World Champion Yaroslav Rybakov wins the WAF high jump with a leap of 2.34m (© Getty Images)
While Sergey Morgunov’s shock World junior record* in the Long Jump dominated athletics headlines in Russia this week, several other quality competitions were also held, with the Moscow and St. Petersburg City championships regarded as the most important.
The 19-year-old Morgunov, who won the European junior title last year, reached 8.35m at the national junior championships in Cheboksary on Wednesday to eclipse the mark which stood since 8 September 1972. National team selectors immediately took note. [See related content for more on Morgunov’s record*.]
According to the "P-Sport" Agency, Russian team Chief Coach Valentin Maslakov is of the opinion that Morgunov should be included without further selection to the Olympic team. "I do hope that the coaches will agree with me that we need that guy at the Olympics," he said.
Besides Morgunov’s heroics, another national junior record was set in Cheboksary. Youth Olympic Games champion Yekaterina Bleskina clocked 13.11 in the 100m hurdles.
Rybakov’s unexpected comeback - Moscow City Championships
"You won’t believe it, but this was the first title of Moscow champion that I’ve won in my long career," Yaroslav Rybakov noted with a smile after claiming the Russian capital’s crown in the High Jump.
While his 2.23m isn’t extraordinary at first glance, but as some may know the former World champion experienced serious difficulties with his health and was on the verge of finishing his career. Now Rybakov is ready for clearing new peaks in the jumping sector.
Though many athletes are trying to get in the best form especially for next week’s European Championships a number of good results were registered at the championships.
Anna Nazarova lapped 7.11m (wind +1.3) in the women’s Long Jump, the second farthest in the world this season. Nazarova is getting well prepared; her worst effort was 6.84m (-0.1), then she landed at 6.97m (1.6) and 7.00m (2.0). Svetlana Diniayeva was a distant second at 6.55m (+1.8). Competing as a guest, European champion Ineta Radevica from Latvia, who is being coached by a well known Moscow specialist Yevgeniy Ter-Avanesov, reached 6.60m (+1.4).
Pavel Shalin won the men’s Long Jump with 7.92m (1.1).
In the middle distances, Yekaterina Kostetzkaya dominated women’s 1500m in 4:04.97 and Yelena Kofanova the 800m clocking 1:58.51.
Reigning Olympic 3000m Steeplechase champion Gulnara Galkina-Samitova made her first start of the year in "her" event and clocked 9:24.60, the fastest by a Russian this year. In the flat 3000m Yelena Korobkina did her one better as she clocked 8:52.94, the fastest by a European outdoors in 2012. Ilgizar Safiullin took the men’s race in 7:58.39.
Twenty-year-old Vera Rudakova won the 400m Hurdles in 56.75 and Vyacheslav Sakaev won the men’s race in 50.26.
Unfortunately the strong front wind prevented sprinters from doing their best, but even in spite of that, Yuliya Chermoshanskaya, an Olympic champion in 4x100m Relay, clocked 22.89 in the 200m.
Other winners included Anastasiya Savchenko (4.50m) and Sergei Kucherianu (5.72m) in the women’s and men’s Pole Vault, respectively; and Victoria Valukevitch (14.58m, +2.2) and Luc Adams (17.10) in the Triple Jump.
Results in the Throws:
Women’s Shot Put – 1. Irina Tarasova, 19.15; 2. Anna Omarova, 18.65.
Men’s Shot Put – 1. Maksim Sidorov, 21.22; 2. Denia Kurtzev – 19.94.
Women’s Discus – 1. Darya Pizhchalnikova, 68.18.
Men’s Hammer – 1. Sergei Litvinov, 79.55; 2. Igor Vinnichenko, 78.09.
Women’s Hammer: 1. Gulfiya Khanafeeva, 73.06; 2. Oksana Kondratieva, 70.78.
And in Saint Petersburg..
There were several high level results at the Saint Petersburg Championships. Alekesei Dmitrik topped 2.25m in the High Jump and Tatyana Mesrobian reached 6.51m in the Women’s Long Jump. And guess who old is the winner? She is 44!
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
* pending the usual ratification procedures
The 19-year-old Morgunov, who won the European junior title last year, reached 8.35m at the national junior championships in Cheboksary on Wednesday to eclipse the mark which stood since 8 September 1972. National team selectors immediately took note. [See related content for more on Morgunov’s record*.]
According to the "P-Sport" Agency, Russian team Chief Coach Valentin Maslakov is of the opinion that Morgunov should be included without further selection to the Olympic team. "I do hope that the coaches will agree with me that we need that guy at the Olympics," he said.
Besides Morgunov’s heroics, another national junior record was set in Cheboksary. Youth Olympic Games champion Yekaterina Bleskina clocked 13.11 in the 100m hurdles.
Rybakov’s unexpected comeback - Moscow City Championships
"You won’t believe it, but this was the first title of Moscow champion that I’ve won in my long career," Yaroslav Rybakov noted with a smile after claiming the Russian capital’s crown in the High Jump.
While his 2.23m isn’t extraordinary at first glance, but as some may know the former World champion experienced serious difficulties with his health and was on the verge of finishing his career. Now Rybakov is ready for clearing new peaks in the jumping sector.
Though many athletes are trying to get in the best form especially for next week’s European Championships a number of good results were registered at the championships.
Anna Nazarova lapped 7.11m (wind +1.3) in the women’s Long Jump, the second farthest in the world this season. Nazarova is getting well prepared; her worst effort was 6.84m (-0.1), then she landed at 6.97m (1.6) and 7.00m (2.0). Svetlana Diniayeva was a distant second at 6.55m (+1.8). Competing as a guest, European champion Ineta Radevica from Latvia, who is being coached by a well known Moscow specialist Yevgeniy Ter-Avanesov, reached 6.60m (+1.4).
Pavel Shalin won the men’s Long Jump with 7.92m (1.1).
In the middle distances, Yekaterina Kostetzkaya dominated women’s 1500m in 4:04.97 and Yelena Kofanova the 800m clocking 1:58.51.
Reigning Olympic 3000m Steeplechase champion Gulnara Galkina-Samitova made her first start of the year in "her" event and clocked 9:24.60, the fastest by a Russian this year. In the flat 3000m Yelena Korobkina did her one better as she clocked 8:52.94, the fastest by a European outdoors in 2012. Ilgizar Safiullin took the men’s race in 7:58.39.
Twenty-year-old Vera Rudakova won the 400m Hurdles in 56.75 and Vyacheslav Sakaev won the men’s race in 50.26.
Unfortunately the strong front wind prevented sprinters from doing their best, but even in spite of that, Yuliya Chermoshanskaya, an Olympic champion in 4x100m Relay, clocked 22.89 in the 200m.
Other winners included Anastasiya Savchenko (4.50m) and Sergei Kucherianu (5.72m) in the women’s and men’s Pole Vault, respectively; and Victoria Valukevitch (14.58m, +2.2) and Luc Adams (17.10) in the Triple Jump.
Results in the Throws:
Women’s Shot Put – 1. Irina Tarasova, 19.15; 2. Anna Omarova, 18.65.
Men’s Shot Put – 1. Maksim Sidorov, 21.22; 2. Denia Kurtzev – 19.94.
Women’s Discus – 1. Darya Pizhchalnikova, 68.18.
Men’s Hammer – 1. Sergei Litvinov, 79.55; 2. Igor Vinnichenko, 78.09.
Women’s Hammer: 1. Gulfiya Khanafeeva, 73.06; 2. Oksana Kondratieva, 70.78.
And in Saint Petersburg..
There were several high level results at the Saint Petersburg Championships. Alekesei Dmitrik topped 2.25m in the High Jump and Tatyana Mesrobian reached 6.51m in the Women’s Long Jump. And guess who old is the winner? She is 44!
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
* pending the usual ratification procedures
