Ana
Guevara travels to Europe for Golden League circuit
from an IAAF
Correspondent
25 June 2002 - Mexico's IAAF World Championships 400 metres bronze medalist Ana
Gabriela Guevara travelled to Europe yesterday to take part in the first four
stops of the IAAF Golden League circuit, starting with the Exxon Mobil Bislett
Games in Oslo on Friday 28 June.
The 25-year old ended her training on home soil with an easy win at the Tijuana Grand Prix on Saturday, clocking 51.02 in her second competition of the year.
Guevara set a comfortable pace and then sped up after 250 metres to the delight of the 2000-people crowd at the Unidad Deportiva, Tijuana. She was never seriously challenged by her Cuban rivals, junior Lisbania Grenot (53.43) and Magaly Yanez (55.24), the closest rivals to her at the finish line.
The Nogales-born Guevara started her season with a 51.28 win in Mexico City on March 9 and completed much of her pre-summer training in the northern city of Hemosillo, Sonora, under the guidance of Cuban coach Raul Barreda.
After her European debut in Oslo, the Sydney Olympics fifth placer will continue her Golden League tour in Paris (July 5), Rome (July 12) and Monaco (July 19).
The women's 400 metres is included in the Golden League circuit this year, and Guevara is expected to face tough competition from Jamaica's Sydney and Edmonton silver medallist Lorraine Fenton, Senegal's reigning world champion Ami Mbacke Thiam, Americans Michelle Collins, the fastest this year with 50.43, Jearl Miles Clark (50.45) and Ukraine's Antonina Yefremova, winner of the European Cup last weekend in Annecy.
Guevara and Cuba’s javelin throw world champion and record holder Osleidys Menendez are the strongest candidates to become the first Latin American athletes to earn a share of the Golden League jackpot.
The Tijuana Grand Prix was also highlighted by Saudi Arabia's Hadi Al-Somaily, silver medallist at the Sydney Olympic Games, who won the 400 hurdles in 49.82, after facing the opposition of Cuban champion Sergio Hierrezuelo, who posted his first under 50 performance (49.93).
Al-Somaily also competed in the flat one-lap race, finishing second in 47.56 behind USA's Derrick Brew (46.68).
Some of the participants in the Tijuana event – with a USD 65,000 prize purse to all medalists – are also scheduled to take part in the Xalapa Grand Prix on Saturday June 29.
Results from Tijuana:
Men:
100 m (-1.6)
1. Douglas Bignall (USA) 10.53
2. Jesus
Carrion (PUR) 10.73
3. Jorge Richardson
(PUR) 10.77
400 m
1. Derrick Brew (USA) 46.68
2. Hamed Al Bishi (KSA) 47.56
3. Elio Gijon (MEX) 48.12
800 m
1. Ricky Etheridge (PUR) 1:49.50
2. Milton Brown (BAR) 1:49.99
3. Rodolfo Gomez (MEX) 1:50.02
5000 m
1. Pablo Olmedo (MEX) 13:41.53
2. David Galvan (MEX) 13:42.53
3. Patrick Nthwa (KEN) 13:43.13
400 m hurdles
1. Hadi Al-Somaily (KSA) 49.82
2. Sergio Hierrezuelo (CUB) 49.93
3. Oscar Juanz (MEX) 50.80
5000 m walk
1. Alejandro Lopez (MEX) 19:40.27
2. Claudio Vargas (MEX) 19:53.26
3. Rogelio
Sanchez (MEX) 20:16.74
PV:
1. Edgar
Leon (MEX) 5.10
2. Jorge Tienda (MEX) 5.00
3. Cristian Sanchez
(MEX) 4.60
HJ:
1. Lisvani Perez (CUB) 2.20
2. Jordan Lugones (CUB) 2.15
3. Gerardo Martinez (MEX) 2.10
Women:
100 m (-1.7)
1. Virgen Benavides (CUB) 11.56
2. Ana Lopez (CUB) 11.77
3. Ruth Grajeda (MEX) 12.13
400 m
1. Ana Guevara (MEX) 51.02
2. Lisbania Grenot (CUB) 53.43
3. Magaly
Yanez (MEX) 55.24
1500 m
1. Margarita Tapia (MEX) 4:14.09
2. Nora Rocha (MEX) 4:14.50
3. Grace Njoki
(KEN) 4:16.90
100 H (-1.5)
1. Bertha Penalver (CUB) 13:28
2.
Dainelkis Perez (CUB) 13:41
3. Kimberly Carlson
(USA) 13:78
5000 m Walk
1. Rosario Sanchez (MEX) 23:48.31
2. Victoria
Palacios (MEX) 23:50.26
3. Guadalupe Sanchez (MEX) 24:20.85
