Nadezhda Ostapchuk puts 20.12 in Yokohama (© Kazutaka Eguchi/Agence SHOT)
The open championships of Belarus were held 5 - 7 July) in the new arena in Grodno, in three days of appalling weather set with torrential rain and a squally wind.
Despite the conditions Andrey Mikhnevich and Nadzeya Ostapchuk distinguished themselves in the men’s and women’s Shot Puts. There was also a quality distance double for Olga Krautsova in the 5000 and 10,000m.
Weather ends hope of serious Shot duels
In the men’s Shot Put a duel was expected between the 2003 World champion Andrey Mikhnevich and the 2007 European Indoor silver medallist Pavel Lyzhyn. But Lyzhyn could not adapt to the wet sector and only took one attempt, his 18.71 giving him third place. Jury Belov also used only one attempt, but produced 19.52 for second.
Mikhnevich pushed the Shot out to 20.64m in the first round, added one centimetre with his next, and in the third the implement landed at 20.55. There was a foul with his next and he passed his last two efforts.
A duel between the reigning World champion Nadzeya Ostapchuk and 2000 Olympic gold medallist Yanina Provalinskaja-Karolchik also failed to materialise in the women’s Shot Put.
Ostapchuk with her second effort produced 19.54m, and it was only in the third round that Karolchik was able to even come close to her, with 18.15, and added another 25cm with her final round, enough for second place (18.40). Ostapchuk landed her third at 19.50, and then 19.09, 19.39, a fine series which obtained her gold. The bronze was taken by Yuliya Leantsiuk with 18.00m.
Without top throwers
In absence of the best athletes in the men’s and women’s Hammer Throws - Ivan Tikhon and Aksana Miankova - 23-years Pavel Kryvitski won the former event with his third round 76.18m, and Darya Pchelnik took the latter with 69.74m. The women’s was the best quality competition overall as the silver was taken by Alena Matoshka from Novopolotsk with 68.90m, and bronze by Nadezhda Pavlyukovskaya, a Grodno local who produced 68.52m.
47-years Ellina Zvereva, the former World and Olympic women’s Discus Throw champion became national champion with a second round 60.20m. The men’s division was won by Aliaksandr Malashevich from Smorgon with a third round 60.47.
Volha Krautsova from Mosti on the first day won the women’s 10,000 m, with 31:58.52, and a day later Krautsova took the 5000m in 15:27.17. Both victories were virtually gun to tape solo efforts.
Natallia Safronnikava from Grodno, also completed a double in the women’s 100 and 200m. Here best times came in the semi-finals (11.45 & 23.03 seconds) which came before the weather got seriously bad. In the finals she ran 11.72 for the 100m and 23.67 for the 200m.
Sviatlana Kovgan was also a double winner - 1500m 4:23.83 / 800m 2:03.80, while Mikalai Seradovich won the men’s 20km race walk in a fast time - 1:22:12. Ukraine's Lyudmila Yegorova-Shelest took the women's 20km win in 1:32:39.
Mikhail Dubitski for the IAAF
Selected results
MEN
100m
1 Dmitry Golub 10.91
200m
1 Maksim Piskunou 21.94
110m Hurdles
1 Maksim Lynsha 13.85
400m Hurdles
1 Andrei Kazlouski 51.92
2 Leonid Vershinin 52.72
Shot Put
1. Andrey Mikhnevich 20.65
2. Jury Belov 19.52
3. Pavel Lyzhyn 18.71
Discus Throw
1 Aliaksandr Malashevich 60.47
2. Ruslan Khlybau 58.36
3. Pavel Lyzhyn 57.12
Hammer Throw
1 Pavel Kryvitski 76.18
2 Aliaksandr Vashchyla 74.52
3 Andrey Vorontsov 73.15
20km Walk
1 Mikalai Seradovich 1:22:12
2 Aliaksandr Kuzmin 1:22:52
2 Andrei Stepanchuk 1:24:07
Women
100 m
1 Natallia Safronnikava 11.72
2 Anastasy Shuljak 11.74
200 m
1 Natallia Safronnikava 23.67
2 Yulyana Yushchanka 23.83
400m
1 Iryna Khliustava 52.47
800 m
1 Sviatlana Kovgan 2:03.80
2 Marina Kotovich 2:04.33
1500 m
1 Sviatlana Kovgan 4:23.83
2 Nastassia Staravoitava 4:24.30
5000 m
1 Volha Krautsova 15:27.17
10,000 m
1. Volha Krautsova 31:58.52
Shot Put
1 Nadzeya Ostapchuk 19.54
2 Yanina Provalinskaja-Karolchik 18.40
3 Yuliya Leantsiuk 18.00
Hammer Throw
1 Darya Pchelnik 69.74
2 Alena Matoshka 68.90
3 Nadezhda Pavlyukovskaya 68.52
Discus Throw
1 Ellina Zvereva 60.20
4õ400m
1. Brest area 3:36.01
20km Walk
1 Lyudmila Yegorova-Shelest 1:32:39
2 Sniazhana Yurchanka 1:33:05
3 Zhanna Golovnya 1:33:25
