News26 Jan 2010


More middle distance power added to Russian Winter field

FacebookTwitterEmail

Wilfred Bungei finishes ahead of Ismail Ahmed Ismail and Alfred Kirwa Yego (© Getty Images)

Both reigning Olympic 800m champions have been added to the strong middle distance line ups for the Moscow Winter meeting in the Russian capital on 7 February.

The Russian Winter Meeting, this year celebrating its 19th edition, is the fourth of ten IAAF Indoor Permit meetings in 2010, and just five weeks before the 13th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, 12-14 March.

In the women's race, local eyes will focus on Maria Savinova who cruised to the European indoor title in Turin a year ago. The 24-year-old, who dipped under 1:58 outdoors last year, followed up her European indoor triumph with solid finishes outdoors, first taking the always difficult national title in the event and then adding a fifth place finish at the World championships and a fourth place showing at the World Athletics Final to cap her first international campaign.

She’ll be challenged by Kenyans Pamela Jelimo, the reigning Olympic champion, and Janeth Jepkosgei, the 2007 World champion who took silver in both Beijing and last summer at the World championships in Berlin.

On the men’s side, Olympic 800m champion Wilfred Bungei, who captured his first global title at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in the Russian capital, has joined al already formidable field in the 600m contest. The field also includes Ismail Ahmed Ismail, Sudan’s Olympic silver medallist at 800m, and Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy.

After three victories in five races last year indoors, Bungei was sidelined with injury for most of the outdoor campaign.

There will be speed on tap as well. Reigning World indoor 60m champion Olu Fasuba of Nigeria will start as the favourite, having won here in 2008 as a lead-in to his World title later that winter in Valencia. His chief opponent will be American Mark Jelks, the reigning US indoor champion.

Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

Pages related to this article
Competitions
Loading...