News15 May 2011


Glenn and Mutua impress in Belém

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Brianna Glenn reaching 6.74m in Belem (© Wagner Carmo/CBAt)

Brianna Glenn of the USA and David Mutua of Kenya produced the top performances of the “Grande Prêmio Caixa Governo do Pará”, held in Belém, Brazil, on Sunday (15) at the “Estádio Olímpico do Pará”. Glenn captured the victory in the Long Jump with a fine mark of 6.74m (wind 0.5).


The 31-year-old Glenn showed consistency in Brazil after having jumped 6.75m (5th mark of the 2011 World Lists) at the Mount SAC Relays in Walnut, California, on 16 April. She also was able to beat the strong Brazilian duo of Keila Costa and Maurren Maggi. Costa, the 2009 World indoor bronze medallist, was second with a SB of 6.62m (0.3), while Maggi, the 2008 Olympic champion, was third with 6.61m (0.1). The 34-year-old Maggi is currently second on the 2001 world lists with a 6.87m performance obtained at the Doha Samsung Diamond League meet on 6 May.


After opening the competition with a foul, Glenn moved to the lead with 6.65m (0.3) from her second attempt, and then followed with 6.42m/0.8; foul; 6.74m; pass. “I am very proud of this victory, because it came in Brazil, and because I was able to beat Maurren in front of her own crowd,” emphasized Glenn, who admitted that she is focusing on the US national championships at the end of June, and on the upcoming World Championships in Daegu.


Maggi was still happy with her result. “I only have four weeks of complete training, free of injuries, so the tendency says that things will be better in the upcoming competitions in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.”


Fast 800m for youngster Mutua


Perhaps the best race of the day in Belém was the men’s 800m. One of the most impressive young athletes at the event, 19-year-old Kenyan David Mutinda Mutua, the 2010 World junior Champion, and still a junior this year (born 20 April 1992), won with 1:44.06.


Mutua set a personal best and is currently second at the 2011 world lists behind David Rudisha’s 1:43.88. He also moved to third in the all-time world junior lists behind the 1:42.69 of Sudan’s Abubaker Kaki (2008), and the 1:43.64 of fellow Kenyan Japheth Kimutai (1997). At this point, Mutua is already faster than Rudisha himself (the current World Record Holder), who ran 1:44.15 as a junior athlete in 2007.


The race was fast not just for Mutua. Brazilian Kléberson Davide set a PB with 1:44.28, while Colombian Rafith Rodríguez posted a national record with 1:44.31. Sudan’s Ahmad Ismail was fourth with 1:45.14 (SB), Brazil’s Lutimar Paes fifth with 1:45.32 (PB), and Kenyan Reubet Bett sixth with 1:45.49 (SB).


Good day for Cuban jumpers


The Triple Jump is one of Cuba’s most traditional events, and in Belém, the-26 year-old Osniel Tosca ratified the quality of the Caribbean nation. Tosca, fourth at the 2007 World Championships, obtained the victory with 17.16m/0.1. Brazilians Jefferson Dias Sabino (16.71m/0.0) and Hílton da Silva (16.65m/0.3) completed the podium, in what proved to be a negative day for other illustrious competitors. Cubans Yoandri Betanzos (twice World Championships silver medallist) and David Giralt (twice World Indoor Championships medallist) only produced performances of 16.41m and 16.24m respectively, while American Walter Davis (2005 World Champion) jumped 15.94m.


In the Pole Vault, which isn’t Cuba’s strongest events, Lázaro Borges equalled his own national record by winning with 5.70m. The 24-year-old Borges easily beat Brazilian Fábio da Silva (the South American record holder with 5.80m from February 2011), who only vaulted 5.50m in Belém. Borges competition was impressive. He cleared 5.20m, 5.40m and 5.60m on his first attempts, 5.70m on his second, and then had three fouls at 5.75m. He had previously jumped 5.70m in Havana, on 28 June 2008. Borges finished third in Samsung Diamond League debut in Doha ten days ago.


Elsewhere, the winners were: Great Britain’s Dwain Chambers at the 100m with a SB of 10.16 (0.6); Kenyan Bisluke Kiplagat at 5000m with a PB of 13:21.79; American Antwon Hicks at 110m Hurdles with 13.54 (0.2); Portugal’s Marco Fortes at Shot Put with 20.32m; and Cuban Jorge Fernández at Discus with 63.37m.


On the women’s side, Nigerian Damola Osayome won the 100m with 11.31 (0.7), a SB; American Molly Beckwith the 800m with 2:02.55; Ethiopian Almaz Ayana the 5000m with 15:12.24, a PB; Colombian Brigitt Merlano the 100m urdles with 13.04 (0.2); American Deirdre Mullen the High Jump with 1.86m; Trinidad and Tobago’s Cleopatra Borel the Shot Put with 18.68m; and Brazilian Fernanda Borges at Discus with 58.38m.


Belém was the second APM held in Brazil, as part of the “2011 Brazilian Athletics Tour”. It came after the “GP Caixa Unifor” that took place in Fortaleza on 11 May. Both will lead to the IAAF World Challenge meeting, “27º Grande Prêmio Brasil Caixa de Atletismo”, that will take place in Rio de Janeiro on 26 May.


Borel shines in Fortaleza


Held after a strong rainstorm on 11 May, the “7º Grande Prêmio Internacional Caixa Unifor de Atletismo” in Fortaleza also produced several fine performances.


Among them was the victory of Trinidad and Tobago’s Cleopatra Borel, who won the Shot Put with 19.17m, a season´s best for the 31-year-old. Borel beat the Cuban duo of Misleydis González (18.66m) and Mailín Vargas (18.34m).


The winners on the men’s side in Fortaleza: 800m: David Mutua (KEN), 1:46.56; 5000m: David Bett (KEN), 13:24.65; 3000m S/C: Bernard Mbugua (KEN) 8:24.64; SP: Carlos Véliz (CUB) 19.92m; DT: Jorge Fernández (CUB) 62.71m; 5000m Walk: Caio Bonfim (BRA) 19:47.99.


Women’s events: 800m: Molly Beckwith (USA), 2:02.50; 5000m: Cruz da Silva (BRA), 15:27.74; 3000m St: Almaz Ayana (ETH), 9:41.86; DT: Zinaida Sendriute (LTU) 59.64m; 5000m Walk: Cisiane Dutra Lopes (BRA), 22:27.19.


The 2011 Brazilian Athletics Tour will continue in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, on 18 May with the “5º Grande Prêmio Internacional Caixa Sesi de Atletismo”.


Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF


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