News04 Jun 2008


Reigning World champions head throws and jumps in Prefontaine – IAAF World Athletics Tour

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Brad Walker of USA on his way to gold in the Men's Pole Vault Final (© Getty Images)

Reigning World Champions, Germany’s Betty Heidler (Hammer Throw), Donald Thomas of the Bahamas (High Jump) and the USA’s Brad Walker (Pole Vault), head the list of competitors in their events at the 34th Prefontaine Classic on Sunday 8 June.

The Prefontaine Classic is a Grand Prix status meeting within the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2008.

Bahamian Donald Thomas, a basketball player who had never high jumped before 2006, won the World Championships gold in Osaka with a personal-best (2.35m), while America's Brad Walker improved on his silver World Championships medal from 2005 by winning gold in the Pole Vault in 2007.

Thomas will be challenged by Russian Andrey Silnov, the 2006 European champion, Eugene resident Jesse Williams, 2007 Prefontaine Classic champion Tora Harris, Russia's Ivan Ukhov, who had the highest jump in the world last year (2.39m indoors), and former World Junior champion  Andra Manson, who has the third highest jump in the world this year (2.33m).

Walker's main competition in the vault will come from Mexican national record holder Giovanni Lanaro who cleared 5.80m last year to win the Pre Classic amid swirling conditions. Hoping to gain momentum before the Olympic Trials are 2004 Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack, American recordholder Jeff Hartwig - still jumping high at age 40 - and University of Oregon alum Tommy Skipper.

In the women’s Hammer Throw, Betty Heidler is the clear favourite after her World Championships win in Osaka, but she can't rest on last year's laurels. Heidler threw her season's best of 74.11m in Wiesbaden on Sunday (1 June) but her closest opponent Ivana Brkljacic of Croatia is also in good form, having thrown 73.62m last night (3 June) in Tallinn, Estonia. Behind this duo is a group of hungry Americans, including University of Oregon grad Britney Henry, winner of the New York Grand Prix hammer, Bethany Hart, second at that meet, and Mt. SAC Relays winner and Olympic Trials favourite Amber Campbell, who has the furthest throw among Americans this year, 70.19m.  The Pre Classic and Hayward Field record is 69.82m.           

There is also a high class women’s Discus Throw. Vera Cechlova of the Czech Republic, the World Championships bronze medallist, leads the line-up, it is her season opener. Americans Suzy Powell, Becky Breisch, Aretha Thurmond, and Stephanie Brown-Trafton are her opponents.  Powell is, of course, the current American record holder (67.67m).  Breisch won the New York Grand Prix last Saturday, come backing Thurmond was 2nd, and Brown-Trafton has the furthest throw in the world this year of 66.17. The Pre Classic and Hayward Field record is 65.35.

Tom Jordan for the IAAF                                             

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