Abubaker Kaki en route to his 1:43.48 in Turin (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Turin, ItalyWorld Indoor champion Abubaker Kaki from Sudan and Cuban 110m Hurdles Olympic champion Dayron Robles took the spotlight at the 11th Memorial Primo Nebiolo on Saturday (12).
Kaki ran the fourth fastest time in the world this year with 1:43.48 in the men’s 800m. Only David Rudisha (1:42.04), Kaki himself (1:42.23) and Asbel Kiprop (1:43.45) have run faster in 2010.
Kaki showed an impressive display of form en route to smashing his own meeting record of 1:44.25 set last year. Kaki followed pacesetter Eric Milazar from Mauritius through the bell in 49.76. When Milazar stepped aside, Kaki remained alone against the clock. Passing 600 metres in 1:16, he continued to increase his lead before crossing the finish. Davide Kleberson from Brazil, who ran 1:44.71 this year, took second in 1:46.08. Thomas Chamney took third place in 1:46.23 ahead of Italy’s 1500m Olympic finalist Christian Obrist who clocked 1:46.65 for fourth.
Robles cruises 13.08
Robles clocked the second fastest time in the world this year with 13.08 to cruise to an easy win in Turin for his second victory in the Memorial Nebiolo. In 2008 he won here in 13.29, one week before his 12.87 World record in Ostrava. Robles, back from his 13.14 victory in the Rome Diamond League meeting on Thursday, improved his previous SB of 13.21 set in pouring rain in Ostrava. Only David Oliver has run faster this season with 12.99 in the Shanghai Diamond League meeting.
“Today I ran better than in Rome where I had some technical problems. I will now go back to training until the end of June,” Robles said.
In day's major upset, Gordeyeva defeats Lowe
The major upset of the Memorial Nebiolo was the defeat of Chaunte Lowe who had to be content with third place at 1.92m just two days after the memorable clash against Blanka Vlasic in Rome where she lost to the Croatian at 2.03m on a countback. Lowe, US record holder with 2.04m, was probably too tired as she needed two attempts to clear 1.89m and 1.92m.
“I felt flat today,” Lowe admitted after finishing well behind winner Irina Gordeyeva of Russia who cleared 1.97m. “The track was ok. I am happy that Gordeyeva cleared 1.97m. I am going home to prepare for the US championships where I will double the long jump and the high jump.”
Gordeyeva and Santa Lucia’s Lavern Spencer remained in contention at 1.95m. Spencer had a clean sheet until that height, while Gordeyeva needed three attempts to sail clear. Gordeyeva cleared 1.97 at the third time of asking to take the win, and then failed three attempts at 2.00m.
David Giralt from Cuba, the World indoor bronze medallist in Doha, leapt to a wind-assisted 17.21m (+2.4 m/s) to clinch the win in the men’s Triple Jump. A legal jump to 17.15m, his second best attempt, would have been enough to win the competition from Italy’s European indoor champion Fabrizio Donato, who showed improving form leaping to 17.08, eight cm better than his wind-assisted 17.00m from last week’s Italian Club Cup in Florence.
In the opening competition of the meeting Sergey Litvinov from Germany took the win in the men’s hammer throw with 78.01m on the third attempt. Even his second and third best throws of 77.35m and 76.91m would have been enough to beat former Olympic silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni from Italy, who continued his consistent season finishing second with 76.38m.
Jamaican Michael Frater, reigning Olympic and World champion in the 4x100m relay, won the 100m in 10.21 ahead of French record holder Ronald Pognon (10.25) and local favourite Fabio Cerutti, 2009 European Indoor silver medallist in Turin, who equalled his seasonal best with 10.31. Jamaica claimed a sprint sweep by winning the men’s 200m with Ainsley Waugh who clocked 20.71 beating Ireland’s Paul Hession (20.73) and David Alerte from France (20.74).
Italian 400m record holder and Olympic semifinalist Libania Grenot, nicknamed the “Panterita”, made her seasonal debut after nine months without competitions following an injury at the World Championships in Berlin with a convincing win in 51.54.
Another much-awaited race for the Italian crowd was the women’s 1500m race where 800m European Indoor bronze medallist Elisa Cusma ran her second 1500m of the season after her 2:00.11 in the Rome Golden Gala. The Italian middle-distance star, who will run the longer distance more frequently this year, was second at the bell behind Tanzania’s Zakia Mrisho. Siham Hilali from Morocco, went to the lead with 300 metres to go passing and launched her kick to win in 4:08.24 ahead of 5000m World silver medallist Sylvia Kibet (4:08.71). Cusma was third in 4:08.90.
Misleydis Gonzales from Cuba notched up the win in the women’s shot put by putting 19.22m in the sixth attempt overtaking Berlin World silver medallist Nadine Kleinert from Germany who was leading after five attempts with 18.94m.
Perri Shakes Drayton from Great Britain clocked a new PB of 54.91 (the ninth fastest time in the world seasonal list) to win the women’s 400m Hurdles ahead of Nigerian Ajoke Odumosu (55.42).
Kenya claimed a podium sweep in the men’s 5000m with Daniel Salel first in 13:12.46, Alex Korio second in 13:14.08 and Hosea Macharinyang third in 13:14.58.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Kaki ran the fourth fastest time in the world this year with 1:43.48 in the men’s 800m. Only David Rudisha (1:42.04), Kaki himself (1:42.23) and Asbel Kiprop (1:43.45) have run faster in 2010.
Kaki showed an impressive display of form en route to smashing his own meeting record of 1:44.25 set last year. Kaki followed pacesetter Eric Milazar from Mauritius through the bell in 49.76. When Milazar stepped aside, Kaki remained alone against the clock. Passing 600 metres in 1:16, he continued to increase his lead before crossing the finish. Davide Kleberson from Brazil, who ran 1:44.71 this year, took second in 1:46.08. Thomas Chamney took third place in 1:46.23 ahead of Italy’s 1500m Olympic finalist Christian Obrist who clocked 1:46.65 for fourth.
Robles cruises 13.08
Robles clocked the second fastest time in the world this year with 13.08 to cruise to an easy win in Turin for his second victory in the Memorial Nebiolo. In 2008 he won here in 13.29, one week before his 12.87 World record in Ostrava. Robles, back from his 13.14 victory in the Rome Diamond League meeting on Thursday, improved his previous SB of 13.21 set in pouring rain in Ostrava. Only David Oliver has run faster this season with 12.99 in the Shanghai Diamond League meeting.
“Today I ran better than in Rome where I had some technical problems. I will now go back to training until the end of June,” Robles said.
In day's major upset, Gordeyeva defeats Lowe
The major upset of the Memorial Nebiolo was the defeat of Chaunte Lowe who had to be content with third place at 1.92m just two days after the memorable clash against Blanka Vlasic in Rome where she lost to the Croatian at 2.03m on a countback. Lowe, US record holder with 2.04m, was probably too tired as she needed two attempts to clear 1.89m and 1.92m.
“I felt flat today,” Lowe admitted after finishing well behind winner Irina Gordeyeva of Russia who cleared 1.97m. “The track was ok. I am happy that Gordeyeva cleared 1.97m. I am going home to prepare for the US championships where I will double the long jump and the high jump.”
Gordeyeva and Santa Lucia’s Lavern Spencer remained in contention at 1.95m. Spencer had a clean sheet until that height, while Gordeyeva needed three attempts to sail clear. Gordeyeva cleared 1.97 at the third time of asking to take the win, and then failed three attempts at 2.00m.
David Giralt from Cuba, the World indoor bronze medallist in Doha, leapt to a wind-assisted 17.21m (+2.4 m/s) to clinch the win in the men’s Triple Jump. A legal jump to 17.15m, his second best attempt, would have been enough to win the competition from Italy’s European indoor champion Fabrizio Donato, who showed improving form leaping to 17.08, eight cm better than his wind-assisted 17.00m from last week’s Italian Club Cup in Florence.
In the opening competition of the meeting Sergey Litvinov from Germany took the win in the men’s hammer throw with 78.01m on the third attempt. Even his second and third best throws of 77.35m and 76.91m would have been enough to beat former Olympic silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni from Italy, who continued his consistent season finishing second with 76.38m.
Jamaican Michael Frater, reigning Olympic and World champion in the 4x100m relay, won the 100m in 10.21 ahead of French record holder Ronald Pognon (10.25) and local favourite Fabio Cerutti, 2009 European Indoor silver medallist in Turin, who equalled his seasonal best with 10.31. Jamaica claimed a sprint sweep by winning the men’s 200m with Ainsley Waugh who clocked 20.71 beating Ireland’s Paul Hession (20.73) and David Alerte from France (20.74).
Italian 400m record holder and Olympic semifinalist Libania Grenot, nicknamed the “Panterita”, made her seasonal debut after nine months without competitions following an injury at the World Championships in Berlin with a convincing win in 51.54.
Another much-awaited race for the Italian crowd was the women’s 1500m race where 800m European Indoor bronze medallist Elisa Cusma ran her second 1500m of the season after her 2:00.11 in the Rome Golden Gala. The Italian middle-distance star, who will run the longer distance more frequently this year, was second at the bell behind Tanzania’s Zakia Mrisho. Siham Hilali from Morocco, went to the lead with 300 metres to go passing and launched her kick to win in 4:08.24 ahead of 5000m World silver medallist Sylvia Kibet (4:08.71). Cusma was third in 4:08.90.
Misleydis Gonzales from Cuba notched up the win in the women’s shot put by putting 19.22m in the sixth attempt overtaking Berlin World silver medallist Nadine Kleinert from Germany who was leading after five attempts with 18.94m.
Perri Shakes Drayton from Great Britain clocked a new PB of 54.91 (the ninth fastest time in the world seasonal list) to win the women’s 400m Hurdles ahead of Nigerian Ajoke Odumosu (55.42).
Kenya claimed a podium sweep in the men’s 5000m with Daniel Salel first in 13:12.46, Alex Korio second in 13:14.08 and Hosea Macharinyang third in 13:14.58.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
