Nadzeya Ostapchuk unleashed a 20.85m competition record to take gold in Doha (© Mark Shearman)
Grodno, BelarusNadzeya Ostaphuck and Pavel Kryvitski produced the classiest performances at the Belarus Open championships over the weekend (26-27) in Grodno.
Ostapchuk, the World indoor Shot Put champion and already the world leader this season at 20.70m, threatened the 21-metre barrier with a 20.95m blast, while Kryvitski again threw beyond 80 metres with an 80.29m effort to take top honours in the Hammer Throw.
Ostapchuk took firm control from the outset, reaching 20.12m with in the first round to stake her claim to the title. Her big toss came in the second round, landing just five centimetres shy of the 21-metre line.
“I came to the championships after three weeks of heavy training and was looking forward to using that technical work in a competitive atmosphere,” said Ostapchuk, who will look to repeat her Shanghai victory at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Gateshead on 10 July. “I’m happy that I managed to show nearly my best. I only threw further in 2005 than this weekend in Grodno. I wanted to break my own (21.09m) national record, and I was only a little bit away from it.”
Yanina Karolchyk-Pravalinskaya, who trains with Ostapchuk under the tutelage of Alexander Yefimov, was a distant second with a 19.63m best.
Kryvitski, the winner at the European Team Championships in Bergen last weekend, faced a tight battle with Sviatokha in Grodno. Kryvitski took the lead in the third round, only to be bettered by Sviatokha who threw 78.33m.
But showing his mettle, Kryvitski took the lead for good in the next round with his 80.29m throw. One of the favourites, Yury Shayunou, was a distant third with a 75.92m best effort on the day.
“It wasn’t a surprise for me that Valeriy Sviatokha would provide serious competition for me,” Kryvitski, who produced his 80.44m career best in May. “I knew that Valery had good results at trainings and is in good form. The championship in Grodno provided the last possibility for him to be selected for the European championship in Barcelona. I am glad that I managed to win.”
Other notable performances came courtesy of 21-year-old Alina Talai, who took her first national title in the 100m Hurdles with a personal best of 12.87; Alena Neumiarzhitskaya’s 11.05 victory in the 100m; and Dzianis Simanovich who took the 20Km Race Walk, clocking 1:21:39.
Mikhail Dubitski for the IAAF
Leading Results -
MEN:
100 Metres
1. Alexander Linnik 10.42
110 Metres Hurdles
1 Maksim Lynsha 13.69
Hammer Throw
1 Pavel Kryvitski 80.29
2 Valeriy Sviatokha 78.33
3 Yury Shayunou 75.92.
20 Kilometres Walk
1 Dzianis Simanovich 1:21.39
2 Mikalai Seradovich 1:22.21
3 Alexander Lyakhovich 1:23.16
WOMEN:
100 Metres
1 Alena Neumiarzhitskaya 11.05
2 Yuliya Balykina 11.25
3 Nastassia Shumak 11.40
100 Metres Hurdles
1 Alina Talai 12.87
Shot Put
1 Nadzeya Ostapchuk 20.95
2 Yanina Karolchyk-Pravalinskay? 19.63
Hammer Throw
1 Volha Tsander 70.54
2 Maryia Smaliachkova 69.27
20 Kilometres Walk
1 Alina Matveyuk 1:32.06
2 Nastassia Yatsevich 1:32.29
3 Sniazhana Yurchanka 1:32.57
Ostapchuk, the World indoor Shot Put champion and already the world leader this season at 20.70m, threatened the 21-metre barrier with a 20.95m blast, while Kryvitski again threw beyond 80 metres with an 80.29m effort to take top honours in the Hammer Throw.
Ostapchuk took firm control from the outset, reaching 20.12m with in the first round to stake her claim to the title. Her big toss came in the second round, landing just five centimetres shy of the 21-metre line.
“I came to the championships after three weeks of heavy training and was looking forward to using that technical work in a competitive atmosphere,” said Ostapchuk, who will look to repeat her Shanghai victory at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Gateshead on 10 July. “I’m happy that I managed to show nearly my best. I only threw further in 2005 than this weekend in Grodno. I wanted to break my own (21.09m) national record, and I was only a little bit away from it.”
Yanina Karolchyk-Pravalinskaya, who trains with Ostapchuk under the tutelage of Alexander Yefimov, was a distant second with a 19.63m best.
Kryvitski, the winner at the European Team Championships in Bergen last weekend, faced a tight battle with Sviatokha in Grodno. Kryvitski took the lead in the third round, only to be bettered by Sviatokha who threw 78.33m.
But showing his mettle, Kryvitski took the lead for good in the next round with his 80.29m throw. One of the favourites, Yury Shayunou, was a distant third with a 75.92m best effort on the day.
“It wasn’t a surprise for me that Valeriy Sviatokha would provide serious competition for me,” Kryvitski, who produced his 80.44m career best in May. “I knew that Valery had good results at trainings and is in good form. The championship in Grodno provided the last possibility for him to be selected for the European championship in Barcelona. I am glad that I managed to win.”
Other notable performances came courtesy of 21-year-old Alina Talai, who took her first national title in the 100m Hurdles with a personal best of 12.87; Alena Neumiarzhitskaya’s 11.05 victory in the 100m; and Dzianis Simanovich who took the 20Km Race Walk, clocking 1:21:39.
Mikhail Dubitski for the IAAF
Leading Results -
MEN:
100 Metres
1. Alexander Linnik 10.42
110 Metres Hurdles
1 Maksim Lynsha 13.69
Hammer Throw
1 Pavel Kryvitski 80.29
2 Valeriy Sviatokha 78.33
3 Yury Shayunou 75.92.
20 Kilometres Walk
1 Dzianis Simanovich 1:21.39
2 Mikalai Seradovich 1:22.21
3 Alexander Lyakhovich 1:23.16
WOMEN:
100 Metres
1 Alena Neumiarzhitskaya 11.05
2 Yuliya Balykina 11.25
3 Nastassia Shumak 11.40
100 Metres Hurdles
1 Alina Talai 12.87
Shot Put
1 Nadzeya Ostapchuk 20.95
2 Yanina Karolchyk-Pravalinskay? 19.63
Hammer Throw
1 Volha Tsander 70.54
2 Maryia Smaliachkova 69.27
20 Kilometres Walk
1 Alina Matveyuk 1:32.06
2 Nastassia Yatsevich 1:32.29
3 Sniazhana Yurchanka 1:32.57
