David Canal celebrates breaking National 400m Indoor record in Madrid (© Juan Jose Ubeda)
Madrid, Spain26yearold David Canal, who is the reigning European outdoor silver medallist, set a new 400m Spanish record of 45.93 to win the Spanish Indoor Championships in Madrid earlier today.
Canal's time is the quickest European time so far this season with a full half a second margin over Ireland's David Gillick (46.43) and makes him the man to beat at the European Indoor Championships to be held on the same track next 4-6 March.
Canal’s performance is also the fourth fastest time in the world this season.
Canal went through the first 200m in a brisk 21.67 to finally break 15-year-old Spanish record of Cayetano Cornet by 7 hundredths, a record which Canal himself had tied back in 1999.
“I started this winter season running 20.95 for 200m and that was a confidence boost for my speciality event, the 400m. I have been chasing this 400m record for so long and today was successful at last, I’m delighted for that. I know that I’m the European leader now so I will go for the gold in Madrid; I’ll have to run three races (heat, semi-final and final) in two days at the Europeans bit I feel ready.”
1500 or 3000? Estévez and Higuero still undecided on the Europeans
Middle distance stars Reyes Estévez and Juan Carlos Higuero clinched the win in the 3000 and 1500m respectively. The much awaited 1500m clash between them finally didn’t take place as Estévez, 28, opted to compete over 3000m once Higuero had announced earlier in the week he would be competing at 1500m.
Estévez was unchallenged and romped home in a slow 8:07.71 while his pre-race toughest rival European 3000m Steeplechase champion Antonio Jiménez was never in the hunt for victory and faded to seventh with a 8:18.23 clocking.
Estévez, 7th in Athens at last year’s Olympics said: “I had fever on Saturday so I preferred to contest the 3000m, which is a less demanding event than the 1500m. I ran 7:43.80 to win the 3000m in Stockholm last Tuesday and that makes me doubt on which event to contest at the Europeans. My favourite event will always be the 1500m but I’ll take my final decision after running the 1500m at the Madrid meeting next Thursday”.
Higuero, who is the reigning European 1500m indoor silver medallist grabbed his fourth consecutive national title but he had fierce opposition from 2001 European Junior 1500m bronze medallist Arturo Casado. After a slow start (400m in 1:04.59 and 800m in 2:06.94) Higuero was in the lead but was overtaken by Casado just before the bell for the excitement of the crowd.
Only in the final straight (50m) Higuero managed to catch up with his young and talented rival to win in 3:47.09 and a margin of 26 hundredths over runner-up Casado.
“I had planned to be in the lead at the bell but Casado’s move surprised me; anyway I have got my fourth 1500m Spanish indoor title and that’s important for me; I next compete in Madrid over 1500m where I would like to clock 3:35.”
Wins for the 800m aces
Reigning European 800m bronze medallist Antonio Reina took the narrowest possible victory as only a mere hundredth of a second separated him and Juan de Dios Jurado, also 23. Reina was timed in 1:48.53 after a 54.98 400m split.
In the women’s event 2003 World indoor bronze medallist Mayte Martínez provided further evidence that she will be a serious medal contender at the Europeans by easily winning in 2:04.00 (split of 1:04.24) ahead of European U23 bronze medallist Esther Desviat runner-up in 2:05.08.
Manuel Martínez and Joan Lino also successful
In the infield the current European Shot Put champion Manuel Martínez won his 13th successful national crown although he didn’t manage to surpass the 20m barrier and had to settle for a 19.55 winning release.
“I had an ingrowing nail and was not 100% fit. I’m best than ever physically but still have to adjust my technique”.
Olympic Long Jump bronze medallist Joan Lino Martínez won with his opening effort of 8.04, ten centimetres short of his SB of 8.14.
In other events Felipe Vivancos and Glory Alozie took the 60m Hurdles in 7.68 and 8.10 respectively while Naroa Agirre was successful in the women’s pole vault with a 4.31 clearance.
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF
