International Athletics News 2005

International Athletics' News

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December 2006

Who was tested mostly in 2006?
27.12.2006 Periklis Iakovakis broke a rather unusual record these days having been tested 14 times in 2006. The last one was earlier this month, when WADA invaded his appartment at 8.00 in the morning. Multiple tests to top world athletes is a good way of protecting our sport, on the presumption that those tests respect the dignity and personal life of all athletes and even more the respective measures are applied without discrimination to all top athletes independently of their Greek, American of North European nationality.

Manjani back in action, WADA visits Thanou while the indoor season opens
26.12.2006Greece's double Olympic medalist and former javelin world champion Mirela Manjani is ready to return to competition in 2007, with her goal to qualify for the Osaka World Championships. Manjani underwent arthroscopic surgery to her throwing shoulder last spring that forced her to miss the entire 2006 season. The surgery was deemed to have been a complete success.
Meanwhile, WADA testers paid Katerina Thanou a visit immediately following the end of her suspension. Tested 3 times recently as the end of her 2-year suspension was approaching, Greek media is reporting that Thanou was tested again last Friday in South Africa, where she has been in training. Thanou has been working out regularly since October, and is expected to return to competition this winter.
The Indoor Season 2007 opens in Greece on January 13 with the first youth meeting of the season, to be followed by a men's a women's meeting to be held on January 20 in Peania. The National Championships are scheduled for February 10 and 11 also in Peania, the Balkan Indoor Championships is taking pace on February 21st in Pireaus and the Indoor Meeting "Athina 2007" on February 24th in the same venue.

Iakovakis and Devetzi named Athletes of the Year for Greece
18.12.2006 European 400mh Champion Periklis Iakovakis and Gothenburg silver medalist Chrisopigi Devetzi named Athletes of the Year for Greece. After the announcement of the Awards Iakovakis expressed his pleasure promising an even better performance in the new season (he finished 2006 with 47.82), while Devetzi was thrilled of taking the award for a second year in a row. Athen's Olympic Champion Fani Halkia place second in women, while Iakovakis was followed by two baskeball players, Diamantidis and Papaloukas.
The National Baskeball Team, silver medal in the World Championships and its coach Panayotis Yannakis won the other two annual awards, those of Team of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Papakostas suspended for 5 years. Financial scheme for Olympic preparation
17.12.2006 Lambros Papakostas, Greece’s world indoor silver medalist, was handed a 5-year suspension by the Ethics Commission of the Greek Olympic Committee for his alleged involvement with narcotics at a party past summer in Sweden. That means that he can no longer occupy any position is sports, whether as an athlete, trainer, or member of any federation for 5 years.
Meanwhile, the Greek government has earmarked 30,000,000 Euros for athlete preparations towards the Beijing Olympics. The Greek authorities areed that 5,000,000 Euros would be allocated for 2006, 15,000,000 Euros for 2007 and 10,000,000 Euros for 2008.

Bright future awaits young hurdler Douvalidis
By Chris Galakoutis
8.12.2006 Olympic Despite its tiny population relative to other sporting powers, Greece has enjoyed many successes in sport. One of those sports is track and field, where the country - albeit fully aware of recent shortcomings - continues to produce promising young talent.
One of the new talents is 110m hurdler Kostas Douvalidis Ricks. The son of an American father from Atlanta and a Greek mother, Douvalidis was born in the Macedonian city of Drama, in Northern Greece, on March 10, 1987. Full article from Chris Galakoutis

Kostas Kenteris speaks
3.12.2006 Olympic and World champion sprinter Kostas Kenteris, 33, has broken a long silence and given an interview to the Greek magazine "Status" about the events of August 12, 2004 and the days that followed. Full report from HellenicAthletes.com

Deakes destroys World record for 50km Race Walk
3.12.2006 The Four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Australia's Nathan Deakes broke the World record for the 50km Race Walk in Geelong yesterday. Deakes recorded a time of 3:35:47 competing at the Telstra Australian 50km Road Walking Championships in blustery condition and taking 16 seconds off the World record previously set by Poland's World and Olympic champion Robert Korzeniowski at the 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Paris, France in 2003 (3:36.03).

November 2006

SEGAS announced standards for Birmingham
28.11.2006 The Greek Federation announced the standards for the European Indoor Championships to be held in Birmingham, UK next year: 60m: 6.70 (7.40), 400m: 47.15 (53.20), 800m: 1.49.00 (2.04.00), 1500m: 3.43.00 (4.14.00), 3000m: 7.58.00 (9.05.00), 60mh 7.75 (8.14), LJ: 7.90m (6.55m), TJ: 16.60m (14.00m), HJ: 2.25m (1.90m), PV: 5.55m (4.35m), SP: 19.50m (17.50m)
Nominated athletes should meet the standards in the Greek National Championships, or the International Indoor Meeting "Athina 2007", or the Balkan Indoor Championships or any IAAF or EAA meeting.

28 national records for Greece in 2006
16.11.2006 Twenty eight national records - in all age groups - were broken in 2006. Among them a respectful mark of 47.82 in the 400mh by Periklis Iakovakis, who became the 5th all time European performer, but also the promising 45.11 in the 400m by Dimitrios Regas, just 20 years old.
At European level, 11 Greeks are among the top 10 athletes of their events. Periklis Iakovakis tops the season's list in the 400mh for a second consecutive year, while Hrysopigi Devetzi is 2nd in the triple jump and 6th in the long jump. Luis Tsatoumas and Fani Halkia hold second positions in the long jump and the 400mh respectively, while Regas is 4th in the 400m.
Nine men and two women are included in the top 10 of european under 23 athletes. Regas tops the 400m where two more Greeks (Gravalos and Melahrinoudis) are among the best Europeans. The 400m hurdles list includes two more Greek men, demonstrating the strong potential of the long relay national team in the coming years.
Finally, nine boys (three of them are javelin throwers) and two girls hold top positions in the juniors european lists. More significant cases these of Spyridon Papadopoulos (2nd in the 400mh) and Maria Zerva (also 2nd in Javelin), but also the potential of Ekaterini Stefanidi is well known in the women’s pole vault. The former world youth record holder (this year Polish Valerya Volyik broke the record with 4.40m) was 8th this year, but the coming seasons will give a good account of her reputation.

Powell and Richards are the World Athletes of the Year. Liu Xiang and Meseret Defar named Performers of the Year
12.11. 2006 Asafa Powell of Jamaica and Sanya Richards of the USA have been awarded the titles of 2006 World Athletes of the Year along with a cheque for $100,000 each at the prestigious 2006 World Athletics Gala.
Liu Xiang (CHN) for running 12.88 at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Lausanne to become the outright holder of the 110m Hurdles World record and Meseret Defar (ETH) for breaking the 5000m World record in New York City won the Performance of the Year awards

Performances of the Year – the final nominees
10.11. 2006 (FROM IAAF) The shortlist for the 2006 Performances of the Year has been decided. The shortlist of 6 names (3 men and 3 women) will now be presented to a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation, who will make the final selection of the Performances of the Year and announce the winners, live on stage, at the 2006 World Athletics Gala in the Salle des Etoiles of the Sporting Club d’Ete, Monte-Carlo, on the evening of Sunday 12 November.
The short list of final nominees for 2006 Performances of the Year is as follows:
Men:
Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) for throwing the Javelin 91.59m at the IAAF Golden League meeting in Oslo to become the sixth best thrower of all time
Jeremy Wariner (USA) for running 43.62 at the IAAF Golden League meeting in Rome, the best time since Michael Johnson’s World record in 1999, so becoming the fourth fastest of all time
Liu Xiang (CHN) for running 12.88 at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Lausanne to become the outright holder of the 110m Hurdles World record
Women:
Kajsa Bergqvist (SWE) for breaking the 14-year-old World Indoor High Jump record of Heike Henkel in Arnstadt with a clearance of 2.08m
Meseret Defar (ETH) for breaking the 5000m World record in New York City
Sherone Simpson (JAM) for running 10.89 to win the 100m at the IAAF World Athletics Final one day after a below-par performance at 200m

World Athlete of the Year – the final nominees
8.11. 2006 (FROM IAAF) The process to decide the 2006 World Athletes of the Year has completed its initial stage. A public vote on the IAAF website and a separate poll of IAAF Athletics Family Members - respectively weighted 30% / 70% in the decision making process - to select a short list from the original 20 candidates closed at the end of last week. The shortlist of 6 names will now be presented to a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation, who will make the final selection of Athletes of the Year and announce the winners, live on stage, at the 2006 World Athletics Gala in Monaco on 12 November. The short list of nominees for 2006 World Athletes of the Year is as follows (In alphabetical order):
Men: Virgilijus Alekna (LTU), Asafa Powell (JAM), Liu Xiang (CHN)
Women: Meseret Defar (ETH), Sanya Richards (USA), Sherone Simpson (JAM)

Tarus and Ogushi secure Athens Classic Marathon victories
5.11. 2006 Under a sunny sky but in cool weather temperatures today, Kenya’s Henry Tarus (2:17:45) and Japan’s Chikako Ogushi (2:40:45) respectively became the winners of the men’s and women’s competitions at the 24th Athens Classic Marathon... more from IAAF [Athens Classic Marathon results]

New York Marathon
5.11. 2006 Men 1. Marilson Gomes dos Santos BRA 2:09:58; 2. Stephen Kiogora KEN 2:10:06; 3. Paul Tergat KEN 2:10:10; 4. Daniel Yego KEN 2:10:34; 5. Rodgers Rop KEN 2:11:24; 6. Stefano Baldini ITA 2:11:33; 7. William Kipsang KEN 2:11:54; 8. Hailu Negussie ETH 2:12:12.
Women: 1. Jelena Prokopcuka LAT 2:25:05; 2. Tatiana Hladyr UKR 2:26:05; 3. Catherine Ndereba KEN 2:26:58; 4. Rita Jeptoo KEN 2:26:59; 5. Lidiya Grigoryeva RUS 2:27:21; 6. Deena Kastor USA 2:27:54; 7. Nina Rillstone NZL 2:31:19; 8. Lornah Kiplagat NED 2:32:31.

Seoul Marathon results
5.11. 2006 Men 1 Jason Mbote KEN 2:08:13, 2 Paul Kirui KEN 2:09:05, 3 Philip Manyim KEN 2:09:35, 4 Wilson Onsare KEN 2:09:47, 5 Lee Bong-Ju KOR 2:10:49, 6 Abdelkader El Mouaziz MAR 2:13:28, 7 James Rotich KEN 2:13:35, 8 Norman Dlomo RSA 2:14:17
Women 1 Kim Hye-Kyong KOR 2:40:36. 2 Park Mi-Ok KOR 2:45:15, 3 Kim Mi-Eun KOR 2:52:44

Saina and Measo return for Athens Marathon defence
2.11. 2006 James Saina and Sisay Measo, last year's winners return to the Greek capital this coming Sunday, 5 November, to run the 24th annual edition of the Athens Classic Marathon.
More than 4700 runners are expected to participate this year in the men’s and women’s Marathon races, into which the Greek Marathon Championships are incorporated
[our preview written for the IAAF]

October 2006

Macrozonaris on Canadian carding list
27.10. 2006 Nicolas Macrozonaris' name appears on a just released Athletics Canada Athlete Assistance Program Nomination List for 2006/2007. With negotiations on a potential transfer to Greece hitting delays, legal snags and an October 31 looming deadline, it appears that he will, for now, be staying put in Canada. [full story by Chris Galakoutis]

Nominees for IAAF Performance of the Year
26.10. 2006 The nominees for the 2006 Performance of the Year have been selected by a panel of IAAF experts, and the winners will be decided solely by a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation.
The short list is as follows:
MEN Kenenisa Bekele ETH, Xavier Carter USA, Francisco Javier Fernandez ESP, Haile Gebrselassie ETH, Christian Olsson SWE, Asafa Powell JAM, Irving Saladino PAN, Saif Saaeed Shaheen QAT, Andreas Thorkildsen NOR, Jeremy Wariner USA, Liu Xiang CHN
WOMEN Kajsa Bergqvist SWE, Meseret Defar ETH, Tia Hellebaut BEL, Janet Jepkosgei KEN, Lornah Kiplagat NED, Carolina Kluft SWE, Gulfiya Khanafeyeva RUS, Tatyana Lysenko RUS, Sanya Richards USA, Sherone Simpson JAM

Suspended Thanou seeks return to track in Britain
26.10. 2006 Katerina Thanou could be on her way to train and race in Britain next year. According to Dr Gregory Ioannidis, the lawyer who acted for the sprinter in the subsequent doping case, Thanou is considering a temporary move to this country.
Her two-year suspension from athletics ends on Dec 22 and it is understood that she has been training hard for a return to the track.Thanou is thinking of moving to Britain to escape the attention of the Greek media and to be near Ioannidis, a lecturer in sports law at the Buckingham Law School. He said: "Katerina wants to be closer to me for legal assistance and she has not made any firm decisions yet." [full strory from Telegraph]

Cheruiyot, Adere the winners in Chicago
22.10. 2006 Berhane Adere won a dual with Russia's Galina Bogolomova to win the women's division by five seconds in a time of 2:20:42, while men's champion Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya was raising his arms in victory and just about to break the finish tape after outrunning countryman Daniel Njenga when his foot slipped on the sponsor logo mat that was glued to the pavement in front of the chip timing mat and he slid across the finish [report and results from IAAF]

Hard work for Panagiotopoulos group
22.10. 2006 After the summer athletes working with Giorgos Panayotopoulos have entered the period of intense training for the next season. Among them four athletes are expected to shine in 2007.
Fani Halkia is already on the top after the Olympic title in 2005 and the silver medal she won in Gothenburg last summer. Fully recovered from injuries, Halkia targets a medal in the World Championships 2007.
Maria Karastamati, the 2005 European Under-23 100m champion, has already begun her preparations also recovered from the injury that sidelined her the entire 2006 season. With 11.03 in 2005, the 22-year-old sprinter is expected to run under 11 soon and be established among the new sprinting stars worldwide.
Can Dimitrios Regas run the 400m under 45? The 20-year-old runner impressed in Gothenburg where he made the final, but also in the World Cup where he placed 3rd smashing the national record with 45.11. A race under 45 is a question of time, to verify that Regas should be considered as one of the most promising prospects for Greek and European athletics.
Minas Alozidis, 22, improved his 400mh personal best to 49.31 last season. Next year Minas will have more experiences to increase his stability and make up, along with Periklis Iakovakis, an invincible dual in the low hurdles races.

Tzekos talks from ... training center!
21.10. 2006 While Katerina Thanou has resumed training in sight of her return in 2007, two reporters of French newspaper "L' Equipe" flied to Agios Kosmas training center where they found Christos Tzekos walking around the facilities.
"Athletics were never my profession, but just a hobby. I'm passionate with the track, none can forbid my entering here and meeting friends. I have already stopped with training and there are no athletes woking with me." said Tzekos.
He expressed his dissapointment defending again the sprinters. "I feel so betrayed. For me an athlete uses drugs only when found positive. Kostas and Katerina had never any positive test. Where Arron won the european title setting an area record I had no doubts about her. I simply applauded. I wanted people to face the same way my athletes. Have you seen many white athletes to defeat brack sprinters? That wins were not the result of dopping, it was the hard work. We know drugs for more than 40 years but Greek athletes started winnig only in the last decade. When I was working with Thanou she was used to training for more than 10 hours a day".
Thanou denied to say anything "I don't feel like talking" she said, "Just one thing, I want to race again".
On behalf of the national federation, Labros Papakostas said that "any athlete who will hire Tzekos as coach will automatically excluded from the national teams."

Minos Kyriakou promises a new era for Athens Grand Prix "Tsiklitiria"
14.10. 2006 By the chance of the European Calendar 2007 composition and the Balkan Federation Annual Meeting, IAAF Council member Minos Kyriakou and President of the Athens Grand Prix hosting club promised that Tsiklitiria 2007, set for July 2nd, will be the best ever meeting organized in Greece.
"In 2007, a year of Osaka World Championships and IAAF elections, we'll invite the cream of world athletics in a meeting which will mark an epoch" stated Kyriakou to his own TV channel Antenna.
The meeting will be held in Athens Olympic Stadium or elsewhere in Greece, depending on the possibilities to attract more spectators. In 2006 the Athens Grand Prix ranked fifth in the world classification, higher than three Golden League meets.
In addition, Kyriakou announced that his own TV station in Bulgaria "Nova Television" will be the sponsor of the Balkan Games 2007 to be held in Sofia. "I know that that the Balkan Federation are unwilling to host the Games because of financial difficulties. I' ll support any country able to work towards the upgrating of this ante-War competition with the significant contribution to the world athletics" added Kyriakou.

Iakovakis nominated for Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year Trophy 2006
13.10. 2006 Fifty men and women have been nominated for the European Athletes of the Year awards, as annonunce by European Athletics Association today. Among them Periklis Iakovakis is the only Greek candidate for the prestigious trophy.
A public vote opened today on EAA website. The votes will first be counted by country and then the country results added to the overall public ranking, which will count as one third of the total score for each athlete.
[click here to vote]

Athletes of the Year Awards 2006
12.10. 2006 IAAF announced today the nominees for the Athletes of the Year Awards. A poll is now open on IAAF website to gather the public votes which will be added to a poll of IAAF Athletics Family members. A shortlist of 3 will then be presented to a Special Jury of the International Athletic Foundation, who will then make a final selection of Athlete of the Year and announce the winners, live on stage, at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Gala in Monaco on 12 November. The nominees are:
Men: Virgilijus Alekna LTU, Kenenisa Bekele ETH, Tyson Gay USA, Asafa Powell JAM, Irving Saladino PAN, Saif Saaeed Shaheen QAT, Isaac Kiprono Songok KEN, Andreas Thorkildsen NOR, Jeremy Wariner USA, Liu Xiang CHN
Women: Kajsa Bergqvist SWE, Meseret Defar ETH, Tirunesh Dibaba ETH, Yuliya Chizhenko RUS, Lashinda Demus USA, Yelena Isinbayeva RUS, Tatyana Lebedeva RUS, Michelle Perry USA, Sanya Richards USA, Sherone Simpson JAM
[click here to vote]

Macrozonaris abandons Sport Canada funding appeal
5.10. 2006 Nicolas Macrozonaris has put an end to his funding appeal procedure. The following statement was posted on his official website today...full statement

Momentum builds for return of four-year drug ban
3.10. 2006 The reintroduction of a four-year ban for serious drug cheats was looking harder to resist last night as international athletes joined the ranks of those who consider the current penalties ineffective. ...more from Daily Telegraph

September 2006

Jones makes quit threat
27.9. 2006 Marion Jones, the triple Olympic gold medallist, has admitted she is considering quitting the sport because of the negative publicity she has received ...more from Guardian

Gebreselasie wins Berlin Marathon in 2.05.56
24.9. 2006 Haile Gebrselassie won the 33rd Berlin Marathon in a 2006 world lead of 2:05:56 hours. This is an Ethiopian record and 5th all time best performance, as Kenya's Paul Tergat won in the same race three years agon in 2:04:55, the current world record. One more Ethiopian, Gudisa Shentema Kudam, finished second in 2:10:43 and Japanese Kurao Umeki was third in 2:13:43.
Gete Wami won the women’s race in a world class time of 2:21:34 hours, also a national record for Ethiopia. Salina Kosgei of Kenya finished second in 2:23:22, while third was Poland’s Monica Drybulska clearly behind in 2:30:12.
Berlin results: Men - 1 Haile Gebrselassie ETH 2:05:56, 2 Gudisa Shentema Kudama ETH 2:10:43, 3 Kurao Umeki JPN 2:13:43, 4 Terefe Yae ETH 2:15:05, 5 Ahmed Ezzobayry FRA 2:15:29, 6 Driss El Himer FRA 2:16:44, 7 Ombeche Mokamba KEN 2:17:34, 8 Jackson Koech KEN 2:17:42, 9 Abel Kirui KEN 2:17:47, 10 Buzinggo Donatien BDI 2:19:25
Women - 1 Gete Wami ETH 2:21:34, 2 Salina Kosgei KEN 2:23:22, 3 Monica Drybulska POL 2:30:12, 4 Asha Gigi Roba ETH 2:32:32, 5 Marcia Narlock BRA 2:35:28, 6 Melanie Kraus GER 2:35:37, 7 Shitaye Gemechu ETH 2:35:55, 8 Adanech Zekiros ETH 2:36:48
Marathon stats: top30 national records [men][women], world record progression [men][women]

Richards tops overall IAAF ranking
19.9. 2006 Sanya Richards, American World Championships silver medallist, set a new national record of 48.70 in the one-lap event (1417 points) and did not only increase her lead at the top of the Event Rankings, but also rose to the top of the Women’s Overall Rankings replacing Meseret Defar. The 100m world record holder keeps the leading position in men's overall classification, followed by the new American sprints star Tyson Gay.
Periklis Iakovakis is the best Greek, holding the seocnd position in the 400mh with 1380 points, just two less than the event's leader Bershawn Jackson. European low hurdles champion is also 15th world athlete and 3rd european after Andreas Thordklidsen and Virgiljius Alekna.
Chrysopigi Devetzi is the best woman athlete fro Greece, being 3rd in the triple jump, 14th in the long jump and 40th in the overall women standing.
More good positions are those of Luis Tsatoumas (4th in the long jump), Fani Halkia (10th in 400mh) and Argyro Strataki (13th in heptathlon)
Updated GRE lists 2006:[men][women]

Richards clocks 48.70 in Athens, Lebedeva jumps 15.13m
16.9. 2006 Sanya Richards was the shinning star of the 1st day of the World Cup, with her 48.70 winning time of the 400m, a new USA and North American record. Tatyana Lebedeva was once more the winner of the triple jump with 15.13m leaving Chrisopigi Devetzi second with 15.04.
An injury did not permit Iakovakis to compete claiming the top spot of the IAAF ranking for this season, but the Greek athletics have to celebrate the rising of a new star. Dimitrios Regas, 20, a month after his participation in the european champs final, got the third place in the men's 400m defeating big names of the event and smashing the national record for Greece with 45.11 (and also setting a new Balkan Record) [Report][Results] by IAAF

World Cup previews
16.9. 2006 10th edition of the IAAF World Cup in Athletics takes place in Athens, Greece, on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September.[Women's preview][Men's preview] by IAAF.
Read also: Jones to miss World Cup (by EUROSPORT)

Liu Xiang leads Asian team for Athletics World Cup
14.9. 2006 (from CHINADAILY) World record holder Liu Xiang of China will spearhead the Asian team at this year's IAAF World Cup, which is slatted to be held in Greece from September 16 to 17.
The reigning Olympic champion will fight for the title in the men's 110-meter hurdles event in Athens, where he won the Olympic gold two years ago.
Besides Liu Xiang, another 11 Chinese athletes will also represent Asia in the competition. Among them are teenager Huang Haiqiang, world junior champion in the men's high-jump, and Gao Shuying, Asian record holder in the women's pole vault.
In addition, the 52-member Asian team also consists of athletes from Japan, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Thailand, India and Iran.
Chinese athletes have won a total of five gold medals in the World Cup since they first competed in the tournament in 1979 in Canada.

Momentum with Periklis as Athens approaches
13.9. 2006 Two years ago it was Fani Halkia who electrified Athens Olympic Stadium with her dramatic victory in the 400m Hurdles. As the Athletics world converges on Athens once again this weekend, another Greek full lap hurdler will try to steal the show when he makes his final appearance of the year.full story from IAAF

Jones makes US team. Powell out of 100m at World Cup.
11.9. 2006 Former triple Olympic champion Marion Jones has been included in the U.S. team for this weekend's IAAF World Cup in Athens.Jones has not yet confirmed her participation USA Track & Field (USATF) said in a statement on Monday, although her manager told Reuters she was planning to compete in the 100 metres in Athens.[The US team] from IAAF.
Meanwhile, world record holder Asafa Powell has pulled out of the 100m at next weekend's IAAF World Cup in Athens. [full story from BBC]

The Greek team
11.9. 2006 After the results of the test event held yesterday in Athens Olympic Stadium, the Greek Federation announced the final teams for Athens. Fani Halkia competes in the 400m, Christina Chatzi in the 400mh, while Devetzi will participate in both horizontal jumps.
MEN: 100m, 200m - Anastasios Gousis, 400m - Dimitrios Regas, 800m - Efthimios Papadopoulos, 1500m - Panayotis Economou, 3000m - Michalis Gelasakis, 5000m - Pantelis Savopoulos, 110mh - Theopistos Mavridis, 400mh - Periklis Iakovakis, 3000m st. - Alexandros Litsi, Long Jump - Luis Tsatoumas, Triple Jump - Konstantinos Zalagitis, Pole Vault - Stavros Kouroupakis, High Jump - Dimitrios Sirakos, Discus Throw - Stefanos Konstas, Shot Put - Andreas Anastasopoulos, Javelin Throw - Georgios Iltsios, Hammer Throw - Alexandros Papadimitriou, 4X100m - Panayotis Sarris, Ioannis Politis, Aristidis Petridis, Andreas Karagiannis, 4X400m - Dimitrios Gravalos, Pantelis Melahrinoudis, Stylianos Dimotsios, Georgios Doupis
WOMEN 100m - Georgia Kokloni, 200m - Hariklia Bouda, 400m - Fani Halkia, 800m - Eleni Filandra, 1500m - Kalliopi Astropekaki, 3000m and 5000m - Maria Protopapa, 100mh - Flora Redoumi, 400mh - Christina Chatzi, 3000m st. - Irene Kokinariou, Long Jump & Triple Jump - Chysopigi Devetzi, Pole Vault - Afroditi Skafida, High Jump - Persefoni Hatzinakou, Discus Throw - Areti Ambatzi, Shot Put - Irene Terzoglou, Javelin Throw - Savva Lika, Hammer Throw - Alexandra Papageorgiou, 4X100m - Eleftheria Kobidou, Efrosini Patsou, Evagelia Kavoura, Zoe Neratzidou, 4X400m - Styliani Demoglou, Alena -Maria Panti, Hariklia Bouda, Dimitra Dova

Iakovakis wins in Stuttgart with 47.92. Gay clocks 19.68
10.9. 2006 Periklis Iakovakis, European 400mh hurdles champion clocked 47.92 to win in Stuttgart today, defeating both American stars, Bershawn Jackson and James Carter. Tyson Gay dominated the 200m in 19.68.to become third all time world performer. Second place for Chrisopigi Devetzi with 14.67m and third for Luis Tsatoumas, the only European long jumper in Stuttgart, with 8.29m. [results]

World Athletics Final opened with six championships records
9.9. 2006 Six championships records set on the first day of the World Athletics Final opened today in Stuttgart. In the 400m race Jeremy Wariner clocked 44.03, followed by Gary Kikaya who improved the african record to 44.10, Asafa Powell won the 100m in 9.89, Liu Xiang clocked 12.93 in the 110mh, Virgiljius Alekna threw 68.63m, Allyson Felix dominated the 200m in 22.11, Betty Heidler won the women's hammer throw with 75.44m. Czech Barbora Spotakova improved again her own national record to win the javelin with 66.21m while Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 6.92m to win the long jump. [results]

Macrozonaris affair enters political arena
It would appear that the Nicolas Macrozonaris affair has entered the political arena, with a member of the Quebec government coming forward to throw his support behind the sprinter [read more]

National juniors record for Greece
9.9. 2006 Georgios Geromarkakis shots 19.38m on the first day of the Balkan Juniors Champs to set a new record for Greece. The games are held in Tripoli, Greece.

Investigation into Jones test mystery
9.9. 2006 The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are to investigate the reason why the three-time Olympic champion, Marion Jones, was cleared of any doping violation despite testing positive for the blood-boosting drug Erythropoietin (EPO) [more from Daily Telegraph]

Macrozonaris loses another funding appeal, may run for Greece
7.9. 2006 Nicolas Macrozonaris, Canada’s 100m-sprint champion, has lost yet another funding appeal, his 3rd. The decision was handed down yesterday by Sport Canada.
"There does not appear to be a common vision here between Athletics Canada and myself, and that’s unfortunate. We therefore have had some preliminary discussions with officials in Greece about my competing for them.” said the Canadian Champion [full story by HellenicAthletes.com and Chris Galakoutis]
Related Stories: [Macrozonaris Reclaims Canadian 100m Championship][Getting to the bottom of the Macrozonaris Carding Denial][Macrozonaris Denied Carding]

Jones cleared of doping allegations
7.9. 2006 Having endured years of accusations and public criticism, five-time Olympic medallist Marion Jones has been cleared of doping allegations after her 'B' sample came back negative [full story by GUARDIAN][A chronicle provided by Sports Illustrated ]

One million jack-pot only for three
3.9. 2006 Tirunesh Dibaba failed to win the 5000m today in Berlin, the last meeting of the Golden League series, defeated by her own countrywomen Meseret Defar and leaving the 1$ million jack-pot to other three contenders: Jeremy Wariner clocked 44.26 in the 400m, Asafa Powell run a 9.86 to defeat Tyson Gay and Sanya Richards dominated the 400m with 49.81 to get 250.000$ each. Dibaba, Irving Saladino and Kenenisa Bekele achieved five wins and get 83.300$ each. Impressing performance by Luis Tsatoumas who was second in the long jump with a season's best 8.30m. [Berlin GL]

Papageorgiou sets national hammer record for Greece in Balkan champs
3.9. 2006 Alexandra Papageorgiou threw 70,33m in Zenica, during the second day of the Balkan Championships to improve here own national record for Greece.[Balkan Championships]

August 2006

Greek Teams for the World Cup
30.8. 2006 The Greek Federation announced today preliminary teams for the World Cup, to be finalized after the Balkan Championships (2,3 September)
MEN: 100m, 200m - Anastasios Gousis, 400m - Dimitrios Regas, 800m - Efthimios Papadopoulos, 1500m - Panayotis Economou, 3000m - Michalis Gelasakis, 5000m - Anastasios Fragos / Antonios Papantonis, 110mh - Theopistos Mavridis, 400mh - Periklis Iakovakis, 3000m st. - Naim Akrut, Long Jump - Luis Tsatoumas, Triple Jump - Konstantinos Zalagitis, Pole Vault - Konstantinos Filippidis / Stavros Kouroupakis, High Jump - Dimitrios Tomaras / Dimitrios Hondrokoukis, Discus Throw - Stefanos Konstas, Shot Put - Andreas Anastasopoulos, Javelin Throw - Georgios Iltsios, Hammer Throw - Alexandros Papadimitriou, 4X100m - Panayotis Sarris, Vasilios Segos, Aristidis Petridis, Andreas Karagiannis, 4X400m - Dimitrios Gravalos, Pantelis Melahrinoudis, Stylianos Dimotsios, Georgios Doupis
WOMEN 100m - Georgia Kokloni, 200m - Eleftheria Kobidou, 400m - Dimitra Dova, 800m - Eleni Filandra, 1500m and 3000m - Kalliopi Astropekaki, 5000m - Maria Protopapa, 100mh - Flora Redoumi, 400mh - Fani Halkia, 3000m st. - Irene Kokinariou, Long Jump and Triple Jump - Chysopigi Devetzi, Pole Vault - Antigoni Asteriou / Afroditi Skafida, High Jump - Maria Papageorgiou / Persefoni Hatzinakou, Discus Throw - Areti Ambatzi, Shot Put - Irene Terzoglou, Javelin Throw - Savva Lika, Hammer Throw - Alexandra Papageorgiou, 4X100m - Haroula Bouda, Efrosini Patsou, Evagelia Kavoura, Zoe Neratzidou, 4X400m - Styliani Demoglou, Alena -Maria Panti, Christina Chatzi, Dimitra Dova
[Results from Warsaw]

Minos Kyriakou to run for IAAF Presidency?
24.8. 2006 According to GUARDIAN, the Greek IAAF Council Member and President of the National Olympic Committee, Minos Kyriakou, has decided to oppose Lamine Diack for the post at the meeting to be held in Japan next year. Kyriakou, according to the same source, is going to announce his decision next month during the World Cup in Athletics to be held in Athens [full article]

Team Europe for IAAF World Cup
22.8. 2006 (from EAA) Following last week's European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Team Europe has been selected for the IAAF World Cup in Athens, Greece, on 16-17 September 2006. In addition to Team Europe, the continent will also be represented in Athens by the top two nations at this year's SPAR European Cup - France and Russia for the men, Russia and Poland for the women - and host nation Greece.
Men 100m-Francis Obikwelu POR, 200m-Francis Obikwelu POR, 400m-Daniel Dabrowski POL, 800m- Bram Som NED, 1500m-Ivan Heshko UKR, 3000m-Jesús Espana ESP, 5000m-Jan Fitchen GER, 3000mSt-Jukka Keksikalo FIN, 110mH-Stanislav Olijar LAT, 400mH-Marek Plawgo POL, HJ-Tomás Janku CZE, PV-Alex Averbukh ISR, LJ-Andrew Howe ITA, TJ-Christian Olsson SWE, SP- Ralf Bartels GER, DT-Virgilijus Alekna LTU, HT-Ivan Tikhon BLR, JT-Andreas Thordkildsen NOR, 4x100m-GBR Team - Dwain Chambers, Marlon Devonish, Mark Lewis-Francis, +1 other TBC, 4x400m-Andrea Barberi ITA, Tim Benjamin GBR, Daniel Dabrowski POL, Rafal WIieruszewski POL
Women 100m-Kim Gevaert BEL, 200m-Kim Gevaert BEL, 400m-Vanya Stambolova BUL, 800m - Rebecca Lyne GBR, 1500m-Daniela Yordanova BUL, 3000m-Jo Pavey GBR, 5000m-Susanne Wigene NOR, 3000mSt-Alesia Turava BLR, 100mH-Susanna Kallur SWE, 400mH-Tetyana Tereshchuk - Antipova UKR, HJ-Tia Hellebaut BEL, PV-Martina Strutz GER, LJ-Naide Gomes POR, TJ-Olha Saladukha UKR, SP-Natallia Khoronenko BLR, DT-Franka Dietzsch GER, HT-Maryna Smalyachova BLR, JT-Steffi Nerius GER, 4x100m-GBR Team - Emma Ania, Emily Freeman, Joice Maduaka, Anyika Onuora, 4x400m-Mariyana Dimitrova BUL, Nicola Sanders GBR, Vanya Stambolova BUL, Ilona Usovich BLR

Iakovakis wins again in Monaco
21.8. 2006 One more world record by Asafa Powell in Zurich, the double win of Periklis Iakovakis in Zurich and Monaco, the first over the Olympic Champion Bershawn Jackson and the world leading mark set by Russian Andrey Silnov in Monaco (2.37m) are the highlights of the post-Gothenburg period.
In Beijing the world juniors championships are over, with one bronze medal for Greece won by the world youth record holder Konstantinos Douvalidis. Not only the excellent organisation but also the results by Chinese athletes who gathered 17 medals are a good introduction to what we have to wait for in Olympics 2008.[Monaco][Zurich]
[European Championships Results: D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7]
[World Juniors Championships Results: D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6]
2006 GRE outdoor lists: [men][women]

Periklis Iakovakis gets european title
10.8. 2006 Periklis Iakovakis verified his fame as the best european hurdler in the last two years, winning the gold medal of the european championships in Gothenburg. In the final race Minas Alozidis placed 7th.
[Periklis Iakovakis was born in 1979 (March 23) and trains with Maria Sotirakopoulou. He got the bronze medal in Paris World Championships, while he was world juniors champion in 1998. In 1998 he won the silver medal of the European Juniors Champs, In 1999 he got the bronze medal of the European U23 Championships and in 2001 the silver medal in the same championships. He won the Mediterranean Games in 2001. He tops the european performances list of the 400mh in 2005 and 2006]

Fani Halkia and Chrysopigi Devetzi win silvers in Gothenburg
9.8. 2006 Chrysopigi Devetzi added one more silver medal to her precious collection, proving once more her stability in important championships. Olympics silver medalist defeated only by Tatyana Lebedeva who achieved a jump at 15.15m in the last round. Devetzi set a season's best of 15.05m while Anna Pyatykh set a personal best 15.03m to get the bronze medal of this unforgettable final. Devetzi goes on the championships participating in the long jump.
[Chrisopigi Devetzi was born in 1976 (January 2) and trains with Thanassis Sioundris. She was second in Athens Olympics in 2004, while she got the 5th place in Helsinki last year. In 2003 she won the bronze medal in the world indoor championships, she was 8th in the World Championships 2003 and 7th in Munich European Championships. Last year she won the triple jump in the World Athletics Final]
The second silver for Greece came from the Olympic Champion Fani Halkia, who defeated today by Russia's Isakova. Halkia led the most of the race but the technical problems in the last hurdle and the lack of enough races after her injury cost her the top position.
[Fani Halkia was born in 1979 (February 2) and trains with Georgios Panayotopoulos. She won the gold medal in Athens Olympics in 2004, where she placed also 8th with the national 4X400m relay team. In the same year she was sixth in the World Indoor Championships participating in the 400m and the 4X400m relay]

A Russian night in Gothenburg
9.8. 2006 A great medal collection for Russia characterizes the third day of the European Championships. Besides the medals won in the women's triple jump and Yevgeniya Isakova in the 400mh, Russia won also the gold medal of the impressing men's high jump final with Andrey Silnov who set a championships record with 2.36m. Four athletes jumped over 2.34m tonight in Gothenburg.
Kim Gevaert dominated the 100m, France's Mehdi Baala in the 1500m and Marc Raquil were the expected winners of their events and Olympic Champion Andreas Thordkildsen won the javelin throw with 88.78m. Two legends of the sport won bronze medals tonight: Stefan Holm in the high jump and Jan Zhelezny in the javelin.
[Results: Day1, Day 2, Day 3]

Obikwelu, Fernandez and Kluft retain european titles
8.8. 2006 Francis Obikwelu won the 100m to retain his european title, setting the best mark for europe this season with 9.99. Two more athletes won golds today, repeating their wins in Munich 4 years ago: Spain's Francisco Fernandez in the 20000m walk (1.19.09) and of course Sweden's Carolina Kluft in the heptathlon (6.740p).
Andrew Howe was the winner of the long jump with 8.20m, the first ever european gold for Italy in this event. Unfortunately Luis Tsatoumas lost the opportunity to get a medal, he was just 8th with only one valid jump at 7.84m, the worst performance for him in this season. Asterios Nousios placed 12th in the long jump final, while 20-year-old Dimitrios Regas improved again his personal best to 45.60 and qualified for the 400m final. As expected Fani Halkia qualified for the 400mh final, winning her race although with technical problems. Argyro Strataki place 9th in heptathlon and Alexandra Papageorgiou 9th in the hammer throw final.[Results: Day1, Day 2]

Devetzi in the final with 14.64m
8.8. 2006 Olympics silver medalist Chrysopigi Devetzi jumped 14.64m in the triple jump qualification round to make the final with the best performance among all participants. Unlucky Dimitra Markou placed 13th with 13.98, while both Italians La Mantia and Martinez failed to qualify. Georgia kokloni also managed to qualify for the 100m semifinals. The former U23 European Champion clocked a personal best 11.29
[Results: Day1, Day 2]

Ralf Bartels and Ing Abidova win golds. Tsatoumas and Nousios in the long jump final
7.8. 2006 Germany's Ralf Bartels, bronze medalist in Munich four years ago, won the shot put setting a 21.12m at his last attempt to defeat Belarus' Andrei Mikhnevich who had been on the top with 21.11m., putting an end to the strong Ukrainians tradition; they had won three golds in a row in the last championships.
Russia's Inga Abitova won surprisingly the 10000m final, smashing her personal best with 30.31.42. Norway's Susanne Wigene won the silver medal and the other Russian, Lidia Gregorieva the bronze. The favourite, Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse abandoned the race.
In the men's long jump the Greek jumpers qualified for the final. Luis Tsatoumas jumped 8.09m and Asterios Nousios 7.97m, both attempting once. Kluft is on the top of heptathlon standing, after the events of the first day, in her way to an expected gold for Sweden [Results: Day1]

Easy qualification for Halkia. Regas impresses in the 400m
Olympic Champion Fani Halkia qualified easily for the quarter finals with 55.42 second performance among the qualifiers. Dimitrios Regas set a personal best in the men's 400m with 45.81, while Christina Hatzi in the 400mh also qualified for the next round. Hammer thorwer Alexandra Papageorgiou made the final. All the favourites pass the first round of the men's 100m, while the first day of the European Championships has been marked by the injury of Eunice Barber who was on the top of women's heptathlon after first two events, but did not participate in the shot put [Results: Day1]

Greek team arrived to Gothenburg
4.8. 2006 The Greek team arrived in Gothenburg today to participate in the European Championships. With the only exception of the triple jumper Dimitrios Tsiamis, who had a serious fracture, twenty seven men and women are ready to compete, defending the development of the Greek athletics in the last years. As announce in the Eurochamps 1370 athletes from 48 countries are expected to compete.[IAAF previews from men and women events, written by Bob Ramsak]
[The Greek team][All medalists][championships records][all time medal table][medals/event: men, women][top medalists: men, women]

Greek team for Beijing Juniors Championships
2.8. 2006 Seventeen men and eleven women represent Greece in the World Juniors Championships to be held in Bejing on August 15-20. Among them there are the holder of the all time world youth best performance in the 110mh Konstantinos Douvalidis and the javelin throw european juniors champion Ioannis Smalios.
MEN: 110mh Konstantinos Douvalidis, 400mh Spyridon Papadopoulos, HJ: Dimitrios Hondrokoukis, PV: Dimitrios Patsoukakis, LJ: Michalis Mertzanidis, TJ: Georgios Tsakonas, SP: Georgios Geromarkakis, HT: Konstantios Stathleakos, JT: Yervasios Filippidis, Ioannis Smalios, 10000m walk: Alexandros Papamihail
WOMEN: 800m: Maria Panou, 3000m steeple: Diomisia Koumbouli, PV: Styliani-Hero Ledaki, HT: Andrianna Papadopoulou-Fatala, DT: Eleni Diamanti, JT: Maria Zerva, 10000m walk: Spyridoula Stavrou

Michael Johnson on Gatlin case
1.8. 2006 "Gatlin should be banned for life unless he can quickly come up with proof that he did not knowingly take a banned substance" said Michael Johnson, talking to BBC yesterday [full story]

July 2006

Athletics shocked again by Gatlin's positive test
30.7. 2006 Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin is facing a lifetime ban after confirmation that his B sample tested positive for testosterone. The American announced on Saturday that he had failed a doping test in April.
And anti-doping chief Dick Pound and Gatlin's lawyer Cameron Myler told Five Live on Sunday that the 24-year-old's B sample also tested positive.
Gatlin will now wait to learn his fate before a United States Anti-Doping Agency hearing ... full story from BBC
IAAF published the following statement: "The IAAF noted last night the announcement by Justin Gatlin (USA) that he tested positive for testosterone on 22 April 2006 at the Kansas Relays.
The IAAF can also confirm that Gatlin has agreed to attend a hearing before the USADA Review Board which is expected to take place shortly. If the USADA procedure concludes by confirming the violation, the sanction under IAAF rules will be a life ban.
President Lamine Diack said: “Although it is a matter of deep regret that one of the biggest stars of our sport is facing serious doping charges, I would take this opportunity to emphasise the IAAF’s total commitment to the fight against doping. In order to defend the credibility of our sport, we will engage all our efforts, in co-operation with partners such as USADA, to defend the majority of athletes who are clean, against those who break our anti-doping rules.“
[Read also: Gatlin nailed for doping. Coach, letter link sprinter to BALCO, from San Francisco Chronicle]
[Greek Juniors Championships, results]

Fourty named in Greece's Euro team
24.7. 2006 Fourty men and women are included in the Greek team announced for the European Championships, to be held next month in Gothenburg, Sweden Besides the absence of some big names because of several reasons (Tzoumeleka and Papagianni in the walk, Karastamati in the 100m, the discus thrower etc), Greece expects at least three medals and many participations in the finals.[The team]
[DN Galan, results]

Impressing Tsatoumas jumps 8.26m in Thessaloniki
24.7. 2006 Luis Tsatoumas jumped 8.26m in the Olympic Grand Prix meeting held today in Thessaloniki, the better performance by a Greek athlete in the afternoon. The javelin thrower Georgios Iltsios met the standard for the European Championships with a throw at 79.72m, while Kostas Gatsioudis did not participate because of an injury at his knee. After the meeting Tsatoumas stated that he wants a jump like today's one in Gothenburg to claim a medal, while Gatsioudis announced his intention to stop the effort for this season, starting preparing for the world championships next year.
Aleksander Averbukh cleared 5.75m to defeat Jeff Hartwig who was second with 5.70m and Darell Brown was the winner of the 100m with 10.11. n the women's 3000m steeple Kenya's Kiptum Jeruto won with 9.31.39 leaving Dorcus Izinkuru on second place. [Results][Our brief report written for the IAAF]

Alekna throws 71.08m in Rethymno. Tyson Gay clocks 9.88
21.7. 2006 A world leading mark by Virgiljus Alekna in the discus throw and the extremely fast 100m race by American Tyson Gay were the main highlights of the 28th Vardinoyiannia meeting held in Rethmyno, Greece. The meeting was marked by a series of excellent performances, although in some cases assisted by the strong winds. [Results][Our report written for the IAAF]

Ziolkowski and Zang winners of the hammer throw in Rethymno
19.7. 2006 Vardinoyiannia 2006 opened today with the hammer throw events and Szymon Ziolkowski dominated the men's event with 79.60m. In the women's competition China's Wenhiu Zang was the only exceeded the 70m (71.25m), while Kathrin Klaas was second with 69.79m and America's Erin Gilreath third with 69.49m [entries and results]

Rethymno entrants announced
19.7. 2006 Bershawn Jackson tops a very strong American team entered for Vardinoyiannia 2006 meeting to be held in Rethymno. Virgiljius Alekna in the hammer throw, Maria Mutola in the 800m, the already announced trio of Kotova, Lebedeva and Devetzi, Walter Davis and Gregorio Jadel in the triple jump, Allen Johnson and Dominique Arnold in the 110mh, Allyson Felix in the 100m and Michelle Perry in the high hurdles are among the brilliant names who participate in the meeting.[entries]
Asafa Powell as well as his compatriots Michael Frater and Sherone Simpson withdrew from the meeting.
[Early entries of THESSALONIKI 2006, 24 July]

Kotova vs Lebedeva vs Devetzi in Rethymno
18.7. 2006 A triple jump competition is not included in the schedule of Vardinoyiannia 2006 meeting to be held in Rethymno on Friday, but the horizontal jumps stars found the way to have a strong competition in the greek city. Tatyana Lebedeva and Chrisopigi Devetzi with a personal best of 6.83m set earlier this season entered the long jump to face with Tatyana Kotova, the World Indoor Champion of the event.
Asafa Powell is the star of the sprint races, Maria Mutola enters the 800m, while a strong team of American athletes, among which Torri Edwards and Diminique Arnold, are currently training in their national military facilities in Crete and also expected to participate in the meet.

Stambolova wins with 49.64 in Chania. Gatsioudis returned
17.7. 2006 Vanya Stambolova clocked an impressing 49.64 in "Venizelia 2006" to win the 400m race. Gregorio Jadel jumped 17.34m., Viktoryia Rybalko and Brownyn Thomson 6.80m in the long jump. Konstantinos Gatsioudis returned after 4 years of injury and start with a throw at 75.40m, but the most important for the triple world champs medalist is his total recovery [Results]

Szymon Ziolkowski throws world leading 82.31m in Nikiti
15.7. 2006 Poland's Szymon Ziolkowski dominated the hammer throw in Nikiti meeting with a world leading 82.31m, while Italy's Ester Balassini won the women's event with a throw at 70.84m. Hungary's Krisztian Pars also exceeded the 80 metres (80.33m), while Alexandros Papadimitriou was third with a season's best at 77.00m.
The meeting, organized annually by Papadimitriou in his birthplace, also included shot put events this year, with America's Jamie Beyer and Poland's Krystina Zabawska to be the winners with 20.20m and 18.15m respectively. [Results]

Kostas Gatsioudis attempts again
15.7. 2006 Four years after the serious injury and following a series of operations in his arm, the javelin thrower Konstantinos Gatsioudis attempts to return.Gatsioudis, the only Greek who managed to win three medals in consecutive world championships, is going to participate in Chania or Rethymno meetings next week, trying to check his current competing ability and looking for the european championships standard (79.00m).

Wariner clocks 43.62 in Rome
14.7. 2006 Jeremy Wariner is now the fourth fastest one-lap sprinter of all-time and was the undisputed king of Rome’s Olympic stadium tonight for the IAAF Golden League - a meeting which attracted around 40,000 spectators.Chrysopigi Devetzi was second in the triple jump with 14.71m, Luis Tsatoumas fifith in the long jump with 8.12m and Konstantinos Filippidis 12th in the pole vault with 5.42m [Results]

Olympic discus champion Sadova faces two-year ban
13.7. 2006 Olympic discus champion Natalya Sadova is facing a two-year doping ban after failing a drugs test, Russia's athletics chief said on Wednesday ... more from Guardian
[Hellenic Grand Prix Final: results]

Liu Xiang 12.88 World 110m Hurdles record stunner
11.7. 2006 China's Olympic champion Liu Xiang broke the men's 110m Hurdles World record with a time of 12.88 seconds at tonight's 'Athletissima', a Super Grand Prix meeting, which is part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour. [110mh WR progression]
Marion Jones clocked 10.94 in the 100m and Xavier Carter 19.61 in the men's 200m. Periklis Iakovakis placed 2nd in the 400mh with 48.08, Chrisopigi Devetzi 4th in the triple jump with 14.71m and Dimitrios Tsiamis 12th in men't triple jump with 16.48m [results]

Asafa Powell in Rethymno, Tim Mack in Thessaloniki
11.7. 2006 The 100m world record co-holder, Jamaica's Asafa Powell agreed his participation in the international meeting Vardinogiannia 2006 to be held in Rethymno on July 21. More world stars confirmed their participation in the meetings organized in three Greek cities in July. America's Olympic Champion Tim Mack and the world indoor champion of the pole vault Brad Walker participate in Thessaloniki Grand Prix (July 24) along with the shot put silver olympic medalist, Germany Nadine Kleinert, while important entrants for Chania meeting (July 17) are to be announced in the coming days.

Lobinger vaults 5.70m in Patra
10.7. 2006 Tim Lobinger cleared 5.70m to win the pole vault competition in "Tofalia 2006" meeting held in Patra, Greece, setting the best performance of the meeting. Three throwers set the same performance in the javelin throw, while Sweden's Johan Wissman dominated the 200m in 20.51 [results]
[Paris Golden League, results]

Lobinger and Ceplak in Patra
7.7. 2006 Reigning european champion of the pole vault Germany's Tim Lobinger and the bronze medallist of the Olympics in the 800m Sovenia's Jolanda Ceplak participate in "Tofalia 2006" meeting to be held on Monday 10 July in Patra, Greece [more entries]

Athens Super Grand Prix "Tsiklitiria 2006"
3.7. 2006 On a cloudy and blustery evening in the Greek capital, World champion and record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar fell short on improving his own World 3000m Steeplechase mark, yet his 7:56.32 performance was still of the highest quality, one of eight world leads at “Tsiklitiria 2006” Athens Super Grand Prix, in Athens' Olympic stadium this evening. [Results][Our report written for the IAAF]

June 2006

Russia's women for the 10th time in a row and France won the European Cup 2006
29.6. 2006 The French men’s team regained the Spar European Cup after a very strong second day in Malaga. Having placed second for the last two years behind Germany, the French just edged out Russia in Malaga to win the Super League for the second time following their win in 2003. France scored 118 points, while Russia collected 116. Great Britain took third place with 109 points.
However, there was no stopping the Russian women. They won the trophy for a record tenth time in a row, while Poland took second place. Russia collected 155 points, Poland scored 111.5, and Ukraine 99.
Results from European Cup, Super League

Lebedeva vs Devetzi vs Smith in Athens Super Grand Prix
29.6. 2006 The first five triple jumpers from Helsinki WorldChampionships come to Athens Olympic Stadium for "Tsiklitiria 2006" to be held on July 3rd. The world champion Jamacia's Trecia Smith faces with Devetzi, Savigne, Pyatykh and Tatyana Lebedeva.
Meanwhile, the world high jump world indoor record holder, Sweden's Kajsa Bergqvist confirmed her participation in the meeting to compete with the best performer of the year, Bulgaria's Venelina Veneva [Entries]

Justin Gatlin in Athens Super Grand Prix
28.6. 2006 The American Olympic and World champion in the 100m, Justin Gatlin is returning in the stadium, where in 2004 he won the golden medal in the Athens Olympic Games. Gatlin will come next Saturday in Athens, in order to participate in the Athens Super Grand Prix "Tsiklitiria - OPAP", organised by Panellinios AC in the Olympic stadium on July 3rd, 2006.
In the 100m women race, stands the participation of the American world champion in Helsinki Lauryn Williams, who has a personal record of 10.88. Present in the race will also be Ukraine's Zhanna Block, world champion of the event in 2001 in Edmonton, as well as Bahama's Chandra Sturrup and the Americans LaTasha Jenkins and LaTasha Colander. [Entries]

"A historic compromise for an innocent quiltiness"
27.6. 2006 The reactions for the friendly settlement of the long-running case are going on and the latest developments have been perfectly described by the greek portal SPORT.gr: A historic compromise for an innocent guiltiness. The article publishes the 12 mutual accepted points of the agreement, maybe the best solution of the problem for IAAF, the athletes and their sponsors. The IAAF will help the athletes to return to action, while they are going to participate in the anti-doping international campaign organized by the IAAF. All discussions are agreed to be confidential and the athletes won't state anything on the case.
But, while, the athletes are the only who don't speak all the others are celebrating. Tzekos expressed relief, even SEGAS celebrated (for clearing the athletes from accusations they now accept?). The argument has been fixed and the countdown for their return starts, the media already talk about Thanou’s possible participation in Birmigham European Indoor Championships next winter.
Reports from: [The Guardian][CNN][BBC]

Official Announcement by the IAAF: Kenteris and Thanou accept anti-doping rule violations
26.6. 2006 Today before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Greek athletes, Konstantinos Kenteris and Ekaterina Thanou, accepted anti-doping rule violations of 3 missed tests between 27 July and 12 August 2004 (in breach of Rule 32.2(d)) and a failure to provide a urine and a blood sample on 12 August 2004 (in breach of Rule 32.2(c)). In consequence, the proceedings are now at an end.
The athletes were provisionally suspended by the IAAF on 22 December 2004. Subject to compliance with IAAF reinstatement testing requirements, they will be re-eligible to compete on 22 December 2006.
The parties are pleased in the interests of the sport that this long-running dispute has been brought to a conclusion."

IAAF retracts appeal to CAS against the sprinters. Free to compete from December 2006.
26.6.2006 The President of the Greek Athletics Federation, in a short statement published today, refered to the deal between IAAF and the Greek sprinters Konstantinos Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou, leading to the retraction of IAAF's appeal. Following the decision of the Greek Athletics Federation (SEGAS) not to sanction the two Greek athletes, the IAAF Doping Review Board had referred the case to the CAS in order to challenge the SEGAS decision.
SEGAS president expressed his satisfation "applauding the agreement between IAAF and the sprinters for a closer collaboration towards the observance of the anti-dopping legislation"
The electronic version of the Greek newspaper SPORTIME reports that both athletes are free to compete on 22 December 2006, after three anti-doping controls to be held by WADA. According to their agreement with the IAAF, they are going to participate in the international anti-doping campaign organized by the international association. Both athletes accepted three non-shows and resign from any claim against the IAAF, the WADA and the International Olympic Committee.

Lysenko regains World Hammer Throw Record - 77.41 at Znamenskiy Memorial
23.6.2006 Tatyana Lysenko wasted little time in reclaiming the World Record in the women's Hammer Throw, after her 77.41 throw at the Znamenskiy Memorial in Zhukovskiy, Russia, today...more from IAAF
[World Hammer Throw Record Progression][USA Championhsips][Greek National Champs U23]

Menendez vs Obergfoll, Jackson vs Iakovakis in Athens Super Grand Prix
23.6.2006 Olympics gold medallist, world champion and world record holder of the javelin throw, Cuba's Osleidys Menendez set to participate in the Athens Super Grand Prix Tsiklitiria 2006 to be held on 3rd July in the Olympic Stadium. Apart from the 27 year old champion, the javelin entry list has to demonstrate both Germans who won medals in Helsinki last year, the European record holder Christina Obergfoll and Steffi Nerius.
The leaders of the 400mh season's list, America's Bershawn Jackson and Greece's Periklis will meet each other once more after Osaka, Yuriy Borzhakovskiy will be the star of the 800m race, while one more Olympic Champion, Virgilius Alekna, participates in the discus throw. [Entries]
[Results from Serres Hellenic GP meeting]

Tsiamis jumps 17,55m in Thessaloniki. Triumphal return to Super League for Greek teams
18.6.2006 An amazing jump from Dimitrios Tsiamis at 17.55m inspired Greeks to oudo themselves and triumph in Thessaloniki. Georgios Iltsios in the javelin and the 4X400m team also won, while Stavros Kouroupakis shone in the pole vault, jumping 5.51m to defeat Rens Blom, the reigning world champion of the event. Extremely good performances by the middle and long dinstance runners who covered the traditional deficit of the national team in these events.
Hrysopigi Devetzi managed to win again today, she jumped 6.71 in the last attempt to defeat Portugal's Naide Gomez who was leading the competition with 6.70m. Alexandra Papageorgiou won the hammer throw, while personal bests set by Alexandra Komnou and Eleftheria Kobidou.
[Results][Our report written for IAAF][Greek 2006 lists:men - women]

Belgium and Belarus winners in Prague
18.6.2006 Women of Belarus and men of Belgium managed to win the Group of Prague and secured their promotion to the Super League.[Results]

European Cup: Devetzi for second win
18.6.2006 After the win in the triple jump, Hrysopigi Devetzi enters the long jump today attemping the double. Devetzi jumped a personal best 6.83m in the national championships last week, the best season's mark among all entrants.
Meanwhile, the men's team have to struggle for the promotion. All the athletes seem to be ready for today's events, with the only exception of Konstantinos Zalagitis (17.30 in the triple jump this season) who is replaced by Dimitrios Tsiamis (16.80m) because of an injury problem. [Results][Our report written for IAAF]

European Cup: Greece's girls close to promotion
17.6.2006 Seven wins in 11 events by the women's national team bring Greece on the top with 79 points, 13 more than Bulgaria and now the promotion to the Super League has been a realistic objective. Fani Halkia impressed with two wins in both 400m and 400mh races, athlough she hasn't fully overcome the injury she had in the national championships.
In the close men's competition, although only Iakovakis won for Greece, the country holds the top with 57 points, just 2 more than Netherlands and five more than Portugal. Impressing contribution by Francis Obikwelu and Slovenian throwers to their national teams effort. [Results][Our report written for IAAF]

Narrow leads for Belgium and Belarus in Prague
17.6.2006 The Rosicky stadium, site of the 1978 European Championships, was again host to top level athletics, where the Belgian men's squad and women's team from Belarus are the leaders after the first day of the European Cup First League Group A match... more from IAAF [Results]

European Cup: Greece seeking promotion
15.6.2006 The entry lists of Thessaloniki Group has been announced by the European Association. Netherlands, Greece and Romania in men, Bulgaria and Greece in women are the favourites for the win
[Thessaloniki: Final Entries and Results]

The Greek team for the European Cup, 1st League (Group B)
13.6.2006 The Greek team for the European Cup (Group of Thessaloniki) to be held on June 17-18 was announced today. [The team]

Asafa Powell equals again 100m record in Gateshead
11.6.2006 Asafa Powell clocked 9.77 in Gateshead to equall once more the 100m world record. Christian Cantwell set an American Shot Put record with 22.45m [Gateshead][100m WR progression]

Two records in the Greek Championships
11.6.2006 Maria Zerva, 57.98m in the javelin throw, and Eleni Theodorakopoulou, 2.08.15 in the 800m, set national juniors and U18 records respectively, on the second day of the Greek National Championships. Periklis Iakovakis won the 400mh in 49.20 and Chrysopigi Devetzi the triple jump with 14.56. Fani Halkia did not finish the 400mh final because of a muscular contortion, while Louis Tsatoumas marked 7.93m facing with a strong negative wind mark. [Results]
After the race Halkia noted that the injury is not a serious one, and has been with her since her run in Kalamata. She indicated that a few days rest early in the week should eliminate the problem, and that she should be ready for next week's competition at the European Cup 1st League Group B Event, Thessaloniki 2006 scheduled for 17th to 18th of June.

Devetzi jumps 6.83m in Trikala. Zalagitis 17.30m
10.6.2006 The triple jump Athens silver medalist, Chrysopigi Devetzi, won the long jump of the Greek National Championships, with a personal best at 6.83m, the 6th world performance for this year. Devetzi, who seems ready for great triple jump tomorrow, plans to participate in both events not only in the European Cup, but also in Gothenburg European Championships. She also enters three major GP meetings in Rome, Paris and Athens.
Konstantinos Zalagitis jumped 17.30m to win the triple jump, while Anastasios Gousis was the winner of the men's 100m with 10.37 and now prepares for a quick 200m race tomorrow. Fani Halkia and Periklis Iakovakis also enter the games tomorrow.
[Greek National Championships][Lille]

Greek National Championships 2006 in Trikala
7.6.2006 Greek National Championships for men and women are held this weekend (10-11 June) in the city of Trikala. The championships are expected to be of high level as almost all greek top athletes plan to participate. Hrysopigi Devetzi, Fani Halkia, Periklis Iakovakis, Stella Pilatou, Olga Vasdeki, Athina Papagianni, Konstantinos Filippidis, Christos Meletoglou, Panayotis Sarris, Luis Tsatoumas, Alexandros Papadimitriou, Dimitris Tsiamis and Ioannis Smalios have already set to compete, while two significant absences are those of Mirela Manjani and Maria Karastamati.
Championships results are the main criterion for the qualification to the national team, which is going to compete in the European Cup (First League, Group B, Thessaloniki 17-18 June).
Greek 2006 lists:(updated) [men][women], Greek all time lists: [men][women], [National Records], [National Records in 2006]

Lebedeva marks 15m in Turin
6.6.2006 Tatyana Lebedeva won the triple jump in "Primo Nebiolo Memorial" with a world leading 15.00m. Stefan Holm dominated the high jump with 2.30m. [Results]

Halkia wins easily in Kalamata. Impressing Stambolova, Veneva
3.6.2006 The 400mh Olympic Champion Fani Halkia managed a convincing and easy win over Helsinki bronze medalist Sandra Glover with 54.66 and goes on with more meeting, targeting the European Championships. Impressing run for Vanja Stambolova who clocked 50.88 in the 400m. Venelina Veneva cleared again 2.00m while LaTasha Jenkins clocked 11.09 in the 100m [Results]

Meseret Defar runs 5000m World Record in New York - 14:24.53
3.6.2006 With a scorching 61-second last lap, Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar shaved 0.15 seconds from Turkish Elvan Abeylegesse's World 5000m record of 14:24.68 when she ran 14:24.53 tonight, at New York City's Icahn Stadium.[Results from NY][Zaragosa]

Greek Combined Events Championships
3.6.2006 The Greek Combined Events Championships have started in Serres with both country's top heptahlon athletes, argyro Strataki, who broke the national record in Gotzis and Vasiliki Delinikola to be impressing in the events of the first day. [Results]

Thorkildsen 91.59m, Saladino 8.53m in Oslo
2.6.2006 Andreas Thorkildsen set a world leading 91.59m tonight in the Bislett Games held in Oslo. Panama's Irving Saladino impressed again, defeating the Americans with a jump at 8.53m. Good performance for Greece's Luis Tsatoumas who placed 4th with 8.17m, his best jump this year so far. Tia Hellebaut cleared 1.98m not only to set a personal best, but to get the second position over Slesarenko and Bergqvist, loosing only from Vlasic in the tie-break. Kenya's Isaak Songok won the 5000m in a wold leading 12.55.79 leaving Kenenisa Bekele on second place.
More world season's bests by Mohammed Al Azzimi in the 800m with 1.44.59, Dirunesh Dibaba who clocked 14.30.40 in the 5000m race, Sanya Richards the winner of the 400m with 49.82 and Alex Kipchirchir in the one mile with 3.50.32 [Results]
Papaflesia 2006 in Kalamata [Our preview written for the IAAF][Entries]

May 2006

Pyatykh 14.68m, Veneva 2.03m in Filothei
31.5.2006 Anna Pyatykh and Venelina Veneva shone in the 7th edition of Filothei Women Gala, the most successful in the meeting history so far. Both set world leading marks for this season, Pyatykh jumped 14.68 in the triple jump, while 32-year-old Veneva cleared 2.00m and 2.03m and now, as she stated, is looking for a leap over 2.07m.[Results][Brief news written for the IAAF]
Meanwhile, the reigning triple jump world champion, Jamaica's Trecia Smith is the latest addition to Kalamata entry lists

Halkia back to international competition in Kalamata
31.5.2006 The long expected return of Fani Halkia, the Olympic 400m Hurdles champion, to international level competition, and the participation of the World Pole Vault champion Brad Walker confirm that the host club Messiniakos GS has assembled a high standard meeting in Kalamata, “Papaflesia 2006”, this Saturday, 3 June. [Our preview written for the IAAF][Entries]

Three world leading marks in Ostrava. National steeplechase record for Kokinariou
30.5.2006 Three world leading marks set tonight in Ostrava GP, by Natalya Sadova (67.24m), Blanka Vlasic (2.00m) and Kenya's Priscila Jepleting in the women's 3000m (8.40.55). Impressing throw by Sergey Makarov at 88.49m, while Greece's Irene Kokinariou smashed the 3000m steeplechase national record with 9.55.82 around 12 seconds better than her previous own mark [Results]
¡ Papaflesia 2006 in Kalamata, 3 June: Entries

Defar, Ton top the bill with World leaders in Hengelo
29.5.2006 Meseret Defar (ETH) and Svatoslav Ton (CZE) are in excellent shape. On Sunday (28) night they both set World leading performances in the FBK Games, the only Dutch stop on the IAAF World Athletics Tour. Defar clocked 14.35.37 and Ton cleared 2.32 to defeat Stefan Holm.
In Eugene, Justin Gatlin won the 100m with 9.88, leaving the world record co-holder Asafa Powell on second place (9.93). Tatyana Lebedeva had a wind assisted jump at 7.00m, while we had new world leaders in five events. [Results from Hengelo][Results from Eugene]["Gratsia 2006", Thessaloniki][Heraklia 2006]

Greek Champion Club placed 4th in the European Cup
29.5.2006 Greek Champion Club "Panellinios" placed fourth in the Super League of the European Cup of Champion Clubs, held in Valencia last weekend. [Results: men, women]

National record by Strataki in Götzis
28.5.2006 Argyro Strataki placed 5th in Hyppomeeting with 6.235 points, breaking her own national record for Greece and setting the standard for the European Championships. The previous record was 6.157 points, set on May 30, 2004 also in Götzis. Cluft was the expected winner today with a total of 6.719 points. [Results from Gotzis]

Clay, Klüft the leaders after Day 1 in Götzis
28.5.2006 American Bryan Clay and Sweden’s Carolina Klüft, reigning World champions and leaders of their events in the IAAF World Rankings, have lived up to their roles as pre-event favourites taking the overnight lead of the Hypo IAAF Combined Events Challenge meeting in the Götzis. Greek Champion Argyro Strataki is 11th in the women's classification after the end of the 1st day. [Results]

Halkia vs Glover in Kalamata
26.5.2006 The Greek Olympic Champion Fani Halkia, participates in her first international meeting after 2004, next Saturday in Kalamata. Fani, who opened the season with 57.03 at the end of April in Greece, starts competing at international level, having in mind the European Championships of Goteborg next August. In Kalamata, Halkia is facing a strong competition by the American hurdlers, Sandra Glover, the bronze medallist of Helsinki world championships last year and Sheena Johnson, already 10th in the 400mh IAAF ranking, while Bulgaria's Vanja Staboleva and Russia's Yekaterina Bikert also compete in the race.
Filothei Women Gala 2006: Entries
"Papaflesia" in Kalamata 2006: Entries

Leonidia meeting results
24.5.2006 A jump of Panayota Koutsioumari at 6.66m, but also the winning time in the 400mh by the younger brother of Periklis, Sotirios Iakovakis, (50.88) were the most interesting results of the Hellenic Grand Prix meeting Leonidia 2006", held today in Sparti [Results]

More entries to Filothei Women Gala
24.5.2006 A former world indoor champion in the pole vault, Germany's Nasja Ryjikh, and the silver medallist of the World Championships 2001 in the 100m, America's Latasha Jenkins are among the new entries of the Filothei Women Gala, announced today by the hosting club A.O. Filothei

Pyatykh and Marinova in Filothei Women Gala
23.5.2006 Russia's Anna Pyathykh, currently 3rd triple jumper in the IAAF ranking and Bulgaria\s Tereza Marinova are among the athletes who have confirmed their entries in the "Filothei Women Gala" to be held on May 31st in Athens. The event also includes more entries, Russia's Elena Oleynikova with a personal best at 14.93m and Ukraine's Olexandra Stanciuk. Portugal's Naide Gomez (6.72m), Oxana Udmurtova of Russia (second long jumper in the IAAF ranking), Lithuania's Ineta Radevica and Belaru's Veropnica Sutkova are among the main participants of the long jump.