Magdelin Martinez jumps top 14.69m in Padua (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Padua, ItalyThough the main competition programme of the EAA permit meeting, Città di Padova- Trofeo Banca Antonveneta, took place yesterday (Sun 3 July), the meeting actually began the night before with the holding the women’s Hammer Throw.
Flood of 70m+ throws
The event was won by 2003 World bronze medallist Manuela Montebrun of France with 73.20m, with four more throws over the 71 metres barrier (71.68 - 72.19 - 71.85 - 72.36). Second was Italian record holder Ester Balassini who capped a fabulous week with 71.20, following on from her sensational 73.59 national record (second in the world seasonal list) and then the gold medal at the Mediterrenean Games in Almeria (71.17m). On Saturday, Balassini also had two more 70 metres efforts (70.25 and 70.91). Third was two-time World champion Yipsi Moreno from Cuba with 70.82.
Back to form
Italy’s Magdelin Martinez bounced back from her eighth place in last Friday’s TDK Golden League meeting in Paris with a convincing Triple Jump win of 14.69 (fifth in world 2005) and backed that up with a solid series of jumps (14.38 -14.46 – 14.54 and 14.57). Martinez beat her former Cuban compatriots Yargeli Savigne, who improved her PB to 14.63, and Mabel Gay, third with 14.21.
“I was another athlete compared to Paris,” confirmed Martinez. “There cool weather conditions affected my result. Apart from Lebedeva, the women’s Triple Jump is wide-open. I am at 85% of my condition and my search for competitions is paying off. I will compete in both Golden League competitions in Rome and Oslo and in the Helsinki Grand Prix before the World Championships,” confirmed Martinez.
Meeting record for Glover
Sandra Glover broke a new Padua meeting record in the women’s 400 metres Hurdles with 54.52 beating 2004 USATF champion Sheena Johnson, second in 55.69 and Andrea Blackett from Barbados (56.38).
“I am happy with the result today. Everything seems to peak at the right time. I use competitions to sharpen up my condition before Helsinki”, said Glover.
Christopher continues in fine form
Canadian sensation Tyler Christopher completed a fabulous weekend by winning in Padua in 45.15, just two days after his impressive TDK Golden League victory in Paris where he ran a new national record of 44.69.
“I feel good. My confidence keeps growing race after race. Now I fly back home to prepare the Canadian Championships”, said Christopher.
Mark Jelks, fifth in the US Championships in Carson, took the win in the men’s 100 metres sprint in 10.37 with a head wind of -1.0 m/s. “It was a good result despite the negative weather conditions. But it is my first year in the professional circuit and I am happy with my recent results. I hope to make the US 4x100 relay team in Helsinki. Possibly I may run in Rome on Friday”, said Jelks who has run 10.08 this year.
A strong head wind of -1.5 m/s slowed the winning time of Manuela Levorato in the women’s 100m who ran 11.48 beating US Stephanie Durst (11.66). “It is nice to return to win in front of home crowd although I am disappointed with the time but we ran in unfavourable wind conditions. I will run in Lausanne where I set my Italian record with 11.14 in 2001. Then I will go to Rome for the Golden Gala”, said Levorato.
Vault flop for stars
The much-awaited men’s Pole Vault contest did not fulfill the pre-meeting expectations. Olympic gold Tim Mack and Italian World champion Giuseppe Gibilisco finished no higher than fourth and fifth, respectively with 5.55 and 5.45. The USA’s Jacob Pauli clinched first place with a best clearance of 5.65 in his first attempt beating japanese record holder Daichi Sawano on countback. Gibilisco cleared an unofficial 5.75 as a post-competition test.
Former World bronze medallist Dai Tamesue earned Japan the prize in the 400m Hurdles, winning in 49.23.
Shot battle
The women’s shot put featured an interesting domestic battle with 2003 World championships finalist Assunta Legnante, Italian champion Chiara Rosa and 2005 Mediterrenean Games champion Cristiana Checchi, who will represent Italy at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki. The rematch of last week’s Italian Championships went to Assunta Legnante (18.56 this year) who produced a best release of 18.07. Italian U23 champion Chiara Rosa was second 17.96 over Cristiana Checchi, third with 17.50 just a few days after her World Championships qualifier of 18.59 which earned her the win in Almeria.
Dan Taylor from the USA dominated the men’s shot put contest with a best release of 20.35.
Arend Watkins, who ran a 13.23 seasonal best winning in the Athens Super Grand Prix, took first spot in the 110 metres Hurdles in 13.36., while in the women’s 100m sprint Hurdles, Cuba’s Anay Tejeda (2002 World junior champion) ran 13.10 in headwind conditions (-1.1 m/s) taking a narrow victory over Vonette Dixon (JAM) and Jenny Kallur from Sweden who shared the same time of 13.11.
Other winners in Padua were Cuba’s Libania Grenot in the women’s 400m (51.64) over 2001 World champion Amy Mbacke Thiam from Senegal (51.69), the US sprinter Coby Miller in the men’s 200 metres (20.70), Tanzania’s Samwel Mwera in the men’s 800m (1:46.04) and the US Carrie Tollefson in the women 1500m (4:10.55).
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Results
Men:
100 metres (-1.0 m/s): 1 Mark Jelks (Usa) 10.37; 2 Rae Edwards (Usa) 10.48; 3 Coby Miller (Usa) 10.49
200 metres: 1 Coby Miller (Usa) 20.70; 2 Brian Dzingai (Zimbabwe) 20.90; 3 Rae Edwards (Usa) 20.99
400 metres: 1 Tyler Christopher (Canada) 45.15; 2 Andrew Rock (Usa) 45.70; 3 Sanjav Ayre (Jamaica) 45.85; 4 Leonard Byrd (Usa) 46.13
800 metres: 1 Samwel Mwera (Tanzania) 1:46.04; 2 Maurizio Bobbato (Italy) 1:46.82; 3 Jeremy Mims (Usa) 1:47.38; 4 Abdulrahman Suleiman (Qatar) 1:47.53; 5 Andrea Longo (Italy) 1:48.03
110 metres hurdles (-0.5 m/s): 1 Arend Watkins (Usa) 13.36; 2 Yoel Hernandez (Cuba) 13.44; 3 Ron Bramlett (Usa) 13.56; 4 Andrea Giaconi (Italy) 13.61
400 metres hurdles: 1 Dai Tamesue (Japan) 49.23; 2 Gregory Little (Jamaica) 49.88; 3 Rickey Harris (Usa) 49.89
Pole Vault : 1 Jakob Pauli (Usa) 5.65 ; 2 Daichi Sawano (Japan) 5.65; 3 Dimitri Markov (Australia) 5.55; 4 Timothy Mack (Usa) 5.55; 5 Giuseppe Gibilisco (Italy) 5.45
Shot Put: 1 Dan Taylor (Usa) 20.35; 2 Taavi Peetre (Estonia) 19.91; 3 Paolo Dal Soglio (Italy) 18.50
Women:
100 metres (-1.5 m/s): 1 Manuela Levorato (Italy) 11.48; 2 Stephanie Durst (Usa) 11.66; 3 Amandine Allou Affoué (Ivory Coast) 11.71
400 metres: 1 Libania Grenot (Cuba) 51.64; 2 Amy Mbacke Thiam (Senegal) 51.69; 3 Karen Shinkins (Ireland) 52.49
1500 metres: 1 Carrie Tollefson (Usa) 4:10.55; 2 Birhane Hirpassa (Ethiopia) 4:11.29; 3 Janelle Deatherage (Usa) 4:14.74
100 metres Hurdles (-1.1 m/s): 1 Anay Tejeda (Cuba) 13.10; 2 Vonette Dixon (Jamaica) 13.11; 3 Jenny Kallur (Sweden) 13.11
400 metres Hurdles: 1 Sandra Glover (Usa) 54.52; 2 Sheena Johnson (Usa) 55.69; 3 Andrea Blackett (Barbados) 56.38
Triple Jump: 1 Magdelin Martinez (Italy) 14.69; 2 Yargeli Savigne (Cuba) 14.63; 3 Mabel Gay (Cuba) 14.21
Shot Put: 1 Assunta Legnante (Italy) 18.07; 2 Chiara Rosa (Italy) 17.96; 3 Cristiana Checchi (Italy) 17.50
Hammer Throw: 1 Manuela Montebrun (France) 73.20; 2 Ester Balassini (Italy) 71.20; 3 Yipsi Moreno (Cuba) 70.82
