The winning jump of Sweden's Kajsa Bergqvist (© Getty Images)
In just two weeks time the 2003 IAAF Golden League Series of six meetings will begin with the Exxon Mobil Bislett Games in Oslo. There are six events on offer for both men and women, with at least a share of the 1 million US$ Jackpot in gold awaiting any athlete who can win his or her event at every competition.
Even at such an earlier stage of the European summer, some of the major challengers for gold are beginning to indicate their intentions.
The women’s High Jump is going to be very hot this summer, following on from a winter season in which six women jumped 2 metres or better indoors.
One of those athletes, Russia’s 2002 European Indoor champion Marina Kuptsova who jumped 2.02 indoors, has already matched that performance this summer with a marvelous third time clearance in Hengelo on 1 June.
In world class form and with a mission to regain her national supremacy which she lost to Anna Chicherova (2.04 national indoor record) this winter, Kuptsova is determined to use the Golden League as a staging post for both her national and worldwide ambitions this season, and as her father confirmed, “she is taking the Golden League competition very seriously.”
Not forgetting that Russia’s Olympic champion Yelena Yelesina also jumped 2.02 indoors, Chicherova believes that her open rivalry with Kuptsova could take the women’s High Jump to new heights in the public’s imagination this summer.
“I am not afraid to jump against Kuptsova,” said Chicherova. “My rivalry with Marina is a great thing. It motivates us to jump higher and makes the event much more interesting. I like such competitions.”
Throw into the melting pot Sweden’s World Indoor and European Outdoor champion Kajsa Bergqvist who jumped 2.03m indoors this year, and you have the tantalising prospect of competition boiling over during the 2003 Golden League.
“I think I can jump higher and better than I did indoors this year,” said Bergqvist before winning in Ostrava with 2.01. “It’s good to have so many women jumping so well. You can’t get away with jumping under 2 metres anymore! It’s 2 metres plus to win every competition now.”
“The Golden League competition is going to be hot for sure but in a World Championships year it’s a difficult prospect to win all six competitions especially when the event is so competitive at the moment.”
But of course, 1 million dollars is still 1 million dollars …. “If I found myself in the position of having won the first three meets then perhaps I would have to re-evaluate my goals for the season,” says Bergqvist with a smile.
2003 IAAF Golden League -
Friday 27 June - Exxon Mobil Bislett Games - Oslo, Norway
Friday 4 July - Meeting Gaz de France - Paris/St Denis, France
Friday 11 July - Golden Gala - Rome, Italy
Sunday 10 August - ISTAF 2003 - Berlin, Germany
Friday 15 August - Weltklasse Zurich - Zurich, Switzerland
Friday 5 September - Ivo Van Damme Memorial - Brussels, Belgium
There will be 12 Golden League events in 2003, 6 each for men and women, which are in turn divided up into a two tier prize structure of “Premium” and “Classic” events:
“Premium” -
Men: 100m, 800m, 110m Hurdles
Women: 100m, 800m, High Jump
“Classic” -
Men: 3000/5000m, Pole Vault, Javelin Throw
Women: 1500m, 400 Hurdles, Triple Jump
