News10 Jul 2010


Casado and Gillick shine in Barcelona

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Arturo Casado (bib 12) leading the 1500m final at the 2009 Spanish indoor champs (© Juan José Úbeda)

Spain’s Arturo Casado and Ireland’s David Gillick produced the vintage performances at the 16th ‘Míting Internacional d´Atletisme Ciutat de Barcelona’  (EA Premium meeting) last night (9). The event was the dress rehearsal of the European Championships to be held at the same venue later this month.

Birthday celebrations for Gillick

The 1.95 tall Irishman proved again to be in top shape by taking a thrilling 400m victory over Cuba’s World indoor bronze medallist William Collazo. Gillick, who turned 27 years of age on the day of the race, was chasing Collazo all the way as he had been drawn in lane five for the Cuban’s lane six.

Collazo had a five-metre lead entering the home-straight but Gillick managed to pip him with barely 20m left to clock a season best of 44.95, the second quickest time for a European so far this year and his fifth under 45s ever clocking. Collazo came runner-up in a SB of 45.12 while the newly-minted Ibero-American champion Nery Brenes of Costa Rica took third in 45.42.

The winner said: “It has been a fastastic race and a great gift for my birthday. Today’s was a very tough race as Collazo made me fight until the very end. Over the closing metres I was just thinking ‘stay relaxed’. In addition, I have had the opportunity to get to know the stadium of the Europeans some weeks in advance. I really look forward to competing at Barcelona 2010. I’m sure it will be a great competion” concluded Gillick.

1500m European lead for Casado

Spain’s Arturo Casado recorded a fine 3:35.02 1500m win to propell himself at the fastest European up to now this outdoor season; paced through the 400m in 56.71 ad 800 (1:55.23) the 27-year-old Madrid-born only went to the forefront to win the race on the homestraight although he was fiercely pushed by South Africa’s Juan Van Deventer, runner-up in a SB of 3:35.15 while Spain’s Álvaro Fernández finished third with 3:35.74.

A satisfied Casado declared: “My wins proves that I’m on the right way thinking of Barcelona as it was the case last Friday when I clocked 1:45.8h for the 800; anyway, I still have the most important race prior to the Europeans ahead of me and that’s the Spanish championships next weekend in Avilés. The 1500m standard in Spain is impressive but I’m very confident of my chances to compete in Barcelona”.

10.14 for Chambers

It was in Barcelona when Britain’s reigning World 60m indoor champion Dwain Chambers was posted that he had lost his 2010 European lead in the 100m to France’s emerging talent Christophe Lemaître as the still 19-year-old had clocked a career best of 9.98 some hours before at the French champs to best Chambers’ previous lead of 9.99.

The 32-year-old tried to regain his supremacy on the year’s list but Chambers had to be satisfied with a 10.14 win against a 0.9mps breeze ahead of Jamaica’s Dexter Lee who, still a junior, produced a personal best of 10.16 for the runner-up spot while America’s Michael Rodgers came third in 10.23.

Chambers was quotes as saying: “I was eager to test the new track in the Olympic Stadium. The atmosphere was great, I’m satisfied with my race. I was told that Lemaître clocked 9.98 today, he has a huge ability for the 100m. The level at the Europeans will be extremely high and I will need to be in top shape to take gold”.

Lowe prevails over Vlasic on countback

The women’s High Jump had been billed as the marquee event of the meeting thanks to the encounter between the world leader Chaunte Lowe of the US and Croacia’s reigning World indoor and outdoor champion Blanka Vlasic.

Top jumpers such as Italy’s Antonietta Di Martino and Spain’s Ruth Beitia had to settle for respective 1.93 clearances and the top spot became a two-horse battle in the guise of Lowe and Vlasic as expected. As it was the case in Madrid last week Lowe had an early scare, this time at 1.89 which she surpassed at the second try while the 1.92-tall Croation had a perfect card until and including 1.97.

2.00 proved to be the key height as Lowe was successful on her second attempt while Vlasic needed all the three jumps and none of them managed to sail over 2.03. Yesterday’s was Vlasic’s second defeat in 12 outings in 2010 while Lowe keptt on her European tour after her Area record of 2.05 in Des Moines with a tally of three wins and one runner-up place.

A disappointed Vlasic commented: “It didn’t go well, I just didn’t find my technique. Both the weather and the atmosphere were perfect to compete and I really look forward to coming back and taking part at Barcelona 2010”.

Domínguez’s speed is OK

Spain’s reigning World 3000m steeplechase champion Marta Domínguez tackled on this occasion the 1500m event – she won the European Junior title over this distance…17 years ago! – and the outcome could not be more positive for the 34-year-old as she sliced half a second on her career best to clock 4:04.27 for the runner-up position as the win went for the 28-year-old Romanian Liliana Barbulescu, a creditable fourth at the 2008 World indoor championships in Valencia.

Barbuslescu (formerly Popescu) overtook Domínguez with some 50m to go but was pushed to the finish line as only 0.04s separated both athletes, SB of 4:04.23 for the winner, while Morocco’s Siham Hilali posted 4:05.17 for third. Worth mentioning is the massive PB set by Italy’s 3000m steeplechaser Elena Romagnolo, author of a fine 4:06:03.

National record for Yanit

Turkey’s 2007 European U-23 100m hurdles champion Nevin Yanit put herself into the Barcelona medal picture thanks to a 12.74 clocking for a national record into a headwind of 0.2mps. She had a huge advantage on Vonette Dixon of Jamaica (13.07) and Norway’s Christina Vukicevic, 13.09.

The men’s 400m Hurdles went for Uruguay’s Andres Silva in a PB of 49.17 narrowly ahead of South Africa’a Cornel Fredericks timed at 49.17 while Greece’s reigning European champion Periklis Iakovakis came third in 49.63. Germany’s Sergei Litvinov’s last release of 77.49 gave him a fine win in the men’s Hammer over Hungary’s Krisztian Pars’s 76.42 while Ukrania’s Antonina Yefremova bettered Bulgaria’s Vania Stambolova in the women’s 400m with respective times of 50.95 and 51.05.

Finally, Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa took a commanding 3000m Steeplechase win in 9:26.04 and Germany’s Bianca Kappler produced a slightly (+2.1) wind-assisted fourth round of 6.68 to take the women’s Long Jump ahead of Estonia’s Ksenija Balta’s 6.58.

Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF

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