Ivan Ukhov of Russia competes in the men's high jump final during day six (© Getty Images)
Hustopece, Czech Republic – The first meeting of the 8th Moravia High Jump Tour in Hustopece on Saturday (28) will see some top clashes.
Russia's World Indoor High Jump champion Ivan Ukhov will open his indoor season. In the last two years 2.37m and 2.38m have been his spectacular opening competitions in Hustopece.
Ukhov’s main rivals will be two Daegu World Championship medallists, silver medallist Aleksey Dmitrik (last weekend 2.32) and bronze medallist Bahamian Trevor Barry.
Reigning Olympic champion Andrey Silnov of Russia is another key name opening his season in this Czech city, while home hero and European Indoor silver medallist Jaroslav Baba will of course have the big support of the spectators.
Greece’s Kostadions Baniotis and Dimitrios Hondrokoukis are two other top editions to a high quality field of 12 jumpers, with only one of the competitors having a personal best below 2.30m.
In the women competition all eyes will be on Germany’s 2009 World bronze medallist Ariane Friedrich returning to competition after 13 months. Her main rivals will be another returning athlete, from maternity leave, US record holder Chaunte Lowe, and the Russian duo of Svetlana Shkolina and Irina Gordeyeva, both who have PBs of 2 metres.
Joining them are Romanian European U23 record holder Esthera Petre who has already cleared 1.94m this winter and young Russian Mariya Kuchina, the World Junior record holder from last year in this series (1.97m at the second meet in Trinec). The lowest PB in the field is 1.90m.
The series continues then on 30 January (Monday) in Trinec. Only the two Greeks and Silnov in the men’s competition and Friedrich in the women’s are making just one stop in Hustopece, all the other jumpers will continue to the town in the southeast part of Czech Republic close to Poland.
The meeting records at both events (2.38 Ukhov and 2.00 Friedrich in Hustopece and 2.34 Ukhov and 2.01 Vlasic in Trinec) will be under threat.
Full start lists and also live results at www.moravskavyskarskatour.cz
Organisers for the IAAF
