Dominating 100m win by Francis Obikwelu in Milan (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Milan, ItalyItaly leads in both the men’s and women’s ranking after day one of the European Cup First League at the Milano Arena Civica Stadium. While the Italian men’s 17 point lead over Portugal has fulfilled expectations, the Italian women’s squad produced a surprise 10 point lead over the favourites Romania.
Men’s competition
Olympic 100m silver medallist and 100/200m European champion Francis Obikwelu was the star of meeting winning with the greatest ease in the 100m in 10.12 on the brand new track of the old Napoleonic Arena Civica Stadium. European outdoor bronze medallist Matic Osovnikar of Slovenia took runner-up in 10.30 holding off new Italian sprint revelation Jacques Riparelli (10.38).
“The win and eight points for Portugal were more important than the final time,” said Obikwelu.”This year be wide open. Everything can happen in Osaka.”
Evora surprises Howe in Long Jump
Portugal enjoyed a solid first day securing a second individual win thanks to Nelson Evora who surprisingly beat Andrew Howe in the Long Jump. The much-awaited competition did not fulfil its expectations because of the strong headwind which blew steadily during the entire competition. It was Portugal’s Evora who stole the show leaping to a new PB of 8.10 (-0.90 m/s), the only eight metre jump of the day to beat the European outdoor and indoor champion who produced a best of 7.95 (-1.6 m/s).
“It was a good competition especially because I am a Triple Jump specialist,” said Evora who intends to double in Osaka. “Conditions were very strange. Yesterday I trained and wind conditions were good. Today it was difficult to jump.”
Howe bounced back some minutes later anchoring the Italian 4x100m Relay to win in 39.09. The Italian team was made up of Rosario La Mastra, Riparelli, Fabio Cerutti and Howe.
“I am very disappointed. I did not manage to adapt to windy conditions,” Howe said. “It was a fight against the wind. In the last jump the wind blew at a speed of -3.1 m/s. It’s better that a bad day occurred today and not in Osaka. But the win with the 4x100 gives me a good feeling. I enjoyed running the relay. We are a good team. We can break the Italian record in Osaka. I need competitions against the best jumpers. I will take part in Athens and Rome in the long jump and in a 100 metres race in Sardinia.”
Andrea Bettinelli became the first Italian this outdoor season to jump 2.30 which secured an easy win over Stefan Vasilache and the qualification for Osaka. Bettinelli had a decent attempt at 2.34, one cm higher than the Italian outdoor record.
“I feel that I can jump 2.34. It’s just a matter of improving the run-up,” said Bettinelli.
Tikhon over Kozmus
In the men’s hammer throw, one of the best competitions of the programme of the European Cup First League in the Arena Civica Stadium in Milan, reigning World and European champion Ivan Tikhon from Belarus clinched a last-attempt win with a best throw of 79.40 beating Slovenian in-form Primoz Kozmus, who was leading until the third attempt with 78.32 which he increased to 78.93 with his fourth throw. Former Olympic silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni secured valuable points for Italy taking third with 76.62 m.
Crucial wins for Italy were taken by 400m European outdoor finalist Andrea Barberi in 46.03, Gianni Carabelli in the 400m Hurdles in 50.73 and Christian Obrist in the 1500m over Portugal’s Manuel Damiao in 3:43.31.
Women’s competition
The women’s team contest features as expected the battle between Italy and Romania for promotion into next year’s Super League. While the host nation finished the first day with a solid lead of 10 points, the battle is still wide open tomorrow.
Ivet Lalova from Bulgaria, the most prominent woman star of the Milan two-day meet, won the 100m in 11.26 continuing her remarkable comeback from a career-threatening injury sustained two years ago.
“The time is not special but the win was what mattered most,” Lalova said. “My comeback this year means everything for me. I am going to Osaka but my real goal is Bejing.”
Celebrating a good day was Italian Triple Jump record holder Magdelin Martinez who is continuing on her comeback trail from last year’s injuries with an encouraging 14.57 win. The former Cuban also leapt 14.55 on her second best jump.
“I stopped after the third attempt because I felt a slight pain but it is not serious,” Martinez said. “But today I had a good feeling. I can jump 14.70 in my next meeting in Athens.”
Another win from Italy came from 3000m European indoor bronze medallist Silvia Weissteiner who prevailed narrowly over Daniela Donisa in 8:59.30 to 8:59.86, a good result considering the pedestrian pace in the early part of the race.
Popescu outsprints Ceplak
Romania keeps its hopes to gain promotion to the Super League after four individual wins: Nicoleta Grasu in the discus with 61.75 beating Cristiana Checchi (second best performance on the Italian all-time list with 59.74); Ionela Tirlea Manolache in the 400m in 51.98; Liliana Popescu who held off favourite Jolanda Ceplak from Slovenia and Elisa Cusma from Italy in 2:01.92; and Cristina Casandra in the 3000m Steeplechase in 9:38.86 ahead of an impressive performance by Italian Elena Romagnolo who smashed her own national record by eleven seconds to 9:41.11.
Italian women finished on a high note with two more wins: World championships fifth placer Zahra Bani won the javelin throw with 60.20, and the 4x100m Relay anchored by injury-free Manuela Levorato who clocked 43.98 ahead of Bulgaria. It was Levorato’s second race of her comeback season after two years of physical problems. Another win for the Italian team came from national record holder Benedetta Ceccarelli in the 400m Hurdles (56.50).
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
