Reese Hoffa of the US in the Shot Put Qualification round (© Getty Images)
Reese Hoffa established himself as the world leader with a huge 21.87 m throw in Chemnitz, Germany on Friday evening (27). The 34-year-old US Shot Putter had been beaten by Germany’s World champion David Storl the past weekend in another German meeting in Nordhausen by ten centimetres. Storl had achieved 21.24m last week. But on Friday Reese Hoffa, the World Champion from 2007, bounced back with his best indoor effort since 2006. It was in Moscow when he had put 22.11m to win the World Indoor gold.
In Chemnitz, Reese Hoffa had taken the lead in the first round with 20.81m, which in the end would have been good enough to win. But Hoffa had other ideas. While David Storl opened his competition with 20.75m and then failed to improve, Hoffa did so in his final two attempts. After a 20.73m in round two and two faults he first managed 21.08m and then with his last throw achieved the world lead of 21.87m. Portugal’s Marco Fortes took thrid place with 20.57m. Behind him Germans Candy Bauer (19.98) and Ralf Bartels (19.04) followed.
Another world season lead came in the 1500m, where Abdalaati Iguider (Morocco) clocked 3:37.40. He was followed by Kenya’s Bethwel Birgen (3:38.01) and Ethiopia’s Jana Soresa Fida (3:39.74).
There were two German victories in sprint events: Julian Reus surprised by taking the 60m in 6.59 seconds from Tim Abeyie (Ghana/6.64) and Josh Norman (USA/6.65), while in the 60m Hurdles Helge Schwarzer improved to 7.64 seconds. Hungary’s Balazs Baji took was second with 7.72.
As expected the Pole Vault was a German affair. Malte Moor won this one with 5.72m from Raphael Holzdeppe. Both achieved that height at their final attempt, but Holzdeppe had one more fault than Moor earlier on. Jan Kudlicka (Czech Republic) and Björn Otto (Germany) shared third place with 5.60 m.
The women’s events were not as strong as the men’s in Chemnitz. The best result came in the women’s Shot Put. Here Christina Schwanitz won with 19.09m from fellow-German Nadine Kleinert (18.68).
Raúl Spank dominates in Dresden
Also on Friday evening there was a jumpers’ meeting just a half hour drive away from Chemnitz. In Dresden it was local boy Raúl Spank who dominated the High Jump. After clearing 2.18m and 2.22m at his first attempts he already had done enough to win the meeting. But his aim was to open his season with a mark close to 2.30m. Spank then lifted himself over 2.26m at his second attempt, but he failed at 2.29m. Poland’s Piotr Sleboda was second while Botswana’s Kabelo Kgosiemang took third (both with 2.18).
In the women’s Pole Vault, Jirina Ptacnikova took the event with a personal indoor best and a meeting record of 4.62 m. The 25-year-old from the Czech Republic then tried 4.66m, but failed three times. This height is her outdoor best. Germany’s Martina Strutz took second with 4.52m.
Filippidis and Shkolina win in Cottbus
Two days earlier (Wed 25) Konstadinos Filippidis had won the Pole Vault at the Cottbus Jumpers’ Meeting. The Greek was the only one to clear 5.72m. Germany’s Raphael Holzdeppe was second with 5.66m while his fellow countryman Karsten Dilla took third (5.60).
In the women’s High Jump Svetlana Shkolina defended her title. But it was a very close affair between her and fellow Russian Irina Gordeeva. Shkolina managed to clear 1.96m at her first attempt while Gordeeva needed three to finally go over. Esthera Petre (Romania) took third place with 1.93m. Ruth Beitia (Spain) and Chaunte Lowe (USA) took the next two places, both clearing 1.90m.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
