Andrus Varnik of Estonia (© Getty Images)
Tallinn, Estonia, July 20The annual EAA permit meeting in the Estonian capital Tallinn was last year considered one of the best among the continental permit category. This year's edition "Tallinn 2004" in the Kadriorg Stadium again promises good competition tomorrow (21 July).
For the local crowd the main events will be the throws. In the Discus, Gerd Kanter and Aleksander Tammert will face good opposition from South African Olym;pic bronze medallist Frantz Kruger, Hungarian Roland Varga, and the best Czech thrower Libor Malina.
In the Javelin, Andrus Varnik, the World silver medallist, will compete against Eriks Rags from Latvia and new Australian talent William Hamlyn-Harris. In contention will also be the second best ranked Finn of this summer, the European U23 bronze medallist Tero Pitkamaki.
Reigning Olympic Decathlon champion Erki Nool will have it very tough in the Long Jump with names like Kiril Sosunov (Russia), Olexiy Lukashevich (Ukraine), Luis Meliz (Cuba) and James Beckford (Jamaica) competing. All of these opponents have personal bests well over 8.20m.
Traditionally, the women’s Javelin has a classy field at this meet and this year the field is headed by World record holder and world season leader Osleidys Menendez from Cuba. It will be her 10th competition of the year, she has lost only once, in June in Havana, Cuba, due to injury. Her world lead is 68.23m.
A strong contingent of Jamaican sprinters should do well. For example, Patrick Jarrett (100m), Dean Griffiths (400m Hurdles), Davian Clarke (400m) and his wife Lacena Golding-Clarke (100m Hurdles).
There is also an interesting men’s High Jump competition with Canadian Mark Boswell and Olympic champion Sergey Klyugin from Russia.
