News29 Feb 2004


Martinez puts 20.62 and Otto defeats Lobinger in Leipzig

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Manuel Martinez (ESP) in action in the men's shot put final (© Getty Images)

This bidding city for the Olympics 2012, showed some of its potential in athletics. In front of a sell-out crowd of 3500 spectators today the inaugural LE Athletics Meeting was staged in the Arena Leipzig.

There were mixed fortunes for two World Indoor champions, Germany’s Tim Lobinger (Pole Vault) and Spain’s Manuel Martinez (Shot), who will be defending their titles next weekend in Budapest (5 - 7 March)

The Pole Vault was the centre of the interest with Björn Otto triumphing in a duel with Tim Lobinger, who had won the German championship just a week ago beating Otto with 5.75. This time it was not enough for the reigning World Indoor champion Lobinger, as Otto jumped to a new personal best of 5.81m.

Gibilisco ill - Brits no heights

It was not the day for South Africa’s World silver medallist Okkert Brits. He had been a late entry to the competition, as he was only signed by meeting director Joachim Krebs after World outdoor champion Giuseppe Gibilisco had to cancel a few days ago because of flu. Britts came to the meet with a season’s best of 5.75 having won his very first competition of the winter two days ago in Chemnitz but in Leipzig he had no valid jump at all. All his attempts at 5.60 metres failed.

Ecker back to 5.60

However, another big name in pole vaulting managed to jump 5.60 metres for the first time this season, Danny Ecker. After his comeback from a severe shoulder injury five weeks ago in Dessau, Ecker still used a shortened run-up in Leipzig but at the end of his indoor campaign it was finally enough for 5.60 which he cleared on his third attempt. It was what his coach Leszek Klima had predicted for him for this season.

It was Lobinger who almost looked like being the winner when he jumped 5.70m on his second attempt but Otto had passed this height after clearing 5.60 metres on his first try. That had been his second jump of the competition, he then failed twice at 5.76, before finally being successful on his third attack at the bar. Otto then took 5.81 on his first attempt.

Lobinger's frustration

That height was too much for Lobinger who failed three times at 5.81m, breaking the bar with frustration after his third.

“It was my goal to jump at least 5,80 metres before Budapest,” said Lobinger, “but it does not matter in the end. I was angry because I felt that it was possible for me to jump this height today but I was unlucky. I am happy about the tough national opposition that drives me on.”

Days before Budapest, Otto’s new personal best that puts him in an equal third position on the world list. ”I have jumped 5.70 metres three times this season – so today was the next step. I have built my season very well,” Otto said.

Good hurdling and flat sprinting

There was a good opening to the meeting in the 60 metres Hurdles. Maurice Wignall of Jamaica won the event in 7.59 ahead of Cuban Yunier Hernandez (7.63) and South Africa’s Commonwealth champion Shaun Bownes (7.64).

“It was a great final preparation for Budapest. Winning here shows me that everything is going very well,” commented Wignall.

The 60m flat sprint also produced a good time. Kareem Streete-Thompson (Cayman Islands) won the event in 6.56, in front of Ghana’s Eric Nkansah (6.59).

“I have prepared for a long time and trained very hard – this result shows me that I am in top form”, said Streete-Thompson.

Martinez shows form  

Another athlete in form was Manuel Martinez. The reigning World Indoor champion in the Shot Put won his event with 20.62 m. The Spaniard produced a fine series during which four of his five attempts would have been enough to win (20.59 – 19.93 – x – 20.40 – 20.62 – 20.15). German Ralf Bartels took second place with 20.12.

“I have really had a very good competition which was possible because of the great conditions in this arena”, commented Martinez.

Motchebon's unlucky farewell 

There was an unlucky farewell for Nico Motchebon from indoor racing. The German 800m runner, who has twice won an 800 metres bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships (1993 and 1999), injured his heel and had to drop out and could barely walk off the track.

“That was a really bad last indoor race for me,” said Motchebon said. He will give running one more try in the summer before he ends his career. “I want to qualify for the Olympics for a fourth time.” In 1988 and 1992 he was at the Olympics as a Modern Pentathlete. In 1996 he was fifth in the Olympic 800 metres final. As the national qualifying time for Athens is only 1:46 there is a good chance that Motchebon will makes to Greece this summer.

Comparatively weak women's programme 

The four women’s events could not quite cope with some of the men’s results.

“I had hoped to have more competition. But it was a good race for me and a good preparation for Budapest,” commented Sandie Richards after she had won the 400 metres in 53.32. But the Jamaican had been only one of three competitors.

It was not a bad meeting for its inaugural year but there is room for improvement in Leipzig.

The Arena Leipzig was opened for athletics just a year ago but has already seen two European Indoor Cups plus one national championship. Organisers want to establish the LE Athletics as
one of the premier German indoor events. They put together a budget of 200,000 Euros for this year and their advantage is the venue. The Arena Leipzig offers the only six-lane 200 metre indoor track in Germany, which is put in temporarily each winter.

Jörg Wenig for the IAAF

Results

Men:

60 m: 1. Kareem Streete-Thompson CAY 6,56, 2. Eric Nkansah GHA 6,59, 3. Bernard Williams USA 6,68, 4. Tobias Unger GER 6,73, 5. Lee-Roy Newton RSA 6,73.

200 m: 1. Alexander Kosenkow GER 21,13, 2. Davian Clarke JAM 21,61, 3. Ralf Riester GER 21,75.

800 m: 1. Michael Rotich KEN 1:46,67, 2. David Lelei KEN 1:47,33, 3. David Fiegen LUX 1:48,12.

60 m h: 1. Maurice Wignall JAM 7,59, 2. Yunier Hernandez CUB 7,63, 3. Shaun Bownes RSA 7,64, 4. Thomas Blaschek GER 7,72

LJ: 1. Luis-Philipe Meliz CUB 7,95, 2. James Beckford JAM 7,83, 3. Chris Tomlinson GBR 7,79, 4. Gable Garenamotse BOT 7,74, 5. Nils Winter GER 7,65, 6. Roman Sebrle CZE 7,64, 7. Ivan Pedroso CUB 7,54.

PV: 1. Björn Otto GER 5,81 m, 2. Tim Lobinger GER 5,70, 3. Oscar Janson SWE 5,60, 4. Danny Ecker GER 5,60, 5. Lars Börgeling GER 5,50.

SP: 1. Manuel Martinez ESP 20,62, 2. Ralf Bartels GER 20,12, 3. Peter Sack GER 19,87, 4. Andy Dittmar GER 18,98, 5. Detlef Bock GER 18,65.

Women:

60 m: 1. Vida Anim GHA 7,19, 2. Bettina Müller AUT 7,29, 3. Pauline Ibeagha NGR 7,50.
1st heat: Virgen Benavides CUB 7,26 (final: 8th – 7,86)

400 m: 1. Sandie Richards JAM 53,32, 2. Ellinor Stuhrmann SWE 53,80.

800 m: 1. Sandra Stals BEL 2:02,43, 2. Mardrea Hyman JAM 2:03,68, 3. Sandra Teixeira POR 2:04,16, 4. Akosua Serwaa GHA 2:04,61.

60 m h: Lacena Golding-Clarke JAM 8,05, 2. Patricia  Girard FRA 8,10, 3. Dainelky Perez CUB 8,17, 4. Dionne Rose-Henley JAM 8,18.

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