Marcin Urbas (POL) in the 200m (21.05) and Chris Rawlinson (GBR) in the 400m Hurdles (49.97) were amongst the hot favourites to win at the EAA Permit meeting in Brasschaat, Belgium, today. The organisers would certainly have hoped for faster times if it weren’t that the rain was almost incessantly pouring down in the Louis De Winterstadium on the outskirts of Antwerp.
If any athletics event suffers from wet conditions, then it may well be the high hurdles races. Jamaican Antoinette Wilks still came through to win in 13.17 ahead of Adriana Lamalle of France in 13.20 in the women’s 100m Hurdles. The men’s 110m Hurdles was won in a close sprint by Aires Mennet (USA) in 13.53 over David Oliver (USA) in 13.56, as both men appeared barely slower than their seasonal bests.
Bashir Ramzy (USA) kept the atmosphere alive in front of the main stands as he opened the Long Jump with a 7.97m effort that he only came close to in his next jumps.
In the women’s 400m Hurdles, Marta Chrust-Rozej (POL) won in 55.76 as she overtook Alena Rücklova (CZE) in the finishing straight.
Heptathlete Tia Hellebaut was the last survivor in the High Jump but could not beat 1.90m. The Olympic finalist competed in her hometown with family and friends cheering from the stands.
Karin Ruckstuhl (NED) was in for a heptathlon dress rehearsal too as she competed in three events. “The Hurdles (13.76) and the High Jump (1.76m) were just bad, the Long Jump (6.38m) felt good but I was in trouble with my run up. I guess I was still a bit tired after a couple of severe training weeks. If I get fresh enough in two weeks time, I want to finish around 6400 or 6500 points in Helsinki.”
Kim Wall (GBR) won the 400m in 52.56 and Sinead Delahunty-Evans was the strongest 1500m runner in 4:10.11.
Ivo Hendrix for the IAAF
