Fabiana Murer vaults at the 2011 South American Champs (© Consudatle)
Buenos Aires, Argentina - The 47th edition of theSouth American Championships began in Buenos Aires on Thursday 2 June at the track of the “Centro Nacional de Alto Rendimiento”, and from its very first beat, the event had a Brazilian rhythm, as it has been happening since 1975, in the oldest IAAF Area Championships. The occasion is special, as the “Sudamericano” is returning to Buenos Aires after 44 years. This is also the fifth time in which the Argentinean capital is the event’s venue.
Marking that Brazilian dominance was the 2010 World Indoor champion at Pole Vault, Fabiana Murer, who obtained her fourth South American title with a world season lead and Championship record mark of 4.70m. Murer began her event at 4.50m, when all remaining competitors had finished their day. The South American record holder cleared that height on her third attempt, under pressure, and then continued at 4.70m, which she also cleared on her third try. And after that, the 30 year-old Murer had two attempts at 4.90m, a would-be South American record. Later she passed the remaining, saving herself for her next event, the Samsung Diamond League Prefontaine Classic, in Eugene, Oregon. Distant from Murer were Brazilian Karla da Silva, second with 4.00m, and Colombian Milena Agudelo, third with 3.90m.
Thursday was also a good day for the 34-year-old Maurren Maggi, the 2008 Olympic champion in the Long Jump, who earned her sixth victory in her main event with a 6.52m mark (0.0 m/s wind), from round 3. Although the competition didn’t produce high quality performances, it was a close one. Brazilian Keila Costa was second with 6.45m/0.0, and Colombian Caterine Ibargüen, was third with 6.45m/-0.5. Costa earned the silver due to her second best jump of 6.44m, over Ibargüen’s 6.41m. “I was hoping for a better mark. Somewhere around 6.84m, but I guess the cold conditions were against that,” said Maggi.
In one of the first events of the day, Germán Lauro brought a gold medal to the hosts, in the Shot Put. Lauro earned his fourth consecutive victory at the “Sudamericano”, this time with a 19.61m performance. The 27-year-old from Trenque Lauquen sealed his triumph with his first effort (19.61, 19.31, 19.37, foul, 19.29, foul). Colombian Edder Moreno was second with 18.93m, while Chilean Maximiliano Alonso was third with his 17.95m put from round five.
Jennifer Dahlgren provided another good performance for Argentina. The 27-year-old from Buenos Aires won the Hammer Throw with a seasonal best, and Championship record, of 72.70m. The South American record holder (73.74m ’10) obtained her third title ahead of Colombian Eli Johana Moreno (68.53m) and Venezuelan Rosa Rodríguez (67.28m).
Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF
47th South American Championships
Day 1 – 2 June 2011
Men
100m (0.0 m/s)
1 Nílson André BRA 10.35
2 Kael Becerra CHI 10.41
3 Sandro Viana BRA 10.44
5000m
1 Javier Carriqueo ARG 13:58.27
2 Víctor Aravena CHI 13:59.81
3 Javier Guarín COL 14:00.64
110m hurdles (0.3)
1 Matheus Inocêncio BRA 13.70
2 Jorge McFarlane PER 13.77
3 Paulo César Villar COL 13.85
Shot Put
1 Germán Lauro ARG 19.61
2 Edder Moreno COL 18.93
3 Maximiliano Alonso CHI 17.95
Decathlon – after 5 events
Luiz Alberto de Araújo BRA 4118
10.84/0.1 7.15/0.2 14.14 1.97 49.08
Román Gastaldi ARG 4073
10.98 7.38/0.2 14.29 1.97 50.73
Ânderson Venâncio BRA 3912
11.01 6.76/0.2 13.49 1.97 49.80
Women
100m (0.1)
1 Ana Cláudia Silva BRA 11.46
2 Yomara Hinestroza COL 11.63
3 Rosemar Coelho Neto 11.80
5000m
1 Fabiana Cristine da Silva BRA 15:39.67 CR
2 Rosa Godoy ARG 15:43.36 NR
3 Cruz da Silva BRA 15:43.91
100m hurdles (0.3)
1 Briggit Merlano COL 13.07
2 Maíla Machado BRA 13.22
3 Lina Florez 13.23
Long Jump
1 Maurren Maggi BRA 6.52/0.0
2 Keila Costa BRA 6.45/0.0
3 Caterine Ibargüen COL 6.45/-0.5
Pole Vault
1 Fabiana Murer BRA 4.70 WL/CR
2 Karla da Silva BRA 4.00
3 Milena Agudelo COL 3.90
Shot Put
1 Natalia Ducó CHI 17.15
2 Elisângela Adriano BRA 16.55
3 Ángela Rivas COL 16.15
Hammer Throw
1 Jennifer Dahlgren ARG 72.70 CR
2 Eli Johana Moreno COL 68.53
3 Rosa Rodríguez VEN 67.28
