News23 May 2008


Fierce men’s Triple Jump competition the main attraction in Belem - IAAF World Athletics Tour

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Jadel Gregorio of Brazil takes silver in the men's Triple Jump (© Getty Images)

Brazilian Jadel Gregório, the 2007 World championship Triple Jump silver medallist, will be the highlight of “24th Grande Prêmio Brasil/Caixa de Atletismo” that will take place in Belém, at the “Estádio Mangueirão” on Sunday 25 May.

The event, part of the 2008 World Athletics Tour, ends the series of five Brazilian meets that started in Uberlândia on 11 May, and continued in Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

In 2007 at the Belém GP, the 27-year-old Gregório broke the legendary 1975 South American record – and then World record – of João Carlos de Oliveira with a 17.90m mark, which was the best in the 2007 world lists.

Gregório, who has jumped 17.27m this season, will have a great lineup of rivals. Among them will be Cuban David Giralt, the 2008 World outdoor list leader with a 17.50m leap and the 2008 World indoor silver medallist.
 
Other Cubans announced by the organisers are Osniel Tosca, ranked fifth in the world in 2007 with 17.52, and Yoandri Betanzos, a silver medalist from the 2005 and 2003 World Championships. Also jumping in Belém will be American Kenta Bell (17.42m in 2008), Bahamian Leevan Sands (17.25m in 2008), and Grenadian Randy Lewis, who will arrive fresh from his national record of 17.49m at the São Paulo Area Permit Meeting on 22 May.

Still, the status of participation of the Cuban jumpers is uncertain. Giralt finished the São Paulo event with an injury, and Tosca was scratched.

Clay to compete in two events

American Bryan Clay, the 2005 Decathlon World Champion, and 2008 Heptathlon World indoor champion, will also compete in Belém after his appearance in the São Paulo meet.

Clay, who in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens took the silver medal behind Czech Roman Šebrle, is hoping to improve his placing for Beijing, and with that in mind, he will take part in two events in Belém, the Long Jump and the Javelin Throw.

The Long Jump event seems to be wide open, in the absence of 2007 World champion Irving Saladino, and will feature Jamaican Herberth McGregor (8.08m in 2008) and Brazilian Erivaldo Vieira (8.05m this season).

In the Javelin Throw, American Mike Hazle appears as the thrower with the best result in 2008 (82.21m).

Competitive hurdles contests

All races with hurdles will be featured in the Belém program, and in the 110m Hurdles, American Joel Brown (13.38 at the Doha GP on 9 May) is the fastest entry. Jamaican Maurice Wignall, a past finalist at Olympic Games and World Championships, will also take part of this race, which will include the best Brazilian specialist of the moment, Anselmo Gomes da Silva.

Over the full lap, Jamaican Markino Buckley has the best result of 2008 from all starters (49.08), while South African Ockert Cilliers will also start with the goal of reaching a sub-49 seconds mark that will leave him closer of making his national Olympic team.

The 3000m Steeplechase will have four African runners, Kenyans Willy Komen, Julius Nyamu and Patrick Langat, along with Ethiopian Roba Gary, Moroccan Ait Bahmad Abdelghani and the best South American specialists. Willy Komen, 8:11.18 in 2007, is the athlete with the best preceding mark.

In the 800m, Kenyans Ismael Kombich and Gilbert Kipchoge appear as the favorites, after taking 1-2 in the São Paulo meet, with Kombich registering a PB of 1:44.90. Brazilians Fabiano Peçanha (1:44.60 in 2007) and Kléberson Davide (1:46.49 in São Paulo), and American Jonathan Johnson (1:44.69 in 2007) seem to be dangerous rivals.

Promising sprint races

American Joshua Johnson, a 9.95 performer (2002) will be in the 100m race along with compatriot Ivory Williams (10.09 in 2008) and Jamaican Nesta Carter (10.10 this season), and that sets high hopes for the shortest race of the day.

In the 200m, Antigua’s Brendan Christian (20.12 in 2008) will be the favorite for another quality race. His main rivals will be Brazilian Sandro Viana (20.32 to take the São Paulo meet) and American Greg Nixon (20.42 this season).

Brazilians to highlight female events

Both Brazilian athletes to medal at the 2008 World Indoor Championships will see action in Belém.

Fabiana Murer, bronze in Valencia, and 2007 Pan-American Games champion, will vault for the second time this outdoor season against Americans April Steiner (4.63m in 2008) and Tracy O’Hara (4.40m this season). Murer opened her outdoor season in São Paulo with a 4.60m vault.

Maurren Maggi, silver medalist in Valencia, will be the favorite in the Long Jump after her 6.91m jump from the Rio de Janeiro meet, and her 6.87m from São Paulo. Compatriot Keila Costa (6.88m in 2007 and 6.65m this season) shall be her main rival again along with Jamaican Jovanee Jarrett.

Two throws will also be contested, the Shot and the Hammer.

Cuban Misleidis González, 19.29m in 2008, is the favorite in the Shot Put, although Trinidad and Tobago’s Cleopatra Borel-Brown (SB of 18.81m), and also Cuban Mailín Vargas (PB of 18.84m in 2008) will fight for the victory too. The 2004 Olympic Champion Yumileidi Cumbá is also participating, with the goal of trying to improve her year’s best of 18.31m.

In the Hammer, the favorite is Slovak Martina Danisová-Hrašnová (SB of 73.11m).

Tosta to mark season’s debut at 400m hurdles

American Sheena Johnson-Tosta, fourth at the 2004 Olympic Games in 400m Hurdles, will make her season’s debut in her main event in Belém. Johnson-Tosta, who ran 53.29 in 2007 and has a PB of 52.95 from 2004, will face Jamaican Melaine Walker, who posted a SB in Rio (55.48).

In the 3000m Steeplechase, Ethiopian Zemzem Ahmed shall be looking for further improvement after the PB she ran in Rio (9:32.53). American record holder Lisa Galaviz, 9:28.75 in 2007 and 9:52.16 in 2008, will also be part of a promising race along with Jamaican Mardrea Hyman, who ran a SB of 9:41.68 at the Rio GP.

The sprints to be contested on the female side are the 100 and 200m. Jamaican Sheri-Ann Brooks (SB of 11.14 and 22.99) appears in both, but is the favorite in the 100. Virgin Islands Laverne Jones also has interesting credentials for the 200, coming from running a NR of 22.52 in 2007.

Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF

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