Christine Arron takes her second Zurich victory (© Getty Images)
Junior Triple Jumper Teddy Tamgho provided the sensation during the second day of French Indoor Championships on Saturday (16-Feb) in improving the National Indoor Record to 16.94, becoming the 2nd all-time indoor best junior performer, just 20cm shy of the World Junior indoor best set in 1985 by East German Volker Mai.
Easily advancing with a 16.53 on his first and only attempt in qualifying, Tamgho was a clear favourite for the final and was hoping to improve his own National Junior Record, 16.59, set a month ago.
“My toe to board was far from perfect, so I wasn’t surprised with what happened today,” said the 18-year-old, who produced the following series: 16.94, 16.74, 16.70, 16.20 and two passes.
“This is only a reward from hard work,” he continued. “I’m currently working on my top speed, which is my strong point and I competed with reduced run ups. I have the chance to work in a strong and motivating group under the supervisation of my coach Jean-Hervé Stievenart, which include Karl Taillepierre, (17.45m performer) and Benjamin Compaoré, (World Junior Champion). They have experience and they push me daily at training to do my best.” Taillepierre took second place with 16.69 while Compaoré withdrew through injury.
Arron defeats Hurtis-Houairi at 60m
Christine Arron and Muriel Hurtis-Houairi, the two best French sprinters of the last decade, offered to the crowd another dual, their seventh at 60m. The three rounds in three hours time provided a growing suspense during the afternoon. Arron, 100m European Record Holder in 10.73, was the fastest in each round, 7.26 in the heats and 7.22 in the semis, while Hurtis-Houairi, a former 200m World and European Champion at 200m, easely won her races in 7.29 and 7.26.
In the final, Arron in lane 4 had a better reaction time (0.155) than Hurtis-Houairi (0.192) in lane 3, but the later managed to take the lead in the acceleration phase before tensing up and couldn’t respond to her rival's top speed. Arron won her fifth national title at this event in 7.21, a new season's best, with a 6.23 intermediate time at 50m (6.27 at 50m and 7.28 at 60m for Hurtis-Houairi). On this occasion, she moved her head-to-head advantage to five wins over seven 60m meetings.
“The time is not satisfying,” said Arron, who holds the national record in 7.06. “I have done better at training. I was looking for a time around 7.15, unfortunately, I was ill again on Tuesday, so today I had to give my all in each of the races. It is good to have three races in the afternoon, this allows you to work on various technical points.”
The World Indoor Championships timetable will also have three races a day, but with a wider time gap between each round, spread during the day.
“I hope my times will get better. As for my goals, I always say that I must enter the final, and then wait and see what will happen.” In the meantime, Arron will take part in meetings in Bercy (22 February) and Aubiere (26 February).
Hurtis-Houairi, however, announced she might not compete in Valencia.
“My time is good since I had a difficult month in January, but I don’t think i’ll go to World Champs because I want to prepare for thr outdoor season with seriousness and serenity.”
Citing fatigue, Boslak to bypass Valencia
Vanessa Boslak shares the same logic as Hurtis-Houairi regarding her withdrawal from consideration for Valencia. But her decision had nothing to do with failing to vault higher than 4.40m, which she cleared on her third attempt. Her decision to bypass the World Indoor Championships came the day before.
“The track didn’t provided confidence to me Friday during the qualification, so I feared to use stiffer poles. This winter I was used to competing on harder and bouncier surfaces. Anyway, I’m starting to feel some fatigue so I prefer to start a new training cycle rather than continue indoor competitions,” explained the 4.70 performer outdoors who had three misses at 4.50.
Eraud takes tactical men's 1500m
With three men with the qualifying standards gunning for the two Valencia team slots provided for a dramatic men's 1500m final.
Mounir Yemmouni, the national leader this winter with 3:39.83 was the favourite after an easy looking heat on Friday. Guillaume Eraud, 3:39.86 and Yoann Kowal, 3:41.11, had to take advantage of a slow pace in order to threaten Yemmouni, with a 3:32.97 personal best outdoors, who is usually at ease in steady and fast paced races.
Eraud maintained his lead through the waning laps, preventing anyone to pass and cruised the last 200m in 25.8 to complete the first-ever winning time of over four minutes in French national indoor championships history (4:02.35).
“I was surprised," said the delighted new champion. "I was expecting a 3:45 pace from Yemmouni. Actually, it was a good race for me because I managed to place myself ideally in the pack and take the lead at the right time, because indoors it is almost impossible to pass a runner due to the short straights and long bends.”
Yemmouni, who finished second, agreed with Eraud’s appraisal and gave him credit for his tactics “I made the mistake of hesitating to pass and I think it cost me the victory.” Both men thus put themselves in the best positions to be selected for the national team, as Kowas was a distant third.
Other notable results included Martial Mbandjock’s first title at 60m with 6.70 and Bouchra Ghezielle’s easy 3000m win with a 10 second margin (8:59.17), wearing training shoes in order to protect her calves from pains she felt during the week.
Pierre-Jean Vazel for the IAAF
