Ganna Melnychenko (UKR) leads after day one in Desenzano del Garda (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Italy’s William Frullani, a former European Under-23 bronze medallist in Amsterdam 2001 and ninth placer at the 2002 European Championships in Munich, and Ukraine’s Ganna Melnychenko are the overnight leaders of the Italian leg of the IAAF Combined Events Challenge in Desenzano del Garda.
Frullani, who is a solid day one contender, scored 4184 points in the men’s decathlon after the first five events to lead USA’s Ryan Olkowski by a narrow 38 point margin in a wide open competition. Third after the first day is another American, Chris Boyles, with 4109 points.
The first day of women’s Heptathlon featured a close battle between Melnychenko and Poland’s Karolina Tyminska, with the Ukrainian leading with 3587 points. Tyminska is just 14 points behind. Lela Nelson from the USA, the reigning NCAA champion, is in third place with 3495 points.
A slim advantage for Frullani...
The opening 100 metres race was a battle between Frullani and Olkowski. The US specialist went to the lead after clocking 10.87, scoring 890 points. The Italian, who is making his comeback to competitions after undergoing surgery on his Anchilles tendon, finished just five hundredths of a second behind to collect 878 points.
Olkowski defended his leading position after leaping 7.32 in the Long Jump but Frullani responded with a 7.35 of his own, the third best performance of the day behind his compatriot Luca Ceglie who jumped into third after producing a good 7.38 leap.
Frullani took the lead after three events thanks to a solid 14.30 release in the Shot Put. Only Boyles managed to do better than the Italian by winning event with a 14.90 effort for 784 points. Olkowski faded into fifth position after his 11.62 best throw, but regained ground after winning the High Jump on the count back over Boyles with a 2.09 clearance which earned him a score of 887 points and pushing him up to third overall. Frullani maintained the lead after a 2-metre clearance (803 points) by just ten points over Boyles after four events (3326 to 3316).
Olkowski ran the fastest time in the 400 metres with 48.30 (895 points) to finish day one in second place ahead of Boyles. Nevertheless, this was not enough for Olkowski to overhaul Frullani who crossed the finish-line in 49.06 (858 points).
“I am not particularly happy with my performance today although I am in the lead. I only began training seriously in January after three troubled years,” said Frullani. “My progress has been hampered by many Achilles tendon injuries. This weekend I want to get the qualifying mark for the European Championships. To achieve this goal I need to score 7800 points. Today I did not produce excellent individual results but I didn’t have ups and downs. I am particularly happy with my result in the long jump.”
...and even closer for Melnychenko
Melnychenko, who competes for an Italian club, opened the women’s side of programme with a good 13.48 in the 100m Hurdles, which earned her 1053 points. Second in the first event was the American Nelson with 13.53 (1046 points). In the High Jump Amandine Constantin of France, who was fourth after running the sprint hurdles in 13.73, made a huge step forward climbing into first position with a 1.79 clearance in the High Jump (966 points), overtaking Melnychenko who cleared 1.76.
The Ukrainian regained the lead after her 12.34 effort in the Shot Put. In this event Tyminska moved from sixth to third overall after leading all competitors with a best release of 14.17 (805 points).
Nelson ran the fastest time in the 200 metres clocking 24.08 (973 points) which moved her into third at the end of day one. Tyminska was second in 24.17, which was not enough to pose a threat to Melnychenko who clocked 24.62.
“My 100 hurdles race was very good,” said Melnychenko. “I competed well in the High Jump until the 1.76 clearance. After I made some mistakes in my run-up. In the Shot Put I scored my PB (12.34). In the 200 metres I need to improve my running technique. But it is my first competition of the year and for this reason I am happy.”
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
