News29 Jul 2000


Dvorak reigns supreme

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Thomas Dvorak celebrates winning decathlon gold (© © Allsport)

Without a doubt, Tomas Dvorak still reigns supreme.

After winning the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis at the beginning of June, Dvorak today confirmed his dominion over the combined events by winning the 24th edition of Decastar, the fourth leg of the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge.

Dvorak may have suffered, but he gritted his teeth, for he is a great combatant.

Erki Nool from Estonia, backed up by the colourful band of supporters who follow him to every competition, attempted to dethrone the king, using every ounce of power and guts at his disposal, but once again, by a fistful of points, he had to accede to Dvorak.

And here, it is worth pointing out an exceptional coincidence with Decastar 1999.

Just a year ago, Dvorak had taken first place ahead of Nool, with just 26 points separating the two (8690 and 8664). History repeated itself today with exceptional regularity: just 27 points separated Tomas and Erki.

The two will meet again on the track in Sydney for another great challenge: the Olympic title and final victory in the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge.

The third place on the podium in Talence went to Attila Zsivotzky, much to the joy of his father, that great hammer thrower from the Sixties. Fourth was the Czech Republic’s Sebrle, and fifth the new Champion of France

Laurent Hernu, who improved his personal best by 179 points from the previous 7999 and can now hope for a berth to Sydney.

A final mention for Tunisia’s Anis Riahi, who set a new National Record (previously 7506 set in 1997).

From Wolverhampton to Talence, via Amsterdam (where her coach, Charles van Commenee, the manager of the Dutch combined events and throws squad lives): this was Denise Lewis’s route back to her place among the great of the combined events.

Notwithstanding some weakness on the second day (but also showing a clear improvement in the 800 metres), Lewis marked a full card: a new British record with 6831 points (previously 6736 she set in Götzis in 1997), a new Commonwealth record too and the second best performance of the year, behind Eunice Barber’s score of 6842; the 11th performance all-time and a new meeting record for Talence(bettering the 6803 set by the American heptathlete Frederick way back in 1984).

The British athlete’s result re-opens the contest with Eunice Barber and we can expect to see in Sydney a repeat of the duel which so enlivened two days of last year’s IAAF World Championships in the Estadio della Cartuja in Seville.

Behind Lewis that true Stakhanov of the combined events, Poland’s Ursula Wlodarczyck, with 6351 points took the lead in the previsional classification of the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge.

Third place went to Nathalie Teppe, thanks to her superior performance in the javelin, giving her the title of French Champion and securing her a berth to Sydney in the process.

Ottavio Castellini for IAAF

Results Men
1. Tomas Dvorak (CZE) pt. 8733 10.75/-1.2 - 7.58/2.0 - 16.14 - 1.95 - 48.07/13.93/0.8 - 49.22 - 4.90 - 69.37 - 4:30.83

2. Erki Nool (EST) pt. 8706 10.69/-1.2 - 7.81/1.2 - 14.20 - 1.95 - 46.95/ 14.43/0.8 - 41.84 - 5.50 - 68.89 - 4:30.40

3. Attila Zsivotzky (HUN) pt. 8293 11.00/2.1 - 7.06/3.0 - 14.69 - 2.16 - 48.68/ 15.23/0.8 - 46.75 - 4.60 - 65.26 - 4:25.81

4. Roman Sebrle (CZE) pt. 8228 10.96/-1.2 - 7.33/0.0 - 14.76 - 2.07 - 48.78/ 14.23/0.8 - 46.37 - 4.40 - 62.71 - 4:36.87

5. Laurent Hernu (FRA) pt.8178 11.15/2.1 - 7.26/-0.4 - 14.12 - 2.10 - 49.98/ 14.25/0.0 - 44.81 - 5.10 - 56.16 - 4:36.68

6. Lionel Marceny (FRA) pt. 7836 10.82/2.1 - 7.74/1.8 - 12.32 - 1.92 - 49.46/ 14.32/0.8 - 38.36 - 5.00 - 47.92 - 4:35.27

Women’s Results

1. Denis Lewis (GBR) pt. 6831 13.13/1.0 - 1.84 - 15.07 - 24.01/3.6/ 6.69/-0.4 - 49.42 - 2:12.20

2. Ursula Wlodarczyck (POL) pt.6351 13.50/1.0 - 1.81 - 15.48 - 24.08/3.6/6.02/1.6 - 42.76 - 2:16.74

3. Nathalie Teppe (FRA) pt. 6214 13.72/0.6 - 1.78 - 13.85 - 26.05/1.3/ 6.06/0.0 - 52.85 - 2:15.70

4. Marie Collonville (FRA) pt. 6119 13.52/0.6 - 1.78 - 12.03 - 24.90/3.6/596/1.1 - 47.00 - 2:13.03

5. Muriel Crozet (FRA) pt. 6021 13.60/1.0 - 1.81 - 13.27 - 25.21/1.3/6.02/0.6 - 41.77 - 2:19.93

6. Maralize Visser-Fouche (RSA) pt. 5852 13.67/1.0 - 1.78 - 13.51 - 23.35/3.6/ 5.63/-0.8 - 37.70 - 2:28.86

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