Laura Arcoleo for IAAF
The countdown for the 7th IAAF World
Indoor Championships has started and the Russian team heading to Maebashi confirmed its
superiority in yesterday’s Meeting of the Six Nations, held in Genova (ITA) with
teams representing Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Great Britain and Russia.
In the men’s field, Russia (58.5 points) defeated Italy (53) and France (50) with wins in the long jump (Yevgeni Tretyak: 7.81m), the high jump (Petr Brayko 2.24m), the pole vault (Vassily Gorshkov 5.60m), the triple jump (Vassily Sokov 6.51m) and in the Swedish Relay (1lap, 2 laps, 3 laps, 4 laps).
Italy’s victories came in the 800m where Andrea Longo, recovering from his poor performance in the Italian Championships two days before, had to confirm his good shape for Maebashi. And, surprisingly, Italy won also the 60m and 60m hurdles with emerging talents: the 21 year-old Andrea Rabino (who snatched victory from France’s Vincent Caure) and Emiliano Pizzoli who dominated both series of the hurdles.
In the 200m, Marc Foucan (FRA) defeated World Junior Champion Christian Malcom (GBR) 21.04 to 21.12. With the two athletes competing in two different heats, it was Foucan's faster time that won the day.
Good performance in the 1500m, where Rui Silva, Portugal’s main chance for a medal in Japan clocked 3.41.35, winning a tactical race and confirming his excellent sprint qualities.
In the women’s field, the victory went to Russia (80 points) well ahead of Spain (43) and France (38), with Russian women winning all the events except the 200m and the triple jump in which they finished second. Among the big names with their sights on a medal in Japan, Olga Kotlyarova clocked 52.00 to win the 400m, while Natalya Gorelova dominated the 800m in 2:02.67.
In the field events, Viktoria Slivka cleared 1.92m in the high jump and Tatyana Gubareva 4.20 in the pole vault, while Anna Romanova won the shot put with 18.70m.
In the 60m hurdles, good performances by France’s Eunice Barber (non-scoring athlete) and Nicole Ramalalanirina who clocked respectively 8.13 and 8.14, but the 7 points of victory went to the very experienced Svetlana Laukhova, who took advantage of a fall by Ramalalanirina at the third hurdle.
In the 200m, Fabe Dia, who was part of the winning French 4x100m team, at the European championships in Budapest, clocked a very good 23.14, confirming the traditional French expertise over the distance.
Finally, the most applauded woman was triple jump world record holder Ashia Hansen, who won the contest with a leap of 14.38. The mark may not be up to Hansen’s best performances, but the British athlete confirmed her ambitions. "I will be ready in Maebashi. I accomplish my best results when the field is competitive." And in Maebashi, it definitely will be.
Men Placing
1) Russia 58.5 points, 2) Italy 53 points, 3) France 50 points, 4) Spain 44.5 points, 5) Portugal 31 points, 6) Great Britain 26 points
Women Placing
1) Russia 80 points, 2) Spain 43 points, 3) France 38 points, 4) Italia 36 points, 5) Portugal 34 points, 6) Great Britain 31 points
Overall Placing
1) Russia 138.5 points, 2) Italy 89 points, 3) France 88 points, 4) Spain 87.5 points, 5) Portugal 65 points, 6) Great Britain 57 points
Men
60m
1) Andrea Rabino, 6.70 and 6.72 (ITA); 2) Vincent Caure, 6.71 and 6.71 (FRA); 3) Diego
Santos Abad, 6.75 and 6.66 (SPA).
60 H
1) Emiliano Pizzoli, 7.69 and 7.61 (ITA); 2) Philippe Lamine, 7.79 and 7.82 (FRA); 3)
Hipolito Montesinos Verdu, 7.79 and 7.83 (SPA).
200m
1) Marc Foucan, 21.04 (FRA); 2) Christian Malcom, 21.12(GBR); 3) Josep Bartres Llovet,
21.21 (SPA).
400m
1) Carlos Silva, 46.96 (POR); 2) Dimitry Golovastov, 46.97 (RUS); 3) Duaine Ladejo, 47.34
(GBR).
800m
1) Andrea Longo, 1:48.42 (ITA); 2) Aleksey Urazov, 1:49.47 (RUS); 3) Ignancio Del Rio
Remero, 1:49.83 (SPA).
1500m
1) Rui Silva 3:41.35 (POR); 2) Jose: Redolat Contreras 3:41.51 (SPA); 3) Andrey
Zadorozhnyi 3:42.48 (RUS).
Shot Put
1) Manuel Martinez Gutierrez, 20,68 (SPA); 2) Paolo Dal Soglio, 20,46 (ITA); 3) Fernando
Alvez, 18,46 (POR).
High Jump
1) Petr Brayko 2.24 (RUS); 2) Didier Detchenique 2.21 (FRA); Javier Bermejo Merino 2.21
(ESP)
Pole Vault
1) Vassilly Gorshkov, 5,60 (RUS); 2) Taoufik Lachheb, 5,50 (FRA); 3) Maurilio Mariani,
5,50 (ITA).
Long Jump
1) Yevgeniy Tretyak, 7,81 (RUS); 2) Ckeikh Toure, 7,73 (FRA); 3) Mirko Campus, 7,68 (ITA).
Triple Jump
1) Vasiliy Sokov, 16,51 (RUS); 2) Fabrizio Donato, 16,41 (ITA); 3) Kenny Boudine, 16,36
(FRA).
Relay
1) Russia 4:13.02; 2) Italy 4:13.53; 3) France 4:14.33.
Women
60 M
1) Natalya Ignatova, 7.27 and 7.28 (RUS); 2) Lucrecia Jardim, 7.30 and 7.32 (POR); 3)
Odiah Sidibe, 7.30 and 7.36 (FRA).
60 H
1) Svetlana Laukhova, 8.20 and 8.23 (RUS); 2) M.Mardomingo 8.26 and 8.27 (SPA); 3) Isabel
Abrames, 8.30 and 8.45 (POR).
200m
1) Fabe Bia, 23.14 (FRA); 2) Oksana Ekk, 23.21 (RUS); 3) Sani Anderson, 23.92 (G.B.).
400m
1) Olga Kotluarova, 52.(RUS); 2) Virna De Angeli, 52.88 (ITA); 3) Carmo Tavares, 52.92
(POR).
800m
1) Natalia Gorelova, 2:2.67 (RUS); 2) Laetizia Valdonato, 2:4.52 (FRA); 3) Pilar Barreiro
Terra, 2:4.52 (SPA)
1500m
1) Svetlana Kanatova, 4:13.81 (RUS); 2) Rocio Rodriguez Longa 4:14.36 (SPA); 3) Wanda
Ribeiro 4:18.46 (POR).
Shot Put
1) Anna Romanova, 18,70 (RUS); 2) Mara Rosolen, 17,56 (ITA); 3) Martina De La Fuente,
16,98 (SPA).
High Jump
1) Viktoria Slivka, 1,92 (RUS); 2) Marta Mendia Valencia 1,86 (SPA); 3) Debora Locatelli
1,83 (ITA).
Pole Vault
1) Tatiana Gubareva, 4,20 (RUS); 2) FRAncesca Dolcini, 4,10 (ITA); 3) Dana Cervantes
Garcia, 3,80 (SPA).
Long Jump
1) Olga Rublyova, 6.52 (RUS); 2) Jo Wise 6.46 (GBR); 3) Eunice Barber 6.36 (FRA)
Triple Jump
1) Ashia Hansen, 14,38 (GBR); 2) Yelena Donkina, 14,03 m. (RUS); 3) Conchi Parades Tamayo,
13,37 (SPA).
Relay
Russia 4:48.55; 2) France 4:50.87; 3) Portugal 4:54.21.
