The Italian 4x100m team winner of the European Cup relay (© Getty Images)
FlorenceOn a blistering hot day, the European family of track and field was gathered at the brand new Luigi Ridolfi stadium in Florence for the first day of competition of the SPAR European Cup.
People say there is nothing like a home win to boost the crowd and here in Florence this expression certainly held true. Italian fans had to wait until the last event of the day to finally broaden their widest grins. After applauding performances from runners, jumpers and throwers from all other European teams, the local supporters were finally able to cheer their own champions. It wasn’t so much one of their own that they applauded but four of them, as Francesco Scuderi, Simone Collio, Massimiliano Donati and Alessandro Cavallaro won the men’s 4x100m relay in 38.42, the fastest time in the world this year.
The Italy's fastest sprinter this year, Scuderi had the best start and handed the baton in first place to the immense joy of the stadium speaker whose voice seemed a pitch higher than earlier this afternoon. Three smooth exchanges later and Cavallaro was handed the baton level ahead of Poland’s Marcin Urbas. Julian Golding who was anchoring for Great Britain – after legs by Malcolm, Campbell and Devonish – made up some ground but wasn’t able to spoil the Italian feast. Neither was Poland who eventually finished second in 38.45, with Great Britain third in 38.60.
“We knew we were strong because we have been working on the relay for the past week. We didn’t expect to come so close to the Italian record though,” said Cavallaro. “This gives me extra confidence for tomorrow’s 200m against Kederis.”
Despite this unexpected win, Italy’s day was far from being one of its best as both the men and the women teams ended Day One of competition in last place. Great Britain ended leading the men’s standing with 52 points, and France just one point behind.
In the women’s standings, Russia as expected is a clear leader with 63 points ahead of Germany (59 points) and France a distant third (47 points).
European High Jump champion Yaroslav Rybakov was the best individual performer of the day thanks to a third attempt clearance at 2.34m. Rybakov established a new personal best and equalled the season's world best of Matt Hemingway (USA) in a contest where five out of the eight competitors improved their best mark of the year.
22-year old Alessandro Talotti (ITA) who had a magnificent first time clearance at 2.30m, a new personal best, was the only man to challenge Rybakov but couldn’t match the Russian’s form today.
Commonwealth champion Chris Rawlinson was a superb winner of the men’s 400m Hurdles. Despite running in lane one, the Briton mastered a race in which former World Junior champion Periklis Iakovakis (GRE) had taken the fastest start. Rawlinson had the strongest finish and cruised through the line in 48.45, the second fastest time in the world this year. Iakovakis held on for second in 49.23 with veteran Ruslan Mashchenko clocking a season’s best of 49.43 for third. Local hero Fabrizio Mori was a distant sixth with a good season’s best time of 50.18, considering his Achilles ailments -.
“I am happy with my race today,” said Rawlinson. “I have had a lot of physical and mental problems but I am now ready to take on even bigger challenges. Last week in Ostrava I completely messed up my stride pattern but today I made no mistake.”
Just minutes after Rawlinson scored the first win for Great Britain, Mark Lewis Francis took the men’s 100m race in a low-key time of 10.22. The former world junior champion seemingly had no problem on the track but he consequently revealed that he is not a great fan of the intense heat of Florence.
“Man, it was hard. It was very hot today, the hottest temperature I’ve ever run a race in. I came here to do my best and that was all I could do today. I gained 8 points for my team and this is an achievement in itself. I almost passed out in warm up because of the heat. It’s important though to compete in such conditions as it helps getting in shape for the Olympics next year. It certainly won’t be an easy one.”
France’s Aimé Nthepe finished second behind MLF in 10.36, while third place went to Greece’s Aristotelis Gavelas in 10.44.
In the women’s sprint race, Christine Arron’s hair might have been slightly different than in 1998 when she set an amazing European record of 10.73 but her power and running fluidity is certainly the same.
Running into a 1.3 headwind, Arron made a decent start and powered through to the finish line completely overshadowing the rest of the field. Arron clocked 11.07, well clear of Marina Kislova of Russia (11.19), and Glory Alozie of Spain (11.29).
“It was a good technical race even though I felt like I was struggling a bit near the end. I am indeed a bit tired so I think I am going to take a little rest in order to be ready for Paris and Rome Golden League meetings. I am satisfied with my time today as it was into a headwind. If the wind had been blowing in our favour I would have certainly hoped for a faster race.”
The men’s 400m was an affair for tall men with long striding Marc Raquil - who stands at 1.91m - winning the race ahead of European champion Ingo Schultz (2.01m).
Running in lane 7 Raquil took the fastest start and entered the last bend in the lead. But he was soon to be passed by Great Britain’s Iwan Thomas running just inside him in lane 6. Schultz made his move then and ran a splendid bend, which helped him to enter the final straight with a two-metres lead ahead of his rivals. His energy was soon to fade as the Frenchman who seemed to have lost too much ground to fight for the win, unexpectedly powered through and raised his hands in victory. Raquil was timed in 44.88, just 8 hundredths off his national record, while Schultz (45.19) held off Thomas (45.58) in second.
The women’s one lap race turned into a two way battle between Russia’s Svetlana Pospelova running in the outside lane and Lee McConnell of Great Britain running in lane 6. Pospelova was the fastest out of the blocks, and in the back straight both athletes entered the final 100m shoulder to shoulder with McConnell seemingly the stronger of the two. But this was just an illusion as Pospelova gritting her teeth found the necessary energy to make the difference. Pospelova finished in a season’s best time of 50.85, with Mc Connell second in 51.37. Greece’s Chrysa Goudenoudi was a distant third in a new personal best of 52.11.
Considering the heat and humidity of the day the 5000m couldn’t have been anything but a tactical race. The athletes remained grouped for most of the race until a pack of four men including Dieter Baumann (GER), Moroccan born Ismail Sghyr running for France, Jesus Espana (ESP), and Britain's Andy Graffin broke away.
Sghyr led the group through the 4th kilometre in 11:10.48, keeping enough fuel in his tank for his famously deadly finishing kick. Eventually Sghyr won in 13:43.70, ahead of Espana (13:44.68) and Baumann (13:45.55). Sghyr was so pleased with his win that he kneeled down on the floor and sent kisses to the crowd before going for a highly applauded victory lap – the only one of the day!
Olga Yegorova showed her customary finishing kick with 200 metres to go in a very slow women's 3000m race which she easily won. Yegorova clocked 8:55.73, ahead of Hayley Tullett of Great Britain (8:57.45) who had led most of the race.
“It definitely was too hot today to run a fast pace. I just wanted to win and that is what I did,” explained Yegorova after the race.
Russia’s Anna Pyatykh grabbed victory in the women’s Triple Jump with a new personal best and European Under 23 record of 14.79m. Winner of last year’s European Cup, Pyatykh is the fourth best in the world this year in a discipline where the standards keep increasing. Finishing second today, Magdeline Martinez came just one centimetre short of her two-week old Italian record with a best effort of 14.76m. Adelina Gavrila helped Romania with a 14.45m effort and 6 points.
Within a few minutes the Spanish men athletes notched up two victories to bring their team back into the leading positions. In the field, Manuel Martinez was the only man to throw over the 21 metre barrier in the Shot Put. Martinez’ 21.08m second effort was a season’s best for the World Indoor champion over 30 centimetres clear of runner up Briton Carl Myerscough’s 20.72m.
On the track Juan Carlos Higuero took the 1500m sprinting away from Poland’s Miroslaw Formela (3:49.22) and Great Britain’s Michael East (3:49.60). France’s Bouabdellah Tahri, a specialist of the steeplechase had made a strong surge in the final 250 metres but faded away and finished a disappointing fourth in 3:49.60.
In the men’s Long Jump, Spain's Yago Lamela had a nightmare competition fouling his first three attempts. In his fourth and last jump, his class and experience came out and the Spaniard managed to land at 7.96m, a performance well below par for his standards but good enough for second in today’s competition. The winner of the Long Jump was 21-year-old former European Junior champion Louis Tsatoumas, whose last effort was measured at 8.06m.
The women’s 800m saw the surprise victory of former world junior champion Claudia Gesell, who clocked a season’s best of 2:00.85 and offered Germany its first individual win in the women’s competition.
Russia’s Natalya Khrushcheleva decided to make the pace and led the pack at the bell reached in 59.77. Behind the Russian, Maria Cioncan (ROM), the fastest of all runners present, made her move with 250 metres to go with Spain’s Mayte Martinez on her heels. Gesell was controlling the race and gradually moved into first, with Cioncan eventually second in 2:01.85, and Martinez third in 2:01.63.
Pole Vaulter Annika Becker had a successful third attempt at 4.50m, thus securing not only individual victory but a very important 8 points for a surprisingly strong team from Germany. Winner of last year’s World Cup in Madrid where she defeated pre-event favourite and World Indoor record holder Russia’s Svetlana Feofanova, Becker added another Russian to her resume this time. Indeed Tatyana Polnova who recently cleared 4.70m could do no better than 4.45m, and had to content with second place. Marie Poissonnier of France was third with 4.35m.
The women’s Javelin throw was another event which went to Germany with European silver medallist Steffi Nerius clinching the win with her last effort of the day. The event was first led by Italy’s Claudia Coslovich throwing a season’s best of 62.70m at her first attempt. Greece's European champion Mirella Manjani then took the lead with 63.13m her best throw so far this year but wasn’t going to hold on to it, as Nerius had kept the best for last.
In the women’s 400m Hurdles, double European champion Ionela Tirlea was the fastest out of the blocks and a clear leader entering the final bend. Despite a surge from Great Britain’s Natasha Danvers, who will also compete in the 100m Hurdles tomorrow, Tirlea had enough strength left and managed to cross the finish line in a winning time of 54.47. Danvers came in second in 55.01, while European silver medallist Heike Meissner was third in 55.22.
European champion Ekaterini Voggoli was Greece’s only individual female winner of the day with a 62.11m Discus throw effort. France’s Melina Robert-Michon threw a season’s best of 61.67m in her second attempt, and scored 7 points for France. Edmonton World champion Natalya Sadova was third with 61.59m.
The women’s sprint relay looked like an easy day at work for the French quartet of Patricia Girard, Muriel Hurtis, Fabe Dia and Christine Arron. Hurdles specialist Girard had a good start but was only second at the baton exchange, Russia’s Oksana Fedorova running the best first leg. But once the baton was in European 200m champion Muriel Hurtis’ hands, the Frenchwoman seemed to be flying. Arron was therefore handed the baton in first and held on to win in the fastest European time of the year of 42.62. Germany’s Marion Wagner ran an excellent final leg and finished second in 43.13 just, ahead of Ludmila Kruglova of Russia (43.23).
It had all started well for Germany with 1999 World champion Karsten Kobs throwing a season’s best 80.63m in the men’s Hammer Throw. Kobs, whose shortest throw would have won the competition today, not only gave 8 points to his team but also met the A qualifying standards for Paris World Championships.
The brand new Stadium Luigi Ridolfi was officially inaugurated by former 800m World record holders Sebastian Coe and Marcello Fiasconaro, in presence of EAA President Hansjörg Wirz and Fidal President Gianni Gola.
“This stadium is a masterpiece,” said Gianni Gola. “Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and now it has a great Athletics stadium. I want to express my gratitude to the city and the people of Florence. We now want to see Athletics meetings in this stadium; we want the great world of athletics to return to Florence.”
Standings after day one
Men
Great Britain 52 points
France 51 points
Germany 48.5 points
Spain 45 points
Russia 44 points
Poland 43 points
Greece 38.5
Italy 37 points
Women
Russia 63 points
Germany 59 points
France 47 points
Greece 46 points
Great Britain 40 points
Spain 40 points
Romania 32 points
Italy 31 points
