Sebrle
and Burrell in the lead after first day of
Götzis
Hypomeeting
IAAF
1 June 2002 – Götzis, Austria –
Competition favourites Roman Sebrle (CZE) and Shelia Burrell (USA) were leading their
respective competitions after the first day’s events concluded here in Götzis this
afternoon.
Although both athletes are nursing relatively narrow leads going into day two, the remaining events would appear to favour them both over their opponents.
Shelia Burrell (USA) took the lead after four events in the women’s heptathlon this afternoon, with her winning time of 23.50 in the 200 metres – worth 1029 points - putting her just 11 points ahead of Germany’s grand veteran Sabine Braun. Braun’s compatriot Sonja Kesselschläger was in third place at the close of this afternoon’s session trailing Braun by nine points with a score for the first four events of 3702.
The three leaders had already marked a decisive break from the rest of the women’s field, with fourth-placed Natalya Roshchupkina totalling 3648 points for her performances.
For World Record holder Roman Sebrle too, the final event of the first day was the one that enabled him to take the lead. After event three, the high jump, he was trailing Tom Pappas by 27 points, totalling 3614 to Pappas’s 3641 and just 18 points ahead of Italy’s William Frullani, after Pappas and Frullani produced, respectively 2.18m and 2.15m in the high jump.
But in the closing event of the day, the men’s 400 metres, Sebrle’s training paid off as he turned in the second best performance of the event, 48.35, despite a gruelling contest in the hot conditions that have prevailed in Götzis throughout the day. This took Sebrle to a total of 4506 points for the day, a 24 point lead over Frullani with 4482 points and the 4480 points scored by Pappas.
On the basis of the first day, Sebrle will need to break at least a couple of personal bests tomorrow if he is to approach his World Record 9206. With his personal bests in the remaining events adding up to a total of 4351 points, it looks more likely that he will be close to his own forecast yesterday of 8700-8800 points, barring injury or major surprises form the rest of the field..
These numbers are likely to be enough to beat third-placed Pappas, with current second place, Frullani, who comes to this meeting with a previous best of under 8000 points would appear unlikely to be able to come near this experienced duo.
