Dayron Robles of Cuba after winning the CAC 110m Hurdles title (© José Merino)
Linz, AustriaIn front of 15,000 spectators the new blue track of Linz main stadium was baptised on Tuesday evening (22) by some superb hurdles times at the traditional Gugl Meeting - EAA premium permit - the best one day meeting in Austria.
Younger generation prevails
In the men's 110m Hurdles, the young Cuban Dayron Robles achieved an excellent 13.13 second result which missed the meet record by 0.07 in slightly chilly conditions, aided by only a small amount of wind (+0.4 m/s). Former World and Olympic champion Allen Johnson (USA), 16-years his senior, came second with his second best time of the season 13.19. World Indoor champion Terrence Trammell was third with 13.20. This race was the true highlight of the evening.
“The track in Linz is superb, even a World record is a possibility here,“ said Robles who after being second in Zurich and winning in Monte-Carlo continues his latest European tour in excellent mood (13.20; 13.14; 13.13).
Chizhenko sets meet record
The only world lead and meet record was achieved by European silver medallist Yulia Chizhenko from Russia in the women's 1000m. Her time 2:33.49 is the first time of this year under 2:40.
Saladino soars again
IAAF Golden League Jackpot contender Irving Saladino from Panama continued in winning mood. In his 11th Long Jump final of the season he won for the 10th time. He achieved 8.29m, already enough for win, in the second round, and excelled with his last effort worth 8.43m. World Champion Dwight Phillips withdrew because of a thigh injury.
Canadian Perdita Felicien, the 2003 World champion and 2004 World indoor champion is returning to her old shape as she won the women’s 100m Hurdles with a very respectable 12.69 which beat Cuban Anay Tejeda who achieved a new personal best of 12.72. After falling down in Zurich, Olympic champion Joanna Hayes was third here in her season's best of 12.76.
There was some nice depth of quality achieved in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase, as the Kenyans once again prevailed over Spanish runners, and the top five were able to run sub 8:20 times. Mike Kypiego only barely missed the meet record (8:16.89) with a winning time of 8:17.07.
Best Shot line-up of the year
Maybe the strongest field of the evening was assembled in women’s Shot Put because nearly all the world class athletes came as they needed points to qualify for World Athletics Final. New Zealand’s Valerie Adams-Vili was this time the best with a third round 19.83m, with two of her other puts (19.59 and 19.47) also good enough for the win. She beat all European three European Championship medallists who on this occasion finished as follows - Khoroneko 2nd, Ostapchuk 5th and Lammert 7th.
The Women’s Triple Jump line-up was without European champion Tatyana Lebedeva from Russia, who is nursing an Achilles injury but hopes to be ready in time for the World Athletics Final. In her absence, European bronze medallist Anna Pyatykh was the winner with 14.51m.
Gothenburg silver medallist Andrey Mikhnevich from Belarus won the men’s Shot Put contest with 20.18m, a three centimetres margin of victory over Ville Tiisanoja from Finland.
5.81m vault duel
Another special event in Linz is always the Pole Vault, and the Germans played the key roles as usual. The spectators favourite Tim Lobinger jumped 5.81m on his third attempt and was second on count-back with countryman Fabian Schulze who did the same height on his first approach to the bar to take the win. In fact it was actually his third jump, as he had twice failed at 5.76m before moving up to 5.81m, a personal best.
This year it was the 19th annual edition of the Linz meet, and next year a jubilee will be celebrated. Their budget of nearly 500,000 euros allows the organisers to present some of the top stars in a very friendly and warm atmosphere, and that is very much how they want to keep the meeting.
By IAAF correspondent
