European Indoor Championships – PREVIEW

With several key headtohead match-ups topping the bill, this weekend’s 30th European Indoor Championships (6 to 8 March) at the Oval Lingotto in Turin will provide a fitting climax to this indoor season, and in some instances, even a glimpse at what is to come at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin next August.

As was the case at these championships in Birmingham two years ago, much of the attention this weekend will be directed to the infield, particularly to the High Jump. Indeed, no event is more dominated by Europeans at the moment, with both the men’s and women’s contests set to be among the weekend’s primary highlights.

Vlasic vs Frierich and Ukhov take centre stage

The weekend’s most anticipated duel will come on Sunday afternoon (8)when Croatian heroine Blanka Vlasic and Ariane Friedrich of Germany square off for the second time this season. Both arrive in Turin as co-world leaders at 2.05m, a height both successfully negotiated in Karlsruhe, Germany (15 Feb.), where Friedrich handed Vlasic her only loss of the season in her six starts. The German, who rose to the fore just one season ago, is unbeaten in seven competitions this winter, and will be looking to finally move out from Vlasic’s shadow on a big stage. Vlasic, the reigning World champion indoors and out, on the other hand, is still chasing her first continental medal. Who will be hungrier?

Russia will be represented by a pair of two-metre jumpers, newcomer Irina Gordeyeva (2.01m) and Viktoriya Klyugina (2.00m). Spaniard Ruth Beitia (1.98m this year, PB 2.01m) could also be a podium factor.

Leading the men’s field is Russian Ivan Ukhov who in a span of less than four months has gone from YouTube sensation to the world’s finest jumper. The 22-year-old has led the world lists virtually all season and most recently raised his own Russian record with a 2.40m leap in Athens last week (25 Feb). As with the chief women’s protagonists, only three have ever jumped higher. Other than his low key season opener when he was defeated (9 Jan), in a busy schedule of nine meetings Ukhov has faltered one other time with a runner-up finish in Birmingham (21 Feb), and will start as the prohibitive favourite.

But Ukhov’s stroll to the continental indoor title won’t be the proverbial cake walk. He’ll face Swede Linus Thornblad, the silver medallist from two years ago and this season’s =No.2 with a near-PB of 2.36m. Seven others expected to compete have sailed over 2.30m or higher, including Viktor Shapoval of Ukraine who has improved to 2.33m.

World leader Cusma leading home team charge

But for Italy, who will host the event for the fourth time, much of the attention will be focused on 800m ace Elisa Cusma, whose 1:59.25 national record paces the world. Sixth at the World Indoors a year ago, the 27-year-old will face a daunting task in what is often among the most fiercely-contested and unpredictable events at these championships.

Great Britain comes armed with a solid 1-2 punch in Marilyn Okoro and Jennifer Meadows, who’ve improved to 1:59.27 and 1:59.52, respectively, this season. Mariya Savinova, who’s run 1:59.45, is the leading Russian entrant, and will be joined by defending champion Oksana Zbrozhek. Also returning is Ukraine’s Tetyana Petlyuk, who was second in Birmingham two years ago and the silver medallist at the World indoors last year.

Dynamic doubling? - women’s middle & long distance events

Two years ago, Lidia Chojecka of Poland emerged as the biggest star in Birmingham after taking an unprecedented 1500m/3000m double. Whether she’ll choose to defend both titles is yet to be determined, but in either case, the competition is expected to be intense.

Rising Russian middle distance star Anna Alminova is entered in both the 1500 and 3000, and has produced the goods this winter to emerge victorious in either, or perhaps even both, events. She clocked a career best 4:02.33 in the 1500 in Athens last week, but attracted significant notice after shadowing Meseret Defar in the Stuttgart 3000m, where she clocked a sensational 8:28.49.

Nuria Fernandez, the world leader in the 1500 (4:01.77), has decided to focus only on the 3000m. She’s run the event just once, winning the Spanish title in 9:24.67, but judging from her 1500m national record in Valencia, she’s prepared to run significantly faster.

Others who could be a factor in the 1500 include Spain’s Natalia Rodriguez, and Russian Yevgeniya Zolotova. In the 3000, Irishwoman Mary Cullen and Portugal’s Jessica Augusto will be in the mix as well.

Borzakovskiy, Farah and the Spanish armada – men’s middle & long distances

In his first appearance at these championships since his victory in 2000, enigmatic Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy will arrive as the man to beat. With his 1:45.96 runner-up finish in Stuttgart, he is by far Europe’s fastest 800m man this winter and with PBs over 500m and 1000m this year, he’ll obviously start in strong form. Should he win, he’ll become only the second man to win a second title. With no others dipping under 1:47 this season, Spaniards Luis Albeto Marco and Miguel Quesada and the Polish pair of Marcin Lewandowski and Pawel Czapiewski are expected to lead the chase pack once Borzakovskiy decides to unleash his trademark late-race kick.

Two years ago a Spanish armada comprised of Juan Carlos Higuero, Sergio Gallardo and Arturo Casado took home a rare medal sweep in the 1500m. This year, Casado (3:38.43), Diego Ruiz (3:3642) and Alvaro Rodriguez (3:38.10) return to defend their nation’s reputation as the deepest metric milers on the continent. The trio are also the fastest three Europeans entered, and will form a formidable force. Frenchman Yohan Kowal (3:38.59 PB this season), German Wolfram Muller and always dangerous Rui Silva of Portugal appear strongest to break the Spanish stranglehold.

Among the strongest British hopes –and among the strongest favourites in these championships - is Mo Farah, who has been on fire in the 3000m this season. Twice the 25-year-old has lowered the British record, most recently to 7:34.47 in Birmingham (21 Feb), the fourth fastest performance in the world this year and fastest among Europeans. After a fall nearly kept him from the final two years ago, he was a disappointed fifth in Birmingham and will be eager to make amends this time around.

Frenchman Bob Tahri, Jesus Espana of Spain, the reigning silver and bronze medalists, return with strong 2009 credentials and will certainly be a force.

Sprints – World leader Licciardello among the hosts’ key medal hopes

Another strong medal hope for the host nation comes in the frame of 400m runner Claudio Licciardello. Consistent in his few appearances this season, the 23-year-old from Rome cruised to a 46.03 victory at the national championships 10 days ago at the national championships on this same track, and will return to Turin as the surprise world leader.

But with limited major event experience, he can’t be considered a clear favourite with Irishman David Gillick returning to defend his title. The 25-year-old sped to a national record 45.52 in Birmingham to become the first back-to-back champion and if successful this weekend, he’ll become the first three-time winner in the event. He’s run 46.18 in his only race this season and is said to be ready. Three others have run under 46.30 this season – Briton Richard Buck, Austrian Clemens Zeller and Italy’s Matteo Galvan – although a stronger medal contender is Swede Johan Wissman, the silver medallist at the World indoors one year ago.

The battle for fastest man accolades is expected to come from the British ranks, where Dwain Chambers, Simeon Williamson and Craig Pickering all figure prominently in the medals chase. Chambers, the silver medallist at the World Indoors in Valencia last year, is the co-world leader with a pair of 6.51 dashes to his credit this winter. Williamson has sped to a PB 6.53 this season, while Pickering, the 2007 silver medallist, has run within 0.02 seconds of his career best 6.55.

There is a strong domestic component here as well after Fabio Cerutti’s 6.55 Italian national record run at the Championships’ test event 10 days ago, illustrating that the track is indeed fast. 

The women’s 60m is a wide affair, with Russians Anna Geflikh (7.18) and Natalya Murinovich (7.19) pacing the continent this winter. Like the Russian pair, Germany’s Verena Sailer (7.22), and Inna Eftimova (7.24) have produced career bests in 2009.

More often than not, Russia comes armed with a strong women’s 400m corps and this year is no different. The trio is headed by newcomer Antonina Krivoshapka, the 21-year-old who improved to a notable 50.55, a world leader which propelled her to the Russian title. Expected to keep her company will be compatriots Darya Safonova and Natalya Antyukh, who have also dipped under 52.50.

The attention in the men’s 60m Hurdles will primarily focus on two men who have produced notable seasons: Russian Yevgeniy Borisov, who sped 7.45 in Stuttgart, and Dutchman Gregory Sedoc, among the most consistent hurdles this winter and the defending champion. Frenchman Ladji Doucoure, the outdoor World champion in 2005, and Spaniard Jackson Quinonez, the bronze medallist at thesew champs two years ago, are also expected to contend.

Strong German contingent in both men’s and women’s Pole Vault

With World and Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva choosing to forgo the championships, it will be up to Yuliya Golubchikova, the silver medallist in Birmingham, to keep the title in Russian hands. She, and Germany’s Silke Spiegelburg, have cleared 4.71m this winter. As with their male counterparts, Germany will come with a solid trio, which includes 4.60m jumpers Carolin Hingst and Anna Battke.

In the men’s event, five men with season’s bests of 5.80m or more are expected to compete, with the medals very much up for grabs. Defending champion Danny Ecker (5.81m) returns to lead an always formidable German contingent, which this year includes Alexander Straub (5.80m) and relative newcomer Tobias Scherbath (5.76m). Meanwhile, Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie, Russian Pavel Gerasimov and Swede Alhaji Jeng have each cleared 5.81m.

Tamgho targeting first senior success

The men’s Triple Jump, which will open field event competition on Friday morning (6), will also be the focus of local interest. At the Italian championships 10 days ago, veteran Fabrizio Donato extended his own national record to 17.42m, the second farthest in the world this season, to start as a solid gold medal hope for the host nation. After four appearances at the continental championships – a pair indoors and a pair outdoors – Donato has yet to earn a medal, an added incentive as he competes before a strong crowd.

But he’ll have to tango with Teddy Tamgho, the World Junior champion from France, who, still only 19, is very much considered the future of the event. Consistent in his three outings this winter, Tamgho will arrive in as the world leader after a 17.58m leap Paris (13 Feb), an effort which landed him just outside the event’s all-time top-10. At the same competition, the teenager reportedly produced a long foul in World record vicinity.

Leading the women’s battle will be World indoor bronze medallist Marija Sestak of Slovenia, a World and Olympic finalist, and the only jumper in the field who has sailed beyond 15 metres. This season Sestak has leaped 14.52m, but she’ll have to contend with Russia’s Anastasiya Taranova-Potapova, the 2004 World junior champion, who reached a world-leading 14.67 in late January.

In the women’s Long Jump, Olga Kucherenko will be looking to end a Russian gold medal drought in the event that extends back to the Soviet days. The world leader at 6.84m, the 23-year-old is unbeaten in five outings this season, and in all but one of those has sailed farther than anyone else in the field. Her chief competition is expected from her compatriots Tatyana Voykina and Yelena Sokoleva who’ll be targeting the first-ever podium sweep in the event.

Nine men have bettered eight-metres this season, but three are well ahead of the rest. Louis Tsatoumas of Greece, the silver medallist two years ago, has reached a PB 8.20 with Frenchman Salim Sdiri and Sebastian Bayer not far behind at 8.17m, a career best for the latter.

After extending the Polish indoor record to 21.10m last weekend, Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski will clearly be the class in the Shot Put. In each of his five appearances, the 27-year-old has thrown farther than anyone else in Europe.

Conversely in the women’s contest, Italy’s Assunta Legnante will have some fierce competition in her title defence. Romanian Anca Heltne (19.54m) and Germans Denise Hinrichs (19.25m) and Petra Lammert (19.00m) have each put further than the Italian’s 18.85m best.

Bogdanova and Sebrle? Multi events

Russian Anna Bogdanova, the World Indoor bronze medallist last year, will start as a solid favourite to succeed Karolina Kluft as Pentathlon champion. The 24-year-old’s 4784 point tally paces the world and is more than 200 points better than her nearest challenger, Kaie Kand of Estonia.

In the Heptathlon, Roman Sebrle will be chasing a fourth consecutive title. He’ll tangle with four others who have tallied 6000 points or better, including 2006 World champion Andre Niklaus of Germany, and Russian Aleksey Drozdov. Dutchman Eelco Sintnikolaas is the European leader this year with a 6036 tally.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

NB: this Preview is based upon entry list available on 3 March. Final entries are subject to the technical meeting.

Bob Ramsak and Chris Turner are in Turin to offer extensive coverage of the championships for the IAAF website, which will include morning and evening session summaries, features and other news. Getty Images, our official photographers, will as usual be providing the IAAF's photographic coverage from the Championships.