Schultz takes a step forward in Cottbus

 Ingo Schultz seems to be on his way back into top form. In what was only his second 400m race in more than nine months Germany's European Champion from Munich 2002 ran 45.86 seconds at the international Lausitz-Meeting in Cottbus on Wednesday evening (9 June).

Nine days earlier Schultz had run 46.08 at Rehlingen. However, the fastest time in Cottbus was run by Jermaine Gonzalez (Jamaica), who won the B-Race in 45.81.

Despite relatively cool weather 3,500 spectators also saw a good Pole Vault competition. In the end Richard Spiegelburg managed to jump 5.70 metres, clearing the German qualifying mark for the Olympics and winning the event.

Of the other main highlights there were two quality throwing events which produced results of note. Franka Dietzsch, the German World Champion from 1999, won the Discus with 64.93 metres while Betty Heidler (Germany) took the Hammer with 70.32.

Schultz stars

For the spectators the men’s 400 metres were of course one of the highlights of the evening at the Cottbus Sportcenter. At the traditional meeting Ingo Schultz showed a smooth performance in which he indicated that he is on his way back into top form.

Looking strong on the home straight he overtook Canadian Christopher Tyler (45.90) and defended Daniel Caines’ attack on the last 50 metres. The Briton was third in 46.05. But the fastest man had come from the B-Race: Jermaine Gonzalez.

“I think even in warmer weather I would not yet have been able to run the national qualifying time for the Olympics”, Ingo Schultz said. The German federations asks for 45.55 seconds for a ticket to Athens.

Virus ruined 2003 

“The first few races are always very hard. But I am confident that my form will come and that I will achieve the qualifying standard.” A virus infection had stopped him last season. And it took until January before he could start training again.

“Everything is fine now. And at the meeting in Erfurt on Sunday I will run the 400 metres again”, Schultz said and confirmed that his main goal this season is the Olympic final. “I expect that you have to run a sub 45 seconds time to get into the final. And that is my aim.”

Confident coach

His coach, Jürgen Krempin, is very happy with recent developments after the illness. “Ingo is in good shape. I think the qualifying time will be no obstacle. In a recent training run at 300 metres he clocked 32.2 seconds. That was his best time ever at this distance”, Jürgen Krempin said. Ingo Schultz has a 400 m personal best time of 44.66 seconds from 2001.

Spiegelburg vaults 5.70

Two German pole vaulters have now cleared 5.70 metres this season. Cottbus’ winner Richard Spiegelburg and Lars Börgeling, who did not compete in Cottbus.

“Taking into account that conditions were not ideal I am very happy to have jumped 5.70 metres here, " said Spiegelburg. " I would have liked to clear 5.80 but there had been so many interruptions during our competition that it was difficult to keep the rhythm."

There could be drama in the coming weeks when it will be decided who will get the tickets to Athens. “There are six vaulters competing for three tickets. We are all very motivated, so I expect a hot fight for the Olympic starting slots”, comfirmed Spiegelburg.

It was bad luck for Britain's Nick Buckfield in Cottbus. He first celebrated clearing 5.70 metres but then got injured during his second attempt for 5,80. Limping badly he obviously injured his thigh. Buckfield went to hospital for a check-up.

While Sweden’s Robert Kronberg won the 110 metre hurdles in convincing style (13.58), three German javelin throwers surpassed the 80 metres mark. Mark Frank was a surprise winner with 80.68. Christian Nicolay took second place with 80.25 and Raymond Hecht was third. After an injury it was Hecht’s season’s debut. There will be more to come from him than yesterday’s 80.12 metres.

Dietzsch throws just below 65m

Franka Dietzsch remains the only German women's Discus thrower to have achieved the Olympic qualification mark of 61.00 metres. In Cottbus she won the event with a new season’s best of 64.93m.

“It was a surprise for me that I have thrown so well today. Because it was not quite my weather. But looking towards Athens I know this is getting very tough. Because the international level is very high this year”, said Dietzsch.

European Cup selection for Heidler 

There was also an important win for German Hammer thrower Betty Heidler because she has now qualified for the German European Cup team. Throwing 70.32 Heidler clearly beat Andrea Bunjes (67.40).

"I had hoped for slightly better result but the most important thing was to qualify for the European Cup," said Heidler. She has a season’s best of 70.89 metres.

Well beaten was World record holder Mihaela Melinte of Romania (67.08).

Jörg Wenig for the IAAF

Results:

Men

100 m (-0,1 m/s): 1. Pierre Brown (Canada) 10,24, 2. Salem Alami (Saudi Arabia) 10,26, 3. Ronny Ostwald (Germany) 10,28, 4. Faraj Al-Dosari (Saudi Arabia) 10,42..

400 m: 1. Jermaine Gonzalez (Jamaica) 45,81 (B Race), 2. Ingo Schultz (Germany) 45,86, 3. Christopher Tyler (Canada) 45,90, 4. Daniel Caines (Great Britain) 46,05.

800 m: 1. René Herms (Germany) 1:46,39, 2. Sylas Kimutai (Kenya) 1:47,29, 3. Rashid Mohamed (Bahrain) 1:47,36.

1500 m: 1. Toni Mohr (Germany) 3:39,82, 2. Suleiman Simotwo (Kenya) 3:40,73, 3. Marcin Fudalej (Poland) 3:41,44, 4. Charles Bett (Kenya) 3:43,34.

110 m h (-0,6 m/s):  1. Robert Kronberg (Sweden) 13,58, 2. Thomas Blaschek (Germany) 13,71, 3. Mike Fenner (Germany) 13,72, 4. Adrian Woodley (Canada) 13,76, 5. Frikki van Zyl (South Africa) 13,81.

Pole Vault: 1. Richard Spiegelburg (Germany) 5,70 m, 2. Nick Buckfield (Great Britain) 5,70 m, 3. Michael Stolle (Germany) 5,60 m, 4. Laurens Looije (Holland) 5,50 m.

Javelin: 1. Mark Frank (Germany) 80,68, 2. Christian Nicolay (Germany) 80,25, 3. Raymond Hecht (Germany) 80,12, 4. Adrian Markowski (Poland) 77,20.

Women

100 m (windstill): 1. Johanna Manninen (Finland) 11,52, 2. Wendy Seegers (South Africa) 11,61, 3. Tatjana Tkalich (Ukraine) 11,65.

400 m: 1. Aliann Pompey (Guyana) 51,69 Sekunden, 2. Ronetta Smith (Jamaica) 52,03, 3. Claudia Marx (Germany) 52,10, 4. Foy Williams (Canada) 52,58.

800 m: 1. Michelle Ballentine (Jamaica) 2:03,44, 2. Lotte Visschers (Holland) 2:03,87, 3. Kelly Reid (Great Britain) 2:04,63, 4. Joanna Buza (Poland) 2:04,78.

High Jump: 1. Corinne Müller (Switzerland) 1,92 m, 2. Tatjana Nowoseltsewa (Russia) 1,92, 3. Anna Ksok (Poland) 1,88 m, 4. Ariane Friedrich (Germany) 1,88 m, 5. Maria Melova (Slovakia) 1,88 m.

Shot Put: 1. Guirong Zhang (Singapur) 17,79 m, 2. Julia Wiechmann (Germany) 16,40 m.

Discus: 1. Franka Dietzsch (Germany) 64,93 m, 2. Joanna Wisniewska (Poland) 59,31, 3. Jana Tucholke (Germany) 59,04.

Hammer: 1. Betty Heidler (Germany) 70,32 m, 2. Andrea Bunjes (Germany) 67,40 m, 3. Mihaela Melinte (Romania) 67,08 m, 4. Kathrin Klaas (Germany) 66,34, 5. Simone Mathes (Germany) 65,45.