News08 Feb 2003


Superb Chemnitz vaulting; Gardener injured after 6.51, 60m

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Jason Gardener running in the 2000 European Indoor Championships (© Getty Images)

Chemnitz, GermanyTim Lobinger of Germany and the Czech Republic's Adam Ptácek both cleared a world-leading 5.81 in the Pole Vault, and Annika Becker broke the German women's vault record with a 4.67, as the Chemnitz indoor hall continued its reputation as a European pole-vaulting mecca at the 8th edition of the Erdgas Meeting, last night (7 February).

In the men's event, Lobinger won the competition on misses against his Prague-based rival, as Ptácek's performance set a new Czech national record. 

When asked what made the Chemnitz facility so special, Ptácek immediately pointed downward to the Mondo surface on the runway. "It's soooo fast," he said. 

Lobinger concurred, adding that the sight perspective the vaulters have is excellent. "You can see the bar so clearly here. And because of this hall's pole vaulting history, we come here with the expectation of doing well. We all get into the mood to jump high in Chemnitz, and of course, this helps our self-confidence, which is the key to this event, after all."

In contrast to the loquacious Lobinger, words failed the other German vault star Becker. "It's a fast floor, and the spectators are really good . . . and I'm really tired!" she finally admitted, further revealing that in returning home from the Dortmund meeting on Thursday, she and her coach were caught in a traffic jam for five hours. 

This seems to be almost a good luck omen for Becker. Two years ago, she was mired in traffic and missed the start of the Chemnitz event, being reduced to a spectator that evening. Then last year--at the competition which propelled her to star  membership in the 'German vaulting club" with a national record--she had the same bad experience with the German Autobahn, arriving barely in time to warm up. 

"I still have a full schedule ahead of me, with the European Cup in Leipzig next weekend, the German championships, and Sindelfingen, before the World Championships," she said, with fatigue hanging on every word. 

At least one long jumper would also agree with the vaulters about the fast Chemnitz approach. Dwight Phillips of the US, possessor of a 6.59 in the 60 metres this year, tore down the runway and leaped a world-leading (and personal-best) 8.21, leaving other jumpers, such as second-place James Beckford at 7.93 on his only attempt, far behind.

"I feel so lucky. Today, it was very simple to jump well. In spite of a hip problem, I'm quite satisfied with my first full indoor season," said Phillips afterwards.
   
For Great Britain's Jason Gardener, the evening represented both the "alpha" and "omega" of a sprinter's fortunes. In the heats of the 60 Metres, the reigning European indoor champion had a superb start and shot impressively to a world-leading 6.51.

In the final, however, he sustained a cramp in his left calf midway in the race, which was won in 6.61 by German-based Eric Nkansah of Ghana.

Gardener immediately received massage treatment for the injury, which he did not believe to be serious. 

Wilfried Bungei again had a good pace to follow in the men's 800 Metres, and the Kenyan capitalized on his own 51.5 opening 400 for an excellent 1:45.49 clocking for his second victory of the week. 

The current German outdoor 800 metre champion, René Herms, followed in 1:46.13, ahead of Dimitriy Bogdanov of Russia (1:46.27) and another Kenyan, Joseph Mutua (1:46.32). 

Nils Schumann, around whom much interest was centered for German fans, finished a disappointing fifth in 1:46.53. 

For much of the final laps of the men's 1500 metres, it looked as though indoor World Junior Record holder Mike Too of Kenya was going to ease to victory. With a lead of up to 15 metres after the departure of the pacemaker, Too didn't take notice of the slow approach of Michal Sneberger. The Czech runner gobbled up all of Too's ad advantage, catching him as the bell sounded and then passing him on the final backstretch.

Sneberger's winning time of 3:40.93 led a cascade of runners who blew by the Kenyan, including Franek Haschke of Germany, whose second-place 3:41.72 gave evidence that he has recovered well from a kidney operation during the off-season. 

For the record, Too finished seventh in 3:44.52. 

The youngest competitor in the women's Long Jump turned out to be the winner, as 17-year-old Sophie Krauel moved to the top of this year's German list with an outstanding 6.56 performance.  The athlete from Jena is also an accomplished hurdler, with a best this season of 8.19. 

After running a season-best 7.96 in the women's 60 Hurdle heats, France's Linda Ferga-Khodadin came back to win the final in the slower time of 8.00, ahead of countrywoman Patricia Girard (8.04). 

In a copy of her Dortmund race two nights ago, Karin Mayr led a trio of sprinters to season bests in the women's 60 metres.  Following the Austrian's 7.17 were Anzhela Kravchenko of Ukraine and Germany's Gabi Rockmeier, who both stopped the clock in 7.20 and were awarded a shared second place. 

Despite a yearly best, Mayr wasn't satisfied. "After my 7.19 in Dortmund, I was hoping to better my personal record (7.15).  I hope it happens in Ghent on Sunday."

European indoor 200 metres champion Marcin Urbas won his speciality in 21.11. The Polish sprinter was satisfied with his first race of the year. But like Mayr, he is hoping that the six-lane oval in Ghent will produce something even better on Sunday, on the order of a sub-21 time. 

Ed Gordon for the IAAF

RESULTS (all GER except as noted)

MEN:

60 METRES:  1. Nkansah (GHA) 6.61;  2. Moke (CGO) and Powell (JAM) 6.63;  4. Lewis (USA) 6.65;  5. Chernovol (KAZ) 6.67;  6. Gardener (GBR) 7.60 (cramped midway during race). 

Heat 1:  1. Lewis 6.60;  2. Chernovol 6.70;  3. Ostwald 6.77;  4. Pinnock 6.81;  5. H Blume 6.94;  6. Zapletal 6.99.  Heat 2:  1. Gardener 6.51 (world leader);  2. M Blume 6.72;  3. Gilpin (JAM) 6.76;  4. Nowak (POL) 6.80;  5. Koenig 6.89;  6. Weissbach 6.95.  Heat 3:  1. Powell 6.60; 2. Nkansah 6.63;  3. Moke 6.67;  4. C Williams (JAM) 6.78;  5. Pilarczyk (POL) 6.90;  6. Moersch 6.96. 

200 METRES:  Race 1:  1. Moersch 21.52;  2. Pfennig 21.56;  3. Ney 22.10.  Race 2:  1. Ostwald 21.30;  2. H Blume 21.79;  3. Klvana (CZE) 22.18.  Race 3:  1. M Blume 21.24;  2. Otto 21.47;  3. Koenig 21.79.  Race 4:  1. Urbas (POL) 21.11;  2. C Williams (JAM) 21.32;  3. Gilpin (JAM) 22.02. 

400 METRES:  Race 1:  1. Wilhelm 47.88;  2. Breitenstein 48.33;  3. Ezekwem 49.21;  4. Funke 50.17.  Race 2:  1. Duma 47.62;  2. Goller 47.70;  3. Kuschewitz 47.94;  Race 3:  1. Gatzka 47.56;  2. Figura 48.06;  3. Vathistas (GRE) 48.40.  Race 4:  1. McKee (IRL) 46.85;  2. Hackelbusch 47.19;  3. Faller 47.41. 

800 METRES:  Race 1:  1. Freimann 1:52.36;  2. Hönig 1:52.63;  3. Stephan 1:52.95;  4. Blaha (CZE) 1:53.19;  5. Moormann 1:53.70;  6. Rapp 1:54.08;  7. Strempler 1:55.17;  8. Kern 1:55.35. 

Race 2:  1. Bungei (KEN) 1:45.49;  2. Herms 1:46.13;  3. Bogdanov (RUS) 1:46.27;  4. Mutua (KEN) 1:46.32;  5. Schumann 1:46.53;  6. Co 1:50.31.  Pacemaker:  Lopuchovsky (SVK). 

 
1500 METRES:  1. Sneberger (CZE) 3:40.93;  2. Haschke 3:41.72;  3. Graczyk (POL) 3:42.36;  4. Assmus 3:43.14;  5. Bandi (SUI) 3:43.78;  6. Koers (NED) 3:44.21;  7. Too (KEN) 3:44.52;  8. Pollmächer 3:51.92;  9. Kühn 3:54.22;  10. Preuk 3:57.53.  Pace:  Bartunek (CZE). 

POLE VAULT:  1. Lobinger 5.81 (world leader) [5.50/2 - 5.60 - 5.70/3 - 5.81 - 5.86/xxx];  2. Ptácek (CZE) 5.81 NR (=world leader) [5.30 - 5.50 - 5.60 - 5.70/2 - 5.81/3 - 5.86/xxx];  3. Otto 5.60;  4. Khanafin (RUS) and Blom (NED) 5.60;  6. Börgeling and Stolle 5.50;  8. Spiegelburg 5.50;  9. Janácek (CZE) 5.30. 

LONG JUMP:  1. Phillips (USA) 8.21 (world leader) [7.96 - x - 8.21 - p - p - p];  2. Beckford (JAM) 7.93;  3. Mudrik (MAR) 7.90;  4. Pohle 7.76;  5. Bigdeli 7.75;  6. Müller 7.65;  7. Kaczmarek 7.33.  No legal mark:  Lampart (CZE). 

WOMEN:

60 METRES:  1. Mayr (AUT) 7.17;  2. Kravchenko (UKR) and G Rockmeier 7.20;  4. Paschke 7.28;  5. B Rockmeier 7.46;  6. Wakan 7.50. 

Heat 1:  1. Kravchenko 7.23;  2. Paschke 7.32;  3. B Rockmeier 7.48;  4. Bazatová (CZE) 7.66;  5. Dastalová (CZE) 7.84.  Heat 2:  1. Mayr 7.25;  2. G Rockmeier 7.32;  3. Wakan 7.48;  4. Anim (GHA) 7.52;  5. Dlouha (CZE) 7.67. 

200 METRES:  Race 1:  Neubert 24.03;  2. Pollmächer 24.72;  3. Hemperl 24.76;  4. Dastalová (CZE) 25.67.  Race 2:  1. G Rockmeier 23.03;  2. Benesová (CZE) 23.85;  3. Marx 24.26.  Race 3:  1. B Rockmeier 23.53;  2. Breuer 23.69;  3. Anim (GHA) 24.71. 

400 METRES:  Race 1:  1. Hoffmann 53.05;  2. Urbansky 54.78;  3. Rücker 55.54.  Race 2:  1. Richards (JAM) 52.70;  2. Marahrens 53.26. 

1000 METRES:  1. Vriesde (SUR) 2:42.75;  2. Pedersen (NOR) 2:43.62;  3. Knippel 2:44.23;  4. Schulz 2:45.03;  5. Becker 2:45.20;  6. John (TAN) 2:45.36.  Pacemaker:  Sedlaková (CZE) 1:04.64. 

60 HURDLES:  1. Ferga-Khodadin (FRA) 8.00;  2. Girard (FRA) 8.04;  3. Hentschke 8.08;  4. Walker (JAM) 8.11;  5. Timm 8.23;  6. Davis (USA) 8.30. 

Heat 1:  1. Hentschke 8.12;  2. Timm 8.27;  3. Sprenger 8.38;  4. Kasova (BUL) 8.38;  5. Martincová (CZE) 8.50;  6. Hödl  8.56.  Heat 2:  1. Ferga-Khodadin 7.96;  2. Davis 8.20;  3. Wölfling (AUT) 8.27;  4. Meyer 8.31;  5. Vis (NED) 8.36.  Heat 3:  1. Walker 8.07;  2. Girard 8.27;  3. Klein 8.34;  4. Rehwagen 8.43;  5. Ostrovská (CZE) 8.80. 

POLE VAULT:  1. Becker 4.67 NR [4.20 - 4.40 - 4.50 - 4.60/2 - 4.67/2 - 4.77/xxx];  2. Buschbaum 4.50;  3. Hamacková (CZE) 4.50;  4. F Kühnert and Belin (SWE) 4.20;  6. Hingst, deWilt (NED), and Adams 4.20;  9. Schulte 4.00;  10. Sonnabend 4.00. 
 
LONG JUMP:  1. Kraul 6.56 (born 2.3.85);  2. Kapler 6.39;  3. Keller 6.31;  4. Komrsková (CZE) 6.29;  5. Zaytseva (RUS) 6.24;  6. Schulte 6.22;  7. Westhof (POL) 6.11;  8. Biciková (CZE) 6.07;  9. Demuth 5.91;  10. Dombrowski 5.84 [daughter of Moscow gold medallist Lutz]. 

 

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