Blanka Vlasic clears 2.05 to win the IAAF / VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split (© Getty Images)
Triple European champion Christophe Lemaitre’s victory in the 100m and Blanka Vlasic’s dominating performance in the High Jump were the key highlights at the 23rd Super Track and Field meet at Todoroki Stadium in Kawasaki on Sunday (19).
In the featured men’s field event, 2007 World champion Tero Pitkamaki prevailed over Japan’s Yukifumi Murakami, the reigning World bronze medallist, in the Javelin Throw.
A rundown of the key events:
Men’s 100m -
With Christophe Lemaitre of France in lane 4 and American Wallace Spearmon in lane 5, Naoki Tsukahara in lane 3 had a great opportunity to improve his personal best, which stood at 10.09 since 2009. Unfortunately, the wind was against the sprinters. Although Tsukahara had good start, he was caught by the Frenchman less than 30 metres into the race. Lemaitre ran the rest of the race unchallenged and won with 10.26. Even Spearmon, a three-time World Championships 200m medallist, who is known for his late race charges could not gain on Lemaitre and was a distant second in 10.47. Ramil Guliyev of Azerbaijan, who was seventh at 200m at the 2009 World Championships, was a distant third.
Men’s 400m -
Yusuke Ishitsuka started fast and came into the home-straight in front followed by Australian Sean Wroe and Costa Rica’s Nery Brenes. In the middle of the home-straight Wroe took the lead but Brenes was strongest in the waning stages, winning in 46.14.
Men’s 110m Hurdles -
Tasuku Tanonaka started well, but was caught by the fifth hurdle by American Ryan Wilson and Jamiacan record holder Dwight Thomas. That duel continued for the next five hurdles with Thomas prevailing by 0.02 in 13.46. Daniel Kiss of Hungary was disqualified for false start.
Men’s 400m Hurdles -
2005 World champion Bershawn Jackson controlled the race, with Takatoshi Abe, silver medalist at the World Junior Championships, staying reasonably close until fading down the homestraight. Jackson won convincingly in 49.87 with 2004 Olympic Champion Felix Sanchez second.
Men’s Javelin Throw -
2007 World champion Tero Pitkamaki faced local hero Yukimi Murakami in one of the most anticipated events in the meet. Pitkamaki took the lead early, throwing beyond 82 metres with his first throw, while Murakami reached 79.97m with his first. Pitkamaki extended his lead to 83.12m in the second round, which turned out to be the winning throw. Murakami passed his third throw and then in his fourth round throw improved to 82.52m to take second.
Women’s 100m -
Expectations were high for Chisato Fukushima to record another national record, after she’d already improved both the 100m and 200m standards in the spring. Although Fukushima had a good start, she was caught by former World Long Jump champion Tianna Madison by mid-race who won in 11.32. Fukushima was a distant second in 11.48.
Women’s 800m -
After pacesetter Tamara Tverdostup dropped out after a sub-59 second opening lap, Ukraine’s Tetyana Petyluk and Elena Kofanova of Russia broke away from the group of Japanese. Petlyuk led most of the second lap but Kofanova passed her in the final 30m to win convincingly with 2:00.46.
Women’s 100m Hurdles -
Asuka Terada, who is expected to threaten the national record of 13.00 every time she races, started well but by mid-way, she was caught by American Danielle Carruthers who went on to win with 13.14. Terada finished second in 13.24.
Women’s 400m Hurdles -
Sayaka Aoki started fast but Latvia’s Ieva Zunda was too strong in the home straight, winning in 56.67.
Women’s High Jump -
In her first appearance after her emotional 2.05m victory at the IAAF / VTB Bank Continental Cup at home in Split, Croatia, Blanka Vlasic was again supreme. Vlasic cleared 1.86m, 1.89m, 1.92m, 1.95m and 1.97m all with her first attempt. By 1.97m she secured the victory as nearest challenger, Irina Gordeeva, missed all three tries at that height. However when the bar was raised to 2.01m Vlasic was a different jumper. None of her three attempts were close.
Ken Nakamura for the IAAF
Leading Results:
M100m -1.6m
1) Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) 10.26
2) Wallace Speamon (USA) 10.47
3) Ramil Guliyev (AZE) 10.50
4) Naoki Tsukahara (JPN) 10.51
M400m
1) Nery Brenes (CRC) 46.14
2) Sean Wroe (AUS) 46.27
3) Yusuke Ishitsuka (JPN) 46.30
M110mH -2.7m/s
1) Dwight Thomas (JAM) 13.46
2) Ryan Wison (USA) 13.48
3) Yuto Aoki (JPN) 13.81
M400mH
1) Bershawn Jackson (USA) 49.87
2) Felix Sanchez (DOM) 50.53
MPV
1) Hiroki Sasase (JPN) 5.50m
2) Mark Hollis (USA) 5.40m
3) Hiroki Ogita (JPN) 5.40m
4) Derek Miles (USA) 5.30m
MHJ
1) Hiromi Takahari (JPN) 2.24m
2) Donald Thomas (BAH) 2.24m
MSP
1) Scott Martin (AUS) 18.72m
2) Marco Fortes (POR) 18.63m
MJT
1) Tero Pitkamaki (FIN) 83.12m
2) Yukifumi Murakami (JPN) 82.52m
3) Teemu Wirkkala (FIN) 76.85m
4) Genki Dean (JPN) 76.15m
W100m -0.3m/s
1) Tiana Madison (USA) 11.32
2) Chisato Fukushima (JPN) 11.48
W800m
W800m
1) Elena Kofanova (RUS) 2:00.46
2) Tetyana Petlyuk (UKR) 2:01.01
3) Ruriko Kubo (JPN) 2:03:09
W100mH -0.7m/s
1) Danielle Carruthers (USA) 13.14
2) Asuka Terada (JPN) 13.24
3) Vonett Dixon (JAM) 13.37
W400mH
1) Ieva Zunda (LAT) 56.67
2) Sayaka Aoki (JPN) 57.61
WHJ
1) Blanka Vlasic (CRO) 1.97m
2) Irina Gordeeva (RUS) 1.95m
