Wenxiu Zhang of China celebrates her bronze medal in the Women's Hammer Throw Final (© Getty Images)
Asian record holder Zhang Wenxiu from the People’s Army of China successfully defended her title in women’s Hammer throw with a new Games Record, which measured to 72.25m, in the 4th CISM World Military Games here on Monday (15 Oct).
The four-day athletics programme of the Games, which started in G.M.C. Balayogi Stadium, saw this year’s World championship bronze medallist win beating Russia’s Gulfiya Khanafeyeva, who has been a world record breaker in her career (77.26).
Khanafeyeva, last year’s European championship silver medallist, had only a modest 69.28 throw to finish behind Wenxiu. Italy’s Ester Balassini was third in 67.09m.
Wenxiu, the Asian Games champion at Doha, set her fifth Asian Record (74.86m) this August during her preparations for the global meet at Osaka. Her first continental record - 73.24 - set in 2005, remains the current World Junior record.
In the men’s Hammer Throw, Osaka silver medallist Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia sent the implement out to 75.98, which was enough for the victory, with Sydney Olympic silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni of Italy nailing 74.96m for the second spot, a place he held at the second edition of CISM Games at Zagreb, eight years ago.
There was no stopping for Asian Race Walking champion Cui Zhide as he marched 20,000m in a season’s best 1:23:43 for gold. Ivan Trotski of Belarus, a bronze medallist in 10,000m Race Walk at the 3rd edition of CISM Games at his ‘home’ in Catania, improved one place with a silver medal in 1:25:23.7, as Matej Toth of Slovakia finished 19 seconds later for the bronze.
Ukraine’s Mykola Savolaynen, European Cup bronze medallist, improved the Games’ record in the Triple Jump (16.93m). Danila Burkenya (Russia), the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, was second while European Cup third placer Fabrizio Schembri (Italy) also took third position with jumps of 16.84m and 16.23m respectively.
In Shot Put, Asian Games silver medallist Khaled Habash Al-Suwaidi of Qatar gave a tough fight to Miran Vodovnik of Slovenia. Vodovnik, sixth in Osaka, tossed his shot out to 19.93m as against the Qatari’s 19.74m, to decide the champion.
Russia’s Yelena Bolsun, the 2005 European Cup second placer in 200m, took the women’s 100m in 11.45, while in the longest women’s track run the 10,000m, Kenya’s Irene Kwambai, this year’s All-African Games bronze medallist, was defeated by compatriot Doris Changewo.
The multi-sport World Military Games were declared open on Sunday (14 Oct) by Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of India and Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces, followed by spectacular opening ceremony.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF
Results:
Men:
Triple Jump: 1. Mykola Savolaynen (Ukraine) 16.93 (New Games Record), 2. Danila Burkenya (Russia) 16.84; 3. Fabrizio Schembri (Italy) 16.23;
Shot Put: 1. Miran Vodovnik (Slovenia) 19.93; 2. Khaled Habash Al Suwaidi (Qatar) 19.74; 3. Andrei Siniakou (Belarus) 18.73;
Hammer Throw: 1. Primoz Kozmus (Slovenia) 75.98; 2. Nicola Vizzoni (Italy) 74.96; 3. Jens Rautenkranz (Germany) 72.38;
20,000m Walk: 1. Cui Zhide (China) 1:23:43.0; 2. Ivan Trotski (Belarus) 1:25:23.7; 3. Matej Toth (Slovakia) 1:25:42.7;
Women:
100m: 1. Yelena Bolsun (Russia) 11.45; 2. Bettina Moller Weissina (Austria) 11.51; 3. Daria Korczynska (Poland) 11.54;
10,000m: 1. Doris Changewo (Kenya) 32:32.44; 2. Irene Kwambai (Kenya) 32:33.28; 3. Nadia Ejjafini (Bahrain) 32:36.41;
Hammer Throw: 1. Zhang Wenxiu (China) 72.25 (New Games Record); 2. Gulfiya Khanafeyeva (Russia) 69.28; 3. Ester Balassini (Italy) 67.09;
