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News27 Jul 2002


Turova sets world steeplechase record, while Pyrek defeats Feofanova in vault

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Turova sets world steeplechase record, while Pyrek defeats Feofanova in vault
Janusz Rozum for the IAAF
28 July 2002 – Gdansk, Poland - At the BALT 2002 meeting Alesya Turova running only her fourth 3000 m steeplechase, set her second World record. The result 9:16.51 is 5.21 seconds better than the time she clocked in Ostrava.

As two time world record breaker Justyna Bak was not in the race, it was left for Turova to fight alone. She ran the first 1000 metres in 2:59.1, which was 6 seconds faster than her previous time, and then 2000 m in 6:08.0.

In contrast to Turova's run in Ostrava when it seemed that she was perhaps slightly saving herself for future record attempts, here in Gdansk she continued her forceful drive right through to the finish, and her efforts were wildly appreciated by the crowd.

Zbigniew Krol, who is the coach to Pawel Czapiewski, Poland’s world championships 800m silver medallist predicts that in a very short time the women’s steeplechase record will be about 8:55.00.

The spectators were on their feet to applaud the 800 metre race, with world record holder Wilson Kipketer of Denmark taking on local hero Czapiewski, who is also European Indoor champion. The pace was fast (400 m - 50.18) and after the first lap Kipketer was second (50.84) and Czapiewski, as usual, last (52.47).

At 600 metres, Czapiewski moved to fifth place but the gap to Kipketer was still large (1.58secs). The sprint in the finishing straight led the Pole past the Kenyans, Wilfred Bungei and William Yiampoy, into second place (1:44.80) but he could not reach Kipketer (1:44.69) to whom he lost by less then by one metre. Overlooking the finish was Slawomir Nowak, Kipketer’s Polish coach.

Czapiewski, who has been weakened by a recent infection is back to full and said just after the race:

"I'm not interested in what's going on in the front of the race. I'm just trying to run the whole distance in an even pace and gain as a good result as possible. In Munich it will be easier to move from the back as in all the races there will only be 8 runners."

In the women’s pole vault everybody hoped that Russia's Svetlana Feofanova would be attempting to beat Stacy Dragila's World record (4.81). However, the result was much different, with Feofanova jumping only 4.42 (and missing four other attempts in the competion).

Ahead of the Feofanova, Poland’s Monika Pyrek, the world championships bronze medallist got the valuable win, jumping 4.52 as did Russia’s Yelena Belyakova (her PB) and both women also came close at 4.62.

Elsewhere, other favourites won - the 400m flat was taken by Amy Mbacke Thiam of Senegal, the world champion, the 400 m hurdles by Daimi Pernia of Cuba who was the 1999 world champion, and the hammer by Poland’s Olympic champion Kamila Skolimowska.

Saturday 27 July was the last day to qualify for the European champs and a few Polish athletes made good use of this opportunity.

The women 4 x 100 relay after some earlier failed attempts finally ran below the minimum qualification time that the Polish Federation (44.20) had set.

Also added to the Polish team for Munich is European indoor 200m bronze medallist Robert Mackowiak who after his start in Doha (15 May) had experienced Achilles tendon problems. He will strengthen the Polish 4 x 400 relay, although he still won’t be back to his top form. The Polish team won't be the favourites in Munich as in this season only the hurdler – Marek Plawgo has run below 46s. It's possible that Pawel Januszewski, the defending European 400m hurdles champion will also compete in the relay. Last night in Plawgo's absence Januszewski won the 400 m hurdles in 49.23. 

Rafal Wojcik also made the team in the 3000 m steeplechase clocking 8:24.71 last night, behind a battle between Kenya’s former world record holder Wilson Boit Kipketer and Khamis Abdullah of Qatar. Kipketer was unexpectedly beaten by Abdullah – 8:16.48 to 8:16.71.

Last year's meeting had an enormous attraction in the person of Michael Johnson in 4 x 200 m relay making his farewells. This year it was the 'good-bye' for Poland’s Artur Partyka. One of world's best high jumpers in the 1990’s and still the reigning European champion, he was persuaded by 1999 World Indoor Heptathlon champion Sebastian Chmara to participate in one last event.

After 18 months without training, Partyka managed to shed 8 kg in weight, and last night jumped 2.10m on the third attempt. Chmara also jumped the same height, but he needed only one attempt to do so and it was he, who got the sponsor's prize - a car (which he has decided to donate to charity). So Partyka has ended his career as an athlete, and is now a promising TV commentator.

Selected Results -

Women:
100m: Endrurance Ojokolo 11.30
400m: Amy Mbacke Thiam 51.66, Anastasia Kapachinskaya 51.78
800m: Zulia Calatayud 1:58.61, Olga Raspopova 1:58.63
400m h: Daimi Pernia 54.54, Anna Olichwierczuk 55.61
3000m: Olga Nelyubova 8:47.90
3000m st: Alesya Turova 9:16.51
PV: Monika Pyrek 4.52, Yelena Belyakova 4.52, Svetlana Feofanova 4.42
TJ: Yelena Oleynikova 14.14
HT: Kamila Skolimowska 68.52, Olga Tsander 67.44, Agnieszka Pogroszewska 67.31
4x100m: Poland 44.17

Men:
100m: Marcin Urbas 10.31
200m: Marcin Jedrusinski 20.55
400m: Marc Raquil 46.05
800m: Wilson Kipketer 1:44.69, Pawel Czapiewski 1:44.80, Wilfred Bungei 1:44.97
110m h: Artur Kohutek 13.59
400m h: Pawel Januszewski 49.23
3000m st: Khamis Abdullah 8:16.48, Wilson Boit Kipketer 8:16.71
HJ: James Nieto 2.24
PV: Vasiliy Gorshkov 5.71, Stepan Janacek 5.71
SP: Joachim Olsen 20.88
JT: Dariusz Trafas 78.97
4x100m: Poland 39.12

Full results available at www.domtel.pl/balt2002

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