important thing is winning, the performance doesn’t matter at all. I look forward to competing in Athens.”

Powerful Nelson produces 21.25

World and Olympic Shot Put silver medallist Adam Nelson took a comfortable win in his first appearance after his victory at the US Trials.

Nelson’s beginning was not particularly fine (19.75 and then a foul) but a 20.65 in the third round showed promise. By then it was Spain’s Manuel Martínez who led the contest thanks to a 20.89 third effort. The crucial moment came in round 4 when the 29-year-old Nelson unleashed a 21.25m shot to take top spot which he kept until the end.

Martínez didn’t go further in his last three rounds but held off the challenge from Britain’s Carl Myerscough who threatened his runner-up place with a 20.86 toss in the fifth round.

“Competing in Olympia (next 18 August) will be very special. The Shot Put will be the only event to be contested there and it means a unique opportunity to attract the media attention as we are usually overshadowed by other more glamorous events”, declared Nelson, who was obviously not hampered by the jet-lag. He only arrived in Madrid (from the US) two days before this competition.

67m for Menendez
 
The women’s Javelin contained much of the cream of the discipline but Cuba’s World record holder Osleydis Menéndez proved to be the strongest. The 2001 World champion won thanks to her 67.87 opening effort, not far from her world leading mark of 68.23. The Czech Nikola Brejchova finished second with a fifth round effort of 64.48. Cuba’s Sonia Bisset was third with 62.85.

PB but defeat for Lalova in the 200m
 
Bulgaria’s emerging sprint star Ivet Lalova bettered her best ever performance in the 200m but came second in the women’s 200 in a PB of 22.51, as the Cayman Islands’s Cydonie Mothersill turned out the winner in a season’s best of 22.47.

Sub-54 clocking for Glover

Other remarkable performances came in the women’s 400m Hurdles where America’s Sandra Glover (4th at the Olympic trials) won in 53.67, well ahead of Tatyana Tereschuk in 54.90.

Australia’s Bronwyn Thompson was a convincing winner in the women’s Long Jump with a best leap of 6.80 (her season’s best) with a tailwind of 1.3. Thompson’s 6.80 came in round 5 to better the 6.62 (1.7m/s) jump set by India’s World bronze medallist Anju George on her third attempt. Britain’s Jade Johnson was a close third with a 6.58 effort (-0.2).

Kenya’s Cornelius Chirchir took the men’s 1500m in 3:34.95 with his brother William second in 3:36.20 and Olympic champion Noah Ngeny back in fifth (3:36.20). In the women’s event, Poland’s Wioleta Janowska surprised the pre-race favourite, Britain’s Kelly Holmes - 4:04.38 to  4:05.27

Cloete – 2m

South Africa’s double World High Jump champion Hestrie Cloete recorded a 2.00 clearance. She kept a clean score card until 1.93 which took her two attempts to achieve before going over 2.00 at her third try. On countback Bulgaria’s Hristina Kalcheva beat Spain’s Marta Mendía, both jumpers clearing 1.90 first time.

Good sprint hurdling

Jamaica’s Delloreen Ellis-London was fastest in the women’s 100m Hurdles. The 29-year-old is the third best hurdler this season behind Perdita Felicien and Gail Devers. Tonight she kept her status with a clear victory over Cuba’s Anay Tejada with respective times of 12.72 and 12.78. Spain’s Olympic silver medallist Glory Alozie had to settle for third (12.82) into a headwind of 1.8.

Fast 3000m

Bahrain’s Mushir Salim Jahwer was an overwhelming victor in the men’s 3000m in a praiseworthy time of 7:37.49 given the altitude of Madrid (800m). With splits of 2:32.50 (1000m) and 5:05.71 (2000) he broke away from an illustrious field which among others comprised Spain’s European 10.000 champion José Manuel Martínez, and 2002 World Cup winner Craig Mottram of Australia.

Jahwer took the race in 7:37.49, two seconds clear of the in-form Martinez who clocked the fastest European time this season with a 7:39.64. Mottram came fifth in 7:42.96, behind Kenya’s Moses Mosop (7:41.78) and Spain’s Carlos Castillejo in a PB of 7:42.02.

Fazekas the victor but no Alekna on show this time

Robert Fazekas, Hungary’s European champion won the men’s Discus in the absence of reigning World and Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania. Fazekas threw 68.08 in round 3 to dominate Spain’s Mario Pestano, second with a 65.93 fourth round heave, and the Estonian duo of Alexander Tammert (63.68) and Gerd Kanter (62.63).

Kenya’s Isabella Ochichi grabbed top spot in the women’s 3000m with an excellent 8:37.68 clocking, the third fastest this season, well clear of Poland’s Lidia Chojecka runner-up in 8:42.62.

Obikwelu beats Demeritte

Double European sprint medallist Francis Obikwelu of Portugal took a surprise win in the men’s 200m from Bahamas’ Dominic Demeritte. After a false start by Obikwelu, the 26-year-old ran a fantastic bend and was never challenged when the race got underway for real. The winning time was Obikwelu’s season’s best (20.29), while Germany’s Tobias Unger came second in 20.42 with Demeritte finishing in third, 20.57 (-1.1).

Romania’s Ionela Tirlea did not contest her specialist event (400m Hurdles) but the flat distance and her outing resulted in a fine 50.80 (SB) victory with Guyana’s Aliann Pompey also dipping under 51s (50.93). Australia’s World 400m Hurdles champion Jana Pittman was due to compete but reportedly due to a minor physical problem did not compete as a precautionary measure.

Cuba’s Zulia Calatayud and Morocco’s Hasna Benhassi were the only two women setting under-2:00 clockings in the 800m with the former prevailing in 1:59.41, 0.45s clear of Benhassi, while Brazil’s Luciana Mendes ran 2:00.21 for third.

Edmonton and Paris 400m Hurdles bronze medallists defeated

The men’s 400m Hurdles saw the unusual circumstance of three identical clockings of 48.70. In the “A” race Panama’s Bayano Karmani and America’s LaBronze Garrett clocked that time. Additionally one hour before Jamaica’s Dean Griffiths had been timed equally in 48.70 to win the “B” race. In the “A” event Japan’s Dai Tamesue (49.05 – 3rd) and Greece’s Periklis Iakovakis (49.13 – 4th), both World bronze medallists (2001 & 2003 respectively), took the next two places.

Germany and Cuba assured of Olympic 4x100 tickets

Germany (men) and Cuba (women) ran fantastic times in the 4x100m relays in the very last event of the night. The German quartet was formed by Marius Broening, Tobías Unger, Alexander Kosenkov and Till Helme, their winning time being 38.30. On the women’s side Cuba improved their season’s best  43.57 clocking set in Salamanca last Tuesday, to a 43.04 performance last night, thanks to Virgen Benavides, Roxana Díaz, Ana López and Misleydis Lazo. 

Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF

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