News11 Jun 2004


Draglia close to 4.88

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Stacy Dragila victorious at US Open (© Kirby Lee)

After vaulting the highest ever in the world outdoors at the Ostrava meeting three days ago, Stacy Dragila took up the challenge once again and just missed removing all of the asterisks her earlier performance of 4.83 had produced (because that height is inferior to the indoor 4.86 of Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, Dragila’s performance is not a world record).

"I should have used a bigger pole"

Clearing 4.78 on her first attempt tonight at the Askina meeting in Kassel, Germany, the Sydney Olympic champion again called for a would-be World-record 4.88, the same as she had done in the Czech city.

The American sailed under the bar on her first attempt, and knocked the bar off the pegs on her ascent during the second try.  But on her final essay at a definite World record, the holder of three IAAF World pole vault titles was clearly over the bar, only to nudge it off while falling into the pit.

“The pole moved a little too fast on that one,” she later commented, adding that “I should have been on a bigger pole.  Hopefully things will come together Sunday in Erfurt.”

Dragila’s coach, Greg Hull, was also pleased with the effort, especially considering that the position of the Pole Vault pit close to the track curve necessitated a shorter run than Dragila normally uses. 

“Jumping 4.78 from a shortened run definitely is a confidence builder,” he said.  “The things we’ve been working on in practice this spring are finally coming together, both in Ostrava and tonight.”

Iceland’s Thorey Edda Elisdóttir took second at 4.54 on a countback against Carolin Hingst of Germany.

Rain and wind

Dragila’s climactic finish came during an evening punctuated several times with light-to-medium rains.  For several hours, the winds were dancing about before finally abating almost entirely when both the men’s and women’s events were nearing their respective finishes. 

Men's vault

The male vaulters, jumping on a runway perpendicular to the women’s facility, paid the price of the fickle breezes, as the competitors were faced with a combination of cross- and headwinds. 

The survivors of the first few heights were finally able to vault in virtually still conditions, and of those, Sweden’s Patrik Kristiansson emerged as the victor at 5.70 in his outdoor opener, the best-ever season debut for the Paris bronze medalist. 

Sydney champion Nick Hysong finished second at 5.60, the same height as American Brad Walker and reigning European champion Tim Lobinger of Germany, who tied for third. 
 
Edmonton world champion Dmitry Markov of Australia suffered his first no-height in fourteen appearances this year at an opening 5.50. 

Kristiansson was not alone in scoring a victory in his first outdoor competition of 2004.  Britain’s Christian Malcolm held off a late charge by Morne Nagel of South Africa to win a wind-hindered (0.7) 200 metres race, 20.82 to 20.95, to open his 2004 campaign.

Russia’s Irina Mistyukevich also fended off a last-metre surge by Anita Brägger to start her outdoor year with a 2:00.53 victory in the Women’s 800 metres, as the Swiss runner clocked 2:00.92. 

Rapid men's 800m 

The men’s two-lap race was a rapidly-paced affair with the first circuit needing less than fifty seconds, the kind of tempo usually reserved for Grand Prix or Golden League events. 

Canadian runner Ashraf Tadili took advantage of the opportunity and ran wide over the final eighty metres to score his third consecutive win with a 1:45.38, just six days after a PB 1:45.21 in Lucerne.

“I thought the pace would be something like 52 seconds,” the 22-year-old native of Morocco said later.  “When I saw the clock still reading 49 at the bell, I knew that this would be a good race for me.  I started my kick with 250 left, as I usually do.  But I wish I had started earlier.  I think I could have run in the 1:44s”. 

The Montréal resident continued, “I came to Europe to get the A-standard [1:46.00] and I’ve done it twice.  I’m pleased with everything.  Now I will rest until the Canadian championships in early July.”

To gain the win, Tadili had to sail past a gritty duel staged between erstwhile frontrunner Nico Motchebon of Germany and New Zealand’s Jason Stewart. The Kiwi just clipped the Atlanta Olympics fifth-placer at the tape in 1:46.28 - a PB by more than a second - and Stewart was overcome by emotion at the victory ceremony later. 

“I’ve been dreaming about a time like this for two years,” the 23-year-old sandy-haired Stewart said.  “I was hoping to run something like 1:46.7, and to get into the low 1:46s was a wonderful bonus.  t’s a big step towards getting to Athens.” 

Also edging down near Olympic-qualifying territory with his best clocking in almost four years was Motchebon in a third-place 1:46.35, as his patience in overcoming both viral and physical problems in the past seasons is being rewarded in what he has declared will be his final campaign. 

And not to be overlooked, just 0.01 behind Motchebon, was another German, Andreas Freimann, in 1:46.36. 

Olijar - good second half

Although his winning time of 13.34 in the men’s 110 Hurdles was not particularly noteworthy, despite a 0.8 headwind, Stanislav Olijar again showed that he runs the second half of the event about as well as anyone. 

Well beaten out of the blocks, the reigning European silver medallist powered to the lead at the fifth hurdle and was unchallenged the rest of the way, as Brazilian Marcio de Souza (13.59) and Duane Ross of the US (13.62) took the next two spots.

The normally stoic Latvian was uncharacteristically ebullient after his race, his first of the season on the international level after a club competition earlier in the week at home.

“I feel better in my training than I did at this time last year,” he said.  “My year has been full of injuries and setbacks.  A hamstring cramp in December kept me from indoor training, and I decided to go to Budapest only seven days before the indoor  championships”, he revealed, with an =PB 7.49 as the surprising result, albeit a medal-less performance. 

“I was quite pleased to be able run a career best almost without training, and it gave me added incentive for the outdoor season.”  But leg problems reappeared during the early spring, and only on 26 April was the 25-year-old able to start full training again.

“Today was the first day of the year I used my normal seven-step approach to the first hurdle.  I’m looking for an even faster time on Sunday in Erfurt.”

Danielle Carruthers of the US took the women’s hurdle race in 13.05, easily defeating compatriot Yolanda McCray (13.14) and Germany’s Nadine Hentschke (13.17). 

Notable 1500 results 

Both 1500 metres competitions saw notable results.  After Yuliya Chizhenko streaked to a lead of almost 15 metres at the bell, Kathleen Friedrich of Germany led a phalanx of runners past the Russian in the last 150 metres for a 4:06.33 win, her best of the season.  Wioletta Janowska of Poland was right behind in a PB 4:06.84 with Maria Martins of France third in a year-best 4:07.17.

Three of the next four runners scored lifetime or season bests, including Chizhenko, whose 4:08.79 still ended up in seventh place, even after her front-running tactics fizzled. 

The men’s 1500 metres also ended in a cluster finish as Clyde Colenso of South Africa (3:38.20) outlegged former World Junior silver medallist Wolfram Müller of Germany (3:38.43) and Moroccan Ali Maataoui (3:38.60). 

The Men’s Steeplechase was a tight duel between a pair of 21-year-olds.  Richard Matelong of Kenya just edged out former European junior champion Radoslaw Poplawski, 8:24.53 to 8:24.69, with reigning US champion Steve Slattery in third at 8:26.06.

European Cup selection 

The Men’s Javelin was most likely being used to select the German representative in next week’s European Cup Super League competition, as eight of the nine throwers were from that country.  Emerging as the winner was Paris finalist Christian Nicolay, whose fifth-round 82.08 surpassed the early 81.34 from Raymond Hecht. 

Running the men’s 400m Hurdles near the end of the evening’s program, Louis van Zijl carved out a substantial lead over the first five barriers, only to be overtaken in the final straight by Dinsdale Morgan.  The Jamaican’s 49.78 prevailed against the 50.34 from the South African. 

The earlier section was a much tighter affair between two Germans, won by Andreas Wickert (49.91) ahead of Jan Schneider (50.12). 

Closing out the evening was a strong performance in the Men’s 5000 Metres by Belgian Monder Rizki.  The Moroccan-born runner’s PB 13:23.30 just missed the Olympic A-standard [13:21.50] while winning against Tunisian Rhida Amri (13:32.69). 

Other winners included Kenyan Leah Malot in the Women’s 3000 metres (8:57.34) and Juliet Campbell of Jamaica in the Women’s 200 metres (23.47). 

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