Olga Vasdeki (GRE) (© Getty Images)
One men’s national record, one in the junior category and many Olympic qualification performances accounted for the final day of the Greek Championships, held in the Olympic Stadium of Athens today.
There is not any doubt that the 90th Greek National Championships were the best ever, also because of the number of new names who entered the scene, smashing their personal bests.
These championships held in a completely renovated stadium, motivated many athletes to test their current condition, just two months before the Olympic Games. Set in the middle of an large Olympic Centre with many other facilities, the stadium with its infrastructure is an impressive construction which is going to continue to inspire youngsters for decades to come to continue the progress of the Greek athletics.
Devetzi in her way to Athens
The women’s bronze medallist of the World Indoor Championships, Hrysopiyi Devetzi opened her season today, winning the Triple Jump with 14.48m, an outdoor personal best. Devetzi, who jumped 14.38m in the morning qualification round, commented to Greek television “I am in the correct way. This personal best is not something special. I go on with my preparation for the Olympics”.
Dimitra Markou placed second with 14.03m and the former European Champion of the event, Olga Vasdeki was back in third with 13.89m
Evaggelou sets Pole Vault record
The men’s pole vault competition produced the national record of the third day. Marios Evaggelou won the national title at 5.40m and then attempted successfully at 5.62m to break the record.
A 18-year-old athlete, Konstantinos Philippidis, placed second with 5.35m. Having already cleared 4.41m in this season, Philippidis is one of the more promising prospects for the Greek athletics.
Kaidatzi and Redoumi met Olympic standards
Olga Kaidatzi, a very promising junior few years ago, had many injuries in the last two years which has delayed her path to international distinction. But today she was very strong, winning the 200m in a personal best of 22.88, the second all time performance for Greece, just in her opening race.
Flora Redoumi, 7th in the World Indoor Championships of Budapest, verified her good form. With a time of 12.86 set a personal best in the 100m Hurdles race, also the second all time performance for Greece. Christiana Tambaki was second with 12.98, the third Greek athlete who runs the distance over 13 seconds.
Goussis to run 200m in Athens
Anastassios Goussis, the 400m national record holder, after winning his initial event on Thursday (10 June) said that he prefers to participate in the 200m in Athens. Today, he made the essential step towards this objective, winning the 200m with a personal best of 20.51. Panayotis Sarris was second with 20.66
Bakogianni continues her effort to participate in Olympics
Niki Bakogianni finally decided to continue. Today she cleared 1.85m to get the 3rd position in the championships, but her good jumps at 1.88m show that she has the possibility for much better attempts. Niki Mitropoulou won with 1.91m to set the low standard for the Olympics.
Alexandra Papageorgiou was the winner of the women’s Hammer throw with 69.31m, approaching her own national record. Michalis Stamatogiannis won the men’s Shot Put with 19.24m, and Kalliopi Ouzouni the women’s event with 18.63m. Alexandros Papadimitriou sent the hammer to 77.70m.
Cypriot records
Finally, a special reference should be made to a Cypriot athlete who participated in the Greek Championships. Marilia Gregoriou set multiple national records, almost in all races she participated. In the finals, she placed second in the 200m with 23.07, while she was also second in the 100m final in Thursday with 11.33. Two records indicating a significant improvement for the Cypriot sprinter.
Michalis Nikitaridis for the IAAF
The results of the third day:
MEN
200m
1. Anastassios Goussis 20.51 pb
2. Panayotis Sarris 20.66
3. Christos Vassou 21.18
1500m
1. Konstantinos Karakatsanis 3.51.01
2. Konstantinos Tsiokos 3.51.50
3. Antonios Koutrikis 3.52.17;
100m hurdles (+0.1 m/s)
1. Ioannis Marakakis 13.93 pb
2.Christos Economopoulos 13.94
3. Nikolaos Filandarakis 14.06 NJR (also NJR in the preliminaries with 14.07)
Pole Vault
1. Marios Evaggelou 5.62 NR
2. Konstantinos Fillipidis 5.35m
3. Philippos Sgouros 5.15m
Shot Put
1. Michalis Stamatogiannis 19.24m
2. Vaios Tigas 19.15m
3.Panayotis Baharidis 18.84m
Hammer Throw
1. Alexandros Papadimitriou 77.70m
2. Christos Polichroniou 73.84m;
3. Charalambos Arsoniadis 66.74m
Triple Jump
1. Christos Meletoglou 16.69m (+0.6)
2. Konstantinos Zalagitis 16.31m (-0.4)
3. Dimitrios Tsiamis 15.98m (-0.4)
U23 20000m walk
1. Konstantinos Stefanopoulos 1.34.07
2. Haralambos Koutroulis 1.41.39
3. Paraskevas Vandoros 1.50.42
WOMEN
200m (-0.7 m/s)
1. Olga Kaidatzi 22.88 pb
2. Marilia Gregoriou (CYP) 23.07 NR
3. Athjina Kopsia 24.42
1500m
1. Konstantina Efentaki 4.18.72
2. Pagona Nika 4.23.08
3. Fotini Dagli 4.28.79
100m hurdles (+0.4 m/s)
1. Flora Redoumi 12.86 pb
2. Christiana Tambaki 12.98
3. Georgia Stoyannidou 13.15 pb
3000m steeple
1. Konstantina Kefala 10.33.27
2. Maria Pardalou 10.40.19
3. Maria Evagelou 10.44.91
High Jump
1. Niki Mitropoulou 1.91m
2. Maria Hotokouridou 1.85m
3. Soultana Papasotiriou 1.85m
3. Eleni Siropoulou 1.85m
3. Niki Bakogianni 1.85m
Triple Jump
1. Chrisopigi Devetzi 14.48 (+0.8)
2. Dimitra Markou 14.03 (+1.2)
3. Olga Vasdeki 13.89m (+0.5)
Shot Put
1. Kalliopi Ouzouni 18.63m
2. Chrisi Moesiadou 15.54m
3. Fotini Kiriakidou 14.85m
Hammer Throw
1. Alexandra Papageorgiou 69.31m
2. Evdokia Tsamoglou 66.64m
3. Styliani Papadopoulou 64.72m
U23 20000m walk
1. Athanassia Tsoumeleka 1.32.05
2. Maria Hatzipanayotidou 1.40.20
3. Antigoni Drisbioti 1.47.15
After the end of the Greek National Championships, the Federation announced the teams for the European Cup:
Men:
100m Hristoforos Choidis, 200 m. Konstantinos Kenteris, 400m Anastassios Goussis, 800m Panayotis Stroubakos, 1500m Konstantinos Karakatsanis, 3000m Michalis Yelasakis, 5000m Antonios Papantonis, 100mh Ioannis Marakakis, 400mh Periklis Iakovakis, HJ Dimitrios Sirkaos, PV Marios Evangelou, LJ Louis Tsatoumas, TJ Hristos Meletoglou, SP Michalis Stamatogiannis, DT Stefanos Konstas, HT Alexandros Papadimitriou, JT Georgios Iltsios, 4X100m Hristofors Choidis, Eftimios Stergioulis, Angelos Pavlakakis, Aristidis Petridis, Konstantinos Kenteris, 4X400m Georgios Doupis, Anastassios Goussis, Georgios Economidis, Dimitrios Gravalos, Panayotis Sarris
Women:
100m. Ekaterini Thanou, 200m. Olga Kaidatzi, 400m. Chrysa Goudenoudi, 800m Eleni Filandra, 1500m and 3000m Konstantina Efentaki, 5000m Maria Protopapa, 100mh Flora Redoumi, 400mh Fani Chalkia, 3000m steeple Konstantina Kefala, HJ Niki Mitropoulou, PV Georgia Tsilligiri, LJ Yannoula Kafetzi, TJ Chrisopigi Devetzi, SP Kalliopi Ouzouni, DT Ekaterini Voggoli, HT Alexandra Papageorgiou, JT Angeliki Tsiolakoudi, 4X100m Marina Vassarmidou, Efrosini Patsou, Olga Kaidatzi, Ekaterini Thanou, Maria Karastamati, 4X400m Chrisa Foudenoudi, Charoula Bouda, Olga Kaidatzi, Fani Chalkia, Paraskevi Tsapara
