News05 Jul 2012


Moreno improves to 75.59 in Reims to reaffirm her Olympic credentials

FacebookTwitterEmail

Yipsi Moreno celebrates her third straight Pan Am title in Guadalajara (© Getty Images)

Reims, FranceWinning the Hammer Throw with 75.59, Yipsi Moreno led a strong Cuban contingent at the occasion of the “Meeting International Reims – Champagne-Ardenne”, the 3rd Pro Athlé Tour leg (5).

A double World champion (2001 and 2003) and double Olympic silver medallist (2004 and 2008) Moreno set the best performance of the night in Reims in throw the hammer at 75.59 at her 6th throw. The competition was already hers form her first attempt measured at 73.99. Neither Polish Joanna Fiodorow (72.71) not Moldavian Zalina Marghieva (70.81 could approach that mark.

The Cuban fouled her 2nd and 3rd trials, then threw 71.15 at her 4th and fouled again the 5th one. Having improved her season best from 75.27 (set at home in Havana in May) to 75.59, the 6th best competition of her long career, yet she still remains in the 9th position in the world season list. However, she remains a strong medal contender as she has always placed at least 4th in all of the championships she took, except a 18th place at 1999 World Championships.

Her teammate Yarisley Silva also showed that she is approaching her best shape in winning the Pole Vault in 4.60m. The 25-year-old, who burst into the international scene last season with a 5th place at World Championships and a 4.75 Area record, was full in confidence in Reims in spite of rain, as she cleared 4.50 and 4.60 at her first attempts. She missed three times 4.70, but that was enough to beat German Silke Spiegelburg, 4.60 as well, but placed 2nd as she failed her first try at 4.50.

The women’s 800m turned into a tactical race as pacemaker didn’t matched the requested 58sec first lap. Yuneysi Santius displayed the best finishing kick and eventually emerged out of the pack to win in 2:00.71 from Ukrainian Olena Zhushman (2:01.10) and Kenyan Winny Chebet (2:01.10).

Cubans had a very successful night as hurdlers Orlando Ortega (13.29 at 110m) and Osmar Cisnero (48.93 at 400m) also dominated their respective events.

Ortega was opposed to World Indoor bronze medallist, French Pascal Martinot-Lagarde who has had an erratic outdoor season. The 20-year-old ran 13.30 with a slight burst just above the legal wind limit (2.1m/s) in Montgeron and tear his hamstring at the occasion. He didn’t run until the National Championships where he spectacularly fell in heats. Still not having run the Olympic standard, Martinot-Largarde was coming to Reims with the hope to meet the 13.40 required by the French Federation. Halas poor conditions hampered to do better than 13.56 and placed third. Orlando Ortega, 13.09 this year and outsider in London for his first participation to a global outdoor championship, won the race in 13.29 (wind -0.6m/s) from Omo Osaghae (USA) 13.55.

The fifth Cuban victory in Reims came to national record holder (47.99) Osmar Cisnero, winning the 400m Hurdles in 48.93.

Françoise Mbango, like Martinot-Lagarde, was also looking for the French Olympic standard (14.30) at Triple Jump. The double Olympic champion for Cameroon (2004 and 2008) had approach the standard by 3cm winning the French Championships with 14.27, before triple jumping 14.38 during the qualification at the European Championships last week in Helsinki, only to see her Olympic dream bared because of a 2.4m/s wind. In Reims, she made a last minute to compete because of back pain, but she couldn’t do better than 14.21 (-0.9) for 2nd place. Victory went to Katarina Ibarguen (Col), the World’s second best performer this year (14.95), with 14.58.

The men’s 800m came to another Colombian, as Rafith Rodriguez (1:45.71) edged Moroccan Mouchine El Amine (1:45.98).

In the 100m, Michael Rodgers, recently 4th at the US Olympic Trials in a season’s best of 9.94, won a close race in 10.18 (+0.1) from veteran Kim Collins (10.22) of St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidadian Richard Thompson (10.26). Natasha Hasting took the 200m in 23.09 into -1.9 wind.

P-J Vazel for the IAAF

Click here for RESULTS
Pages related to this article
DisciplinesCompetitions
Loading...