December 2007

Devetzi won again the title of the Athlete of the Year for Greece
12.12.2007 Triple jumper Chrysopigi Devetzi was the winner of the annual awards for the Athletes of Year for Greece.  Athens' Olympics silver medallist named best Greek woman athlete for third consecutive year, while basketball player Dimitris Diamantidis was the winner in the men's category. The national football team, reigning European Champion Team who qualified for the finals of the Euro 2008, was the best Team of the Year and its coach Otto Rehhagel the Best Coach of the Year for Greece.
One more athlete from track and field, the young hurlder Konstantinos Douvalidis was awarded the Rising Star Price.

Jones medal decision put on hold
12.12.2007 Marion Jones was banned for two years by the IAAF. The International Olympic Committee has delayed a decision to reallocate the medals won by disgraced US sprinter Marion Jones at the 2000 Olympics. The IOC is set to erase Jones's medals from the record books this week but is worried that other athletes may be involved in the Balco doping scandal.
"We feel that some names of athletes may still appear," said disciplinary commission member Denis Oswald. "It will be a matter of months before a decision is taken." We feel that some names of athletes may still appear in the Balco case". IOC commission member Denis Oswald Balco is the US firm that supplied a host of stars with drugs.
"We want to know more about the Balco case and be sure that other athletes who may be positively affected by the upgrading are not involved in this," added Oswald. more from BBC

November 2007

Gay and Defar named Athletes of the Year.
25.11.2006 Tyson Gay and Meseret Defar were named the World Athletes of the Year for 2006 at the World Athletics Gala held in Monte Carlo. Gay won three gold medals at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka last August, sweeping the 100 and 200 metres and running the third leg on the victorious 4x100m relay. Defar shattered her won world record in the 5000 meters, running 14:16.63 in Oslo in June, breaking her own previous standard by more than eight seconds. The reigning Olympic 50000 champion, also won the event ath the world championships and twice lowered the world best for 2 miles. She also set a world record indoors in the 3000, running 8:23.72 in Stuttgart in February.
Asafa Powell and Croatia's world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic received awards for performances of the year. Powell broke his own world record in the 100 meters in September, clocking 9.74 seconds, while Vlasic, who won 18 of 19 competitions this year, was honored for her 2.07 leap in Stockholm to equal the third highest jump ever outdoors.
Finally, Gebrselassie and Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain, the world record holders in the marathon, were given the newly-created Inspirational Award. Ruth Bisibori of Kenya, the world junior record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, was given the Rising Star Award.

Gay and Felix named US Athletes of the Year
20.11.2006 World champions Tyson Gay and Allyson Felix were named winners of the 2007 Jesse Owens Award, the annual honor naming the athletes of the year by USA Track & Field.
Gay, won three gold medals at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, sweeping the 100 and 200m and running the third leg on the victorious 4x100m relay.
Felix, dominated the 200m this season and also left Osaka with three gold medals. She defended her 200m title with a blazing 21.81 career best, the fastest by a woman since 1999.

24 national records for Greece in 2007
15.11.2006 Twenty four national records - in all age groups - were broken in 2007. Among them the impressing long jump record by Luis Tsatoumas (8.66m) which is the second all time European performance, but also the multiple records in the 110mh by the young hurdler Konstantinos Douvalidis.
At European level, 12 Greeks are among the top 10 athletes of their events. Luis Tsatoumas is on the top of the long jump, Perikliis Iakovakis, Anastasios Gousis and Hrysopigi Devetzi are on the second place of their events.
Six men and three women are included in the top 10 of european under 23 athletes. Konstantinos Douvalidis and Yervasios Filippidis top the 110mh and Javelin Throw lists respectively. Four young Greek javelin throwers are among the top 12 of the U23 year’s list.
Finally, six boys and three girls hold top positions in the juniors european lists. More significant cases these of Georgios Tsakopnas who is on the top of the long jump and has the 8th position in the triple jump and Dimitrios Filladitakis who is the best European U23 hammer thrower for 2007.
[2007 GRE outdoor lists: men, women]

2007 Performance of the Year - Candidates announced
13.11.2007 The 2007 World Athletics Gala in Monaco on 25 November, the prestigious annual global awards night for athletics, as well as the crowning of the 2007 World Athlete of the Year (Man and Woman), will witness the announcement of the 2007 Performance of the Year (Man and Woman) live on stage. The nominees for the 2007 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: Tyson Gay USA, Reese Hoffa USA, Haile Gebrselassie ETH, Bernard Lagat USA, Asafa Powell JAM, Dayron Robles CUB, Irving Saladino (PAN), Roman Sebrle CZE, Zersenay Tadesse ERI, Samuel Wanjiru KEN, Jeremy Wariner USA
WOMEN: Meseret Defar ETH, Allyson Felix USA, Yelena Isinbayeva RUS, Janeth Jepkosgei KEN, Lornah Kiplagat NED, Carolina Kluft SWE, Sanya Richards USA, Valerie Vili NZL, Blanka Vlasic CRO, Yekaterina Volkova RUS

2007 Athletes of the Year finalists
06.11.2007 Following the survey of the IAAF Family and the votes of the Internet fans, the IAAF has selected the three male and three female finalists who are still in the running towards becoming the 2007 World Athlete of the Year.
Men: Tyson Gay USA, Haile Gebrselassie ETH, Liu Xiang CHN
Women: Meseret Defar ETH, Carolina Kluft SWE, Blanka Vlasic CRO

Korir Benjamin Kiprotich and Svetlana Ponomarenko win the Athens Marathon setting race records
04.11.2007 In ideal weather conditions (cloudy in the first stages and light raining at the last Kms) around 4750 runners today ran the 25th edition of the Athens Classic Marathon from the village of Marathon to Athens' 1896 Olympic Marble Stadium.
On the notoriously tough course, Kenya’s Benjamin Korir Kiprotich clocked 2:14:40 setting a race record, dominating the men’s race ahead of a group of Kenyans, while Russia’s Svetlana Ponomarenko verified the pre-race forecast by winning the women’s race in 2:33:19, which also smashing the women’s race record.
Excellent race for Magdelene Gazea who placed 3rd winning the women's national championships for Greece with 2.41.31 and met the low standard for Beijing Olympics, while Georgios Karavidas placed 10th in 2.31.51 to win the men's national title.
[Our report written for the IAAF]

First AIMS Marathon Symposium in Marathon, Greece: Coming back to the roots, speaking about the future
04.11.2007 The birthplace of the classical race, the village of Marathon in Greek, was the venue for the first Marathon Symposium of the Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS). Held on the day before the Athens Classic Marathon the topic was ,Marathon: Past – Present – Future’. AIMS cooperated with the IAAF, the Athens Marathon, the Greek athletics federation SEGAS and the city of Marathon to stage this symposium, which is planned to take place annually from now on.
The day in Marathon started with an impressive ceremony at the Marathon Tomb. Two Greek ministers were among the speakers. “It is the aim of the marathon to bring together people from all over the world to a festival of sport and fair play,” said Michalis Liapis, Greek’s cultural minister. Concerning the Athens Classic Marathon Liapis believes that its future will be a bright one: “I believe that we have reached a turning point in the history of the race now,” said Liapis while Aris Spiliotopoulos, the minister of Tourism in Greek, stated: “A marathon symbolizes a peaceful gathering of people from all countries.”
Refering to Marathon and Athens Pierre Weiss, the IAAF’s General Secretary, explained that there could not have been a better venue for the Symposium, especially in connection with the marathon on Sunday. “This is the birthplace of sport and of the Olympic Games. So the IAAF happily took the patronage for the AIMS Symposium. Without the work of AIMS in the past 25 years the marathon would not be what it is today,” said Pierre Weiss, who announced that the IAAF will further support the sport of road running in future: “May be we have missed a train in the past, but now we are catching up.”
Pierre Weiss and Sean Wallace-Jones, the Chairman of the IAAF’s Road Running Committee, explained to the delegates of road races from all over the world the introduction of IAAF Labels for Road Races. Additionally the global federation will start a weekly TV magazine called ,The Running Road Show’ to give the sport more vital television coverage.
A main topic of the symposium was the economic impact big road races have today. “Analysing a marathon race in terms of economy one has to come to the conclusion that these races are highly attractive,” said Wolfgang Maennig, who is a professor in economy science at the University of Hamburg and has done relevant surveys in this field. “Already back in 1998 in Berlin we found out that the economic impact of the race for the city was 25 million Euros. Today’s figures are much higher. Boston in 2003 is said to have had an impact of 74 million US-Dollar while the figure for this Sunday’s New York City Marathon is even 220,” said Wolfgang Maennig.
“Today marathon is so significant, it is a way of life,” said the Mayor of Marathon, Spiros Zagaris, who had been very eager and supportive to stage stage this symposium and also had been the key figure behind the opening of a new marathon museum in his town. The delegation had lunch in this museum. Among those invited for the marathon weekend were former World Champions Abel Anton (Spain/1997 in Athens and 1999 in Seville) and Rosa Mota (Portugal/1987 in Rome), who also became the Olympic Champion in 1988.

Athens Classic Marathon celebrates 25th anniversary
02.11.2007The participation of more than 7100 runners is the first record broken in the Athens “Classic” Marathon 2007, the main annual Marathon event in Greece, which this year completes 25 consecutive years as a running event of international importance.
On Sunday 4 November some well known international runners along with the best Greeks will start the race at the ancient Marathon village and run to the Athens Stadium where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896.
Traditionally the Greek Marathon Championships are held in parallel with the International Athens Classic Marathon. More than 200 men and women will be trying to claim the national title.
[Preview written for the IAAF]

October  2007

Athens "Classic" Marathon 2007
23.10.2007 The first entrants of the 25th Athens Classic Marathon, to be held on November 4th, have been announced by the organizing committee of the event. Among the most significant participants are a team of Kenyan runners, consists of Willie Cheruyiot Kipkurui (winner in Eidhoven in 2003 and 2004), Steven Loruo (winner in Brussels in 2006 and in Honh Kong this year), Kiptanui Kimutai (winner in Philadelfia 2006),  Reuben Chepwik (2nd in Palermo last year), Michael Cimpchir (2nd in Sevilla 2007), Matthew Serem (2nd in Bonn 2007), Korir Benjamin Kiprotich (3rd in Brecia 2007) and Patrick Chumba, sixth in Hong Kong this year.
Italian Migidio Bourifa, Belgian Koen Neven, Japan's Kazunari Yoshitomi will also ran the distance from the village of Ancient Marathon to Athens Stadium.
Russia's Svetlana Ponomarenko, the winner in Dalas and Frankfurt in 2006, is the faster woman entrant so far having a career best at 2:29.55. Her main rivals, according to the early announcement will be her compatriot Viktoriya Zuyeva, Kenyans Rose Chepkmpoi Chipchir and Cheroko Chemareg, Japan's Chihiro Tanaka and Ethiopia's Gurmu Mulyie Lema, who was second in Barcelona last year.

IAAF Athletes of the Year Awards
18.10.2007 IAAF has already announced the nominations for the yearly awards to the Athletes of the Year
Men: Kenenisa Bekele  ETH, Tyson Gay USA, Haile Gebrselassie ETH, Reese Hoffa USA, Bernard Lagat  USA, Tero Pitkamaki FIN, Asafa Powell JAM, Irving Saladino PAN, Zersenay Tadese ERI, Jeremy Wariner USA, Liu Xiang CHN
Women: Meseret Defar ETH, Allyson Felix USA, Yelena Isinbayeva RUS, Maryam Yusuf Jamal BRN, Janeth Jepkosgei  KEN, Lornah Kiplagat NED, Carolina Kluft SWE, Tatyana Lebedeva RUS, Sanya Richards USA, Valerie Vili NZL, Blanka Vlasic CRO
Click here to vote

Marion Jones returned Sydney medals!
9.10.2007 Following her statement issued at the end of the week, Marion Jones returned the medals she won in Sydney (3 golds, 2 bronzes) without waiting for any relative decision by the international bodies. The golds came in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and the 4x400m relay, with bronzes in the long jump and the 4x100m relay.
The IOC will have to decide whether the athletes who finished behind Jones should be awarded Jones's medals. Greece's Katerina Thanou, who finished second to Jones in the 100m, later served a two-year suspension after missing three tests. Jamaican Tayna Lawrence won bronze.
Read also: [No comment from Katerina Thanou in Jones case, purported lawyer to be sanctioned]

Jones pleads guilty in drug case
6.10.2007 US athlete Marion Jones has pleaded guilty to lying about her steroid use to US investigators, which could see her jailed and stripped of her medals [BBC reports][read also Jones 'should return her medals', from BBC]
IAAF President Lamine Diack commented on Jones case: "If she had trusted to her own natural gifts and allied them to self-sacrifice and hard work I sincerely believe that she could have been an honest champion at the Sydney Games. "Now, instead, she will be remembered as one of the biggest frauds in sporting history."
US Olympic Committee boss Peter Ueberroth also advocates taking Jones' medals away. "Ms Jones should immediately return the medals she won while in violation of the rules," said Ueberroth. Its another nail in the coffin of track & field athletics. I bet for every convicted athlete there are five getting away with it.
IntelligentAnalysis. "She has cheated her sport, her country and herself." "She now has an opportunity to make a very different choice by returning her Olympic medals and acknowledge the efforts of the vast majority of athletes who choose to compete clean."

Finland's Tero Pitkamaki is the male European Athlete of the Year 2007
5.10.2007 Tero Pitkamaki has achieved another first to add to his illustrious season, he is the first ever Finnish athlete to be voted the male Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year. Roman Sebrle of Czech Republic and Gerd Kanter of Estonia followed him in the overall clasification, while the only Greek nominee for the Crystal Trophy this year, the 200m runner Anastasios Gousis placed 22nd.

Croatia's Blanka Vlasic is the female European Athlete of the Year 2007
4.10.2007 23-year-old Croatian World High Jump Champion, Blanka Vlasic, is the female winner of the Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year Award for 2007.  Sweden's Carolina Kluft placed 2nd and Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva 3rd.
This prestigious award will be presented at an awards ceremony during the European Athletics Calendar Conference in Malta on Friday October 12th.The male European Athlete of the Year award winner will be announced tomorrow.

A legend of world athletics passed away
1.10.2007 Four-time Olympic gold medalits and  former world record holder Al Oerter died Monday of heart failure in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. He was 71. Al Oerter was one of only two stars - Carl Lewis being the other - to win the same Olympic event four times in a row and the only athlete to set four consecutive Olympic records.
Seen as a longshot for a medal in the 1956 Games, the 20-year-old youngster surprised the Melbourne crowd by winning the Gold Medal on his first throw (56.36) and setting his first Olympic record. Four years later in Rome, he exceeded his winning distance in Melbourne to win his second consecutive Olympic Gold Medal (59.18). Oerter's third Olympic Games, 1964 Tokyo, brought another Gold Medal (61.00) despite a severe rib cage injury. Then, in 1968 in Mexico City (64.78), Oerter made Olympic history by becoming the first Olympian to win the same event in four consecutive Games. Remarkably, Oerter achieved his best throw in 1980 while preparing for the boycotted Moscow Games. He was already 43 when he set his last career best throwing 69.46m
Maybe the greatest ever American athlete, improved the world record four times from 61.10m (1962) to 62.94m (1964).

Second place for "Tsiklitiria" Athens Grand Prix
1.10.2007 The Athens Grand Prix Tsiklitiria 2007 finished 2nd overall in the IAAF's annual evaluation of meets for the 2007 season.  Criteria analyzed included the areas of organization, athlete attendance, records, television coverage, press services and naturally the number of spectators.  In that respect the 2007 edition of Tsiklitiria broke all previous records as there were more than 30,000 fans in attendance.  Athens finished behind the Brussels Golden League meet

September 2007

Haile - 2:04:26 World Record in Berlin
29.09.2007 Haile Gebrselassie finally fulfilled the first one of his two big marathon dreams: The 34 year-old Ethiopian broke the World record at the real,- Berlin-Marathon, clocking 2:04:26. It was Paul Tergat (Kenya) who had run 2:04:55 in 2003 in Berlin.[Full report by the IAAF][Marathon WR progression]

1.17.16 - Kanaykin sets World 20km record at IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final
29.09.2007 Vladimir Kanaykin sensationally chipped five seconds of the World record for the men’s 20km Race Walk and surprised everybody including himself at the final of the 2007 IAAF Race Walking World Challenge in Saransk, Russia, today [Full report by the IAAF][20Km walk, WR progression]

Devetzi placed 2nd in Stuttgart, 12.92 for Robles
22.09.2007 Chrysopigi Devetzi closed one more successful season taking the second place in the World Athletics Final. Devetzi jumped 14.75m three centimenters less than the World Champion Yargelis Savigne and three more than Tatyana Lebedeva. More championships records today by Janeth Jepkosgei in the 800m with 1.57.87, Meseret Defar in the 3000m with 8.27.24 and Dayron Robles in the 110m with 12.92  [Results]

Powell clocks 9.83 in World Athletics Final. Three championships records on the first day
22.09.2007 After the end of the Golden League Series and the 1 million jackpot shared by Yelena Isinbayeva and Saqnya Richards, the outdoor season closes with the World Athletics Final started today in Stuttgart. The 100m world record holder Asafa Powell impressed again with his winning mark of  9.83, while Isinbayeva broke also the championships record with 4.87m and the javelin throw world champion Barbora Spotakova broke the Czech record with a throw at 67.12m. Youssef Saad clocked 1.45.61 in the 800m and Blanka Vlasic finishes the most brilliant season of her career so far with one more win at 2.00m.

9.74: Asafa Powell is back
9.09.2007 Asafa Powell of Jamaica running in the second of two heats of the men's 100m at the Rieti Grand Prix meeting this afternoon has improved his World 100m record with a time of 9.74 seconds (+1.7 m/s wind). At the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics last month, Powell finished third behind American Tyson Gay and Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas.
Powell's previous World record was 9.77 seconds which he first set on 14 June 2005 in Athens, Greece, a time which he equalled twice (Gateshead GBR 11 June 2006 and Zurich SWI 18 August 2006). America's Justin Gatlin had equalled the record on May 12th, 2006 in Doha, Qatar
[Rieti results][full report by the IAAF][100m WR progression]

Perry is out - Richards and Isinbayeva in
7.09.2007 The golden league series resumed today in Zurich and just two of the jack pot contenders are still in the competition: Sanya Richards who won the 400m with 49.36 and Yelena Isinbayeva who cleared 4.80m. Michelle Perry failed tonight, defeated not only by Susanna Kallur but also by Deloreen Ennis-London. One more win for Blanka Vlasic, this time at 2.04m, but also for Andreas Thorkildsen the winner of the javelin throw with a season's best 89.51m over the world champion Tero Pitkamaki.
Good marks by American Davis Walter who jumped 17.20m to defeat the world champion Nelson Evora, Christine Arron who also defeated Michelle Perry and Xavier Carter who clocked 19.92 in the 200m. [Zurich GP results]

Lagat doubled world titles
2.09.2007 Kenyan born Bernard Lagat, winner of the 1500m in Osaka, won one more gold for USA, this time in the 5000m. One more American sweep in the 4X400m relay, while Blanka Vlasic was the expected champion of the high jump with 2.05m. Kenyan Yego is the surprising winner of the 800m and Terro Pitkamaki in the javelin throw. In the morning of the last day of the championships his compatriot Katherine Ndereba won the women's Marathon race. World Championships Results:[Day9]
During this morning’s first meeting of the new IAAF Council which was elected by the 46th IAAF Congress in Osaka, President Lamine Diack announced that Sergey Bubka (UKR) would be the new IAAF Senior Vice-President, replacing Arne Ljungqvist (SWE) who has stepped down from the IAAF Council.

Roman Sebrle finally wins a world title
1.09.2007 Decathlon Olympic Champion and World Record holder Roman Seblre won the gold medal in Osaka, his first world title after two silver medals in 2003 and 2005. Serble dominated the competion with a total of 8676 points, followed by Jamaican Maurice Smith (8644 p).
American Brad Walker cleared 5.86m to win the pole vault, a competition of the highest level as eight athletes managed leaps over 5.81. One more gold for USA by the 4X100 women's team, who defended successfully the world crown defeating the Olympic champion team of Jamaica. The Belgian team led by Gevaert surprised the Russians taking the bronze.
Tyson Gay won a third gold in Osaka with the men's relay team and Meseret Defar dominated easily the 5000m final.
World Championships Results:[Day8]

August 2007

Devetzi gets the bronze medal with 15.04m
31.08.2007 Chrysopigi Devetzi won one more medal in World Championships, jumping 15.04m the third performance of the competition. The 31-year-old Olympics silver medallist opened the competition with 15.04m and then she had risky and invalid attempts, trying to outgo Cuban Yargelis Savigne who performed a world leading 15.28m also in the first round. During the fifth round, the favourite of the event Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 15.07m to get the silver.
Devetzi, besides the silver medal in Athens 2004, was also silver medalist in the European Championships 2006 and the World Indoor Championships 2006. She won the bronze medal of the World Indoor Championships in 2004. Her personal best stands at 15.32m (2004).
Czech Barbora Spotakova set a national record 67.07m to win the javelin throw, defeating the European record holder Christina Obergfoll. Savva Lika improved her career best to 63.13m and placed 5th, a pleasant surprise for Greece.
 World Championships Results:[Day7]

Saladino wins the gold on the very last minute, Gousis placed 8th in the 200m
30.08.2007 Fantastic Irving Saladino verified his dominant position in the long jump for one more year today in Osaka. Panama's champion managed a jump at 8.57m in the last attempt of the competition, achieving a victorious reply to the European Champion Italy's Andrew Howe who had jumped 8.47m few minutes earlier. Howe, who was third at the opening of the last round with 8.20m broke the national record for Italy to climb to the top for few minutes, until Saladino's final jump. American Dwight Phillips got the bronze with 8.30m.
Tyson Gay doubled his world titles running the 200m in a championships record 19.76 and leaving Usain Bolt on second place with 19.91. Anastasios Gousis ran in this final where he took the 8th place with 20.75, running in lane 2. An extremely satisfing performance by the Greek Champion who was the only European of the final, while he set an amazing personal best of 20.11 in the first round of the event.
In the other finals of the 6th day of the world championships gold medals won Jana Rawlinson in the women's 400mh with 53.31 and Germany's Betty Heidler in the hammer throw with 74.76m
World Championships Results:[Day6]

Devetzi jumped 15.09m in the qualification round. Gousis in the 200m final
29.08.2007 The best Greek athlete of the last years, Chrysopigi Devetzi, is ready again for the top event of the season. In the qualification round of the triple she improved her season's best to 15.09m, second world performance of the year and qualified for the final. Anastasios Gousis placed 4th in the second 200m semifinal with 20.33 and qualified for the final race, where he will be the only European runner.
World Championships Results:[Day5]

Bahamas' Donald Thomas wins the high jump final with 2.35m. Kyriakos Ioannou makes history for Cyprus getting the bronze medal
29.08.2007 Bahamas Donald Thomas won the gold medal in the dramatic high jump final with a world leading leap at 2.35m. Cypriot Kyriakos Ioannou improved twice his own national record to 2.33m and 2.35m demonstrating not only a perfect form but also an incomparable passion to offer his country the bronze, the first ever medal for Cyprus in the world championships. Yaroslav Rybakov was silver medallist , also with 2.35m, while Stefan Holm placed 4th with 2.33m needing only one attempt at each height to reach this performance.
In the other finals of the 5th day of the World Champs, Michelle Perry won the 100mh with 12.46 in front of Perdita Felicien who returns to the top level with a silver medal, Franka Dietzsch dominated the discus throw with 66.78m and Bernard Langat won the 1500m gold for USA with 3.34.77

Kanter ends Alekna reign. Sixth place for Iakovakis
28.08.2007 Estonia's Gerd Kanter is the new discus throw world champion, succeeding Virgiljius Alekna the winner of the latest two championships, but also the reigining Olympic and European Champion.  Kanter won with 68.94m, the silver goes to Germany's Robert Harting and the bronze to Rutger Smith, while Alekna is fourth. After a long period of time the Lithuanian won't be on the podium.
Russian sweep in the women's long jump and Kenyan in the men's steeplechase.
Kerron Clement won the gold medal in the 400mh, where European Champion Periklis Iakovakis was 6th, running in lane 2. Amazing performance for Poland's Marek Plawgo who got the bronze setting a national record 48.12, followingFelix Sanchez.
World Championships Results:[Day4]

Anastasios Gousis clocks 20.11 in the 200m heats
28.08.2007 Greece's Anastasios Gousis clocked a personal best of 20.11 in the 200m heats to be the faster qualifier of the round.It's the second all-time performance for Greece and European leading for this season. Gousis, who obviously slowed down in the last 20-30 meters, participated in the same group with Usain Bolt who was second with 20.12. In the quarter-final Gousis was second in  the 4th heat with 20.51 and qualified for the semis.
The 28-year-old runner was 8th in the European Championships last year and, before Osaka, had a personal best of 20.43 he set earlier this season. In Athens 2004 he ran in the semifinals where he placed 5th, while he participated in  the 4X400m team which was 6th in the World Championships in 2003. He has a personal best of 10.27 in the 100m
Three other Greek athletes competed in the morning session of the 4th day but didn't make the next rounds. Dimitrios Regas and Dimitrios Gravalos in the 400m heats and Alexandra Papageorgiou in the women's hammer

Nelson Evora flies to 17.74m winning the world title. Campbell win the womne's 100m in 11.01
27.08.2007 The impressing performance by Portugal's Nelson Evora who broke the triple jump national record with 17.74m was enough to give him the gold medal of the world championships, while Jadel Gregorio was second with 17.59m and American Walter Davies third with 17.33m. Greece's Dimitrios Tsiamis placed 12th with 16.59m
In the men's hammer throw Belarus' Ivan Tsikhan won the gold in the last round with a throw at 83.63m, leaving Slovenian Primoz Cozmus, who had led the event until then, on second place with 82.29m. Russians made a winning double in the women's steeplechase with Yekaterina Voklova to get the win in a championships record 9.06.57 and Tatyana Petrova to follow with 9.09.19.
Kenenisa Bekele was the expected winner of the 10000m with 27.05.90 and Veronica Campbell dominated the close 100m final race in 11.01. Torry Edwards was second with the same mark, followed by Carmelita Jeter with 11.02 in a race decided by the photo-finish
Finally during the morning session Fani Chalkia and Christina Chatzi (400mh) as well as Flora Redoumi (100mh) qualified for the semifinals of their events.
World Championships Results:[Day3]

Third world titles for Jefferson Perez and Carolina Kluft
26.08.2007 World record holder for the 20km Race Walk, Jefferson Perez of Ecuador lived up to his reputation as a great championships performer by adding another gold medal to his extraordinary showcase which features an Olympic gold medal in Atlanta and World titles in Paris 2003 and Helsinki 2005 plus three World Cup wins in 1997, 2002 and 2004, and a hat-trick of Panamerican Games titles in 1995, 2003 and 2007.
Tyson Gay triumphed in the 100m final with 9.85, while Bahama's Derrick Atkins got the silver with a national record 9.91. The world record holder Jamaica's Asafa Powell was third with 9.96
Carolina Kluft won her third world title in a row with 7.032 points. Greek Heptathletes, Argyro Strataki and Vassiliki Delinikola placed 18th and 28th respectively.

Periklis Iakovakis in the 400mh final
26.08.2007 The  winner of the European Championships last year, Greece's Periklis Iakovakis, verified the expectations and qualified for the final of the event in the World Championships with 48.44.
World Championships Results:[Day1][Day2]

Luke Kibet wins Marathon gold. Tirunesh Dibaba and Reese Hoffa the other winners of the 1st day
25.08.2007 The World Championships opened in Osaka with 24-year-old Kenyan Luke Kibet to win the Marathon gold with 2:15.59. Silver medallist Qatar's Shami Mubarak and bronze Switzerland's Viktor Rothlin gave to their countries the first ever Marathon medal in the World championships history.
Reese Hoffa of the USA had a wonderful series while winning gold in the Shot Put. Four puts, of which 22.04m was the best, were better than the 21.61m which secured colleague, training partner, and defending champion, Adam Nelson the silver medal.
In the women's 10000m race Tirunesh Dibaba past Abeylegesse just before the bell, and sped away to victory in 31:55.41. Abeylegesse was second in 31.59.40, and in something of a departure from recent tradition, Kara Goucher added to the revivial of US long distance running, by outwitting Jo Pavey of the UK and Kimberley Smith of New Zealand, for bronze, in 32:02.05.
Among the surprises of the 1st day are the failure of the 100m European Champion Francis Obikwelu to pass the first round and the disqualification of Ivan Heshko in the 1500m heats
Greece's Periklis Iakovakis qualified for the 2nd round of the 400mh with 49.10m, while in the triple jump qualification round Dimitrios Tsamis jumped 16.74m to make the final. In contast, Irene Kokinariou ran the 3000m steeple in 10.19.62, Alexandros Papadimitriou was 22nd with 71.58m in the hammer throw qualification round and the second triple jumper Konstantinos Zalagitis had his best attempt at 16.26m [Results]

The World Championships open in Osaka
24.08.2007 The first day of the World Championships or Olympic Games isn’t always considered the most exciting day, since there are usually only two finals in the stadium – in this case, the men’s Shot Put and the women’s 10,000m. In Osaka however, the Day One programme of the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics on Saturday (25) has been spiced up with Japan’s favourite race – the men’s Marathon – being run through the streets of the city, plus, inside Nagai Stadium, a number of enticing preliminary races on the track [Daily preview by IAAF] The race which opens the championships start at 07.00 local time, that means before midnight of Friday for the european zone.
On the first day of the Championships seven Greeks start the competition: Periklis Iakovakis in the 400mh, Argyro Strataki and Vasiliki Delinikola in Heptathlon, Irene Kokinariou in the 3000m steeple, Alexandros Papadimitriou in the hammer throw, Dimitrios Tsiamis and Konstantinos Zalagitis in the men's triple jump  [2007 GRE outdoor lists: men, women]

Athens bids for 1st Youth Olympics
24.08.2007 IOC President Jacques Rogge and IAAF President Lamine Diack chaired the joint IOC Executive Board / IAAF Council meeting, which traditionally precedes the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. The two executive boards which met today in Osaka, discussed the on-going reports of the Beijing 2008 and the London 2012 Olympic Games as well as the first edition of the Youth Olympics which is scheduled to take place the last 10 days of August 2010. President Rogge proudly announced that with just over one week to go before the deadline for candidature applications that five cities from three different continents (Algiers, Athens, Moscow, Turin, and Singapore) have already applied to organize the competition.
“We need the support of Athletics for the success of these Youth Olympics. Athletics is THE main sport of our programme,” Rogge declared.
“The IAAF signalled its support to the Youth Olympics with the aim of encouraging young athletes to come back to our sport,” said President Diack. “We believe this competition offers the perfect formula to help us attain our goal of making Athletics be the number one sport among the younger generation.”

Osaka Statement on Doping Penalties
23.08.2007 (FROM IAAF)  On the second and final day of the 46th IAAF Congress (22 – 23 Aug) which is being held in the Osaka, the following statement was endorsed by Congress which is the highest decision making body of the IAAF.
"The Member Federations of the IAAF recognize that the World Anti-Doping Code is under review and that international federations will be expected to implement the provisions of the revised Code to be adopted at the World Conference on Anti-Doping in Madrid (ESP) in November 2007.
In this regard, in the resolution passed unanimously at the 2005 IAAF Congress in Helsinki, the IAAF Council was mandated to advocate vigorously for the strengthening of penalties for doping infractions, and specifically for a 4-year penalty for first doping infractions of a serious nature.
We remain convinced that strong penalties are an important cornerstone of an effective anti-doping campaign in general, and in athletics in particular.
Therefore, at this 2007 Congress, we unanimously reiterate in the strongest possible terms the position adopted at the 2005 Congress regarding 4 year penalties for first-time serious doping infractions.
The IAAF Council is therefore mandated by and on behalf of all Member Federations to pursue every reasonable means to ensure that the wishes of the athletics community are respected and that a regime of 4-year penalties for first serious doping infractions is adopted both within the World Anti-Doping Code and as the policy and practice of the IAAF"

Lamine Diack re-elected unopposed. Koukodimos failed to elect as IAAF Council Member
22.08.2007 With President Lamine Diack (SEN) and Honorary Treasurer Jean Poczobut (FRA) standing unopposed for their positions, the main focus of this morning were the votes for the four positions as IAAF Vice President, and the composition of the rest of the IAAF Council.
After the conflict between the Greek Federation and the former IAAF Council member Mr. Minoas Kyriakou, SEGAS submitted the candidature of the former long jump champion Mr. Kostas Koukodimos, who failed to elect. Election Results

The Greek team for Osaka WC announced
13.08.2007 Without Luis Tsatoumas and most probably without Fani Chalkia and Minas Alozidis,  the Greek team which is going to compete in Osaka World Championships is the following:
MEN: Anastasios Gousis (200m), Dimitrios Regas and Dimitrios Gravalos (400m), Konstantinos Douvalidis (110mh), Periklis Iakovakis (400mh), Dimitrios Tsiamis and Konstantinos Zalagitis (TJ), Alexandros Papadimitriou (HT), Konstantinos Stefanopoulos (50km walk), P.Iakovakis, S.Iakovakis, D.Regas, Georgios Doupis, D. Gravalos and Pantelis Melahrinoudis (4X400m)
WOMEN: Georgia Abatizou and Eleni Donta (Marathon), Athanasia Tsoumeleka (20Km walk), Christina Chatzi (400mh), Fani Chalkia (400mh, to be verified by the athlete), Flora Redoumi (100mh), Irene Kokinariou (3000m st.), Chrysopigi Devetzi and Athanasia Perra (TJ), Antonia Stergiou (HJ), Afroditi Skafida (PV), Savva Lyka (JT), Alexandra Papageorgiou (HT), Argyro Strataki and Vassiliki Delinikola (Heptathlon)

End of season for Luis Tsatoumas
10.08.2007 As announced today by SEGAS site, the world leader of the long jump this season, Greece's Luis Tsatoumas who became the second all time European jumper with 8.66m earlier this year, won't participate in the World Championships, because of the ischium injury he faces with. The Greek Federation officially informed today on Tsatoumas' withdrawal by his new coach Georgi Pomaski.

Bronze medal for Stella Pilatou, Emmanuel placed 6th in Bangkok
10.08.2007 Greece's Stella Pilatou jumped 6.52m to get the bronze medal of the World Universiade, started yesterday in Bangkok, Tayland. Dimitra Emmanuel set a season's best of 4.20m to take the 6th place in the pole vault final, while Konstantinos Baniotis (HJ) and Nikolaos Loukopoulos (DT) qualified for the finals of the respective events.

Vlasic 2.07, Wariner 43.50, Bekele 7.25.80 in Stockholm
8.08.2007 A wonderful summer night in Stockholm brought out three unique exploits. All the spectators in the fully packed Olympic Arena will remember Blanka Vlasic’s 2.07 leap, Jeremy Wariner’s 43.50 lap and Kenenisa Bekele’s 7:25.80 in the 3000m with a splendid second half of 3:38. These were but three historical results that highlighted the 41st DN Galan  [Results]

Skolimowska throws 73.66m in Nikiti
4.08.2007 Polish Kamila Skolimowska threw 73.66m to win the Throwing Meeting held today in Nikiti, Greece. Slovak Libor charfreitag dominated the men's event with 79.55m, while Petr Stehlik and Nadine Kleinert were te winners of the shot put with 19.45m and 18.22m respectively. [Results]

European Athlete of the Month for June
4.08.2007 The nominations for the European Athlete of the month award for June are the following:
MEN: Marlon Devonish GBR, Jaysuma Saidy Ndure NOR, Johan Wissman SWE, Dmitrijs Milkevics LAT, Mehdi Baala FRA, Mustafa Mohamed SWE, Ladji Doucoure FRA, Danny Ecker GER, Christian Olsson SWE, Virgilijus Alekna LTU, Vadim Devyatovski BLR, Tero Pitkamaki FIN
WOMEN:  Tezdzhan Naimova BUL, Tatyana Veshkurova RUS, Jessica Augusto POR, Gulnara Samitova RUS, Susanna Kallur SWE, Yuliya Pechonkina RUS, Blanka Vlasic CRO, Yelena Isinbayeva RUS, Tatyana Lebedeva RUS, Nadzeya Ostapchuk BLR  Click here to vote

July 2007

Vlasic leaps 2.06 in Thessaloniki
30.07.2007 Croatia's Blanka Vlasic shone in the "Olympic Meeting" held tonight in Thessaloniki 2007, producing a world leading 2.06m and failing to break the world record despite the good attempts at 2.10m. Veronica Campbell clocked 11.05 in the 100m and LaShawn Merritt 20.02 in the men's 200m. Tragedy for Olympic Champion Fani Chalkia who did not finish one more 400mh race because of one more injury [Results] [Sithonia 2007 (04 Aug): Entries]

Ceplak case shocks not only Slovenia
27.7.2007 Olympic 800m bronze medallist Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia has denied charges of doping following the announcement on Thursday that she tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO. Ceplak, the world indoor record holder in the 800m, tested positive for EPO after an out-of-competition test in Monte Carlo on June 18. The B sample test confirmed the A sample finding, resulting in a provisional suspension by the IAAF.
The member of the IAAF Athletes' Commission, now has 14 days to request a hearing with the Slovenian Athletics Federation (AZS). The hearing must then be conducted within two months

Christine Arron wins in 11.06 in Monaco
25.7.2007 Christine Arron looks she has recovored her top shape, as she won in Monaco Super Grand Prix in 11.06, warming France's hopes for a medal in the women's 100m in Osaka World Championships. Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 15.10m, while Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (800m) and Mariem Alaoui Selsouli (women's 3000m) set world leads [Results][Hellenic Grand Prix Meeting Final]

Lebedeva 7.15m, Vlasic 2.05 in Madrid
21.7.2007 A jump at 7.15m achieved by Tatyana Lebedeva, but also the 7.01m leap by Naide Gomez and the clearance at 2.05m by Blanka Vlasic are among the highlights of the IAAF Grand Prix Meeting set yesterday in Madrid.[Results]

Fourth place for Hondrokoukis in Hengelo
21.7.2007 Dimitrios Hondrokoukis was the best Greek athlete in Hengelo's events of Saturday, taking the 4th place in the high jump with 2.21m, the same height with the athlete who won the silver medal. Triantafyllia Karsa placed 5th in the javelin throw with a personal best at 52.37m, while the pole vaulters didn't win any madela this time. Zachariadi was 9th with 4.10m and Stafanidi 10th with 3.95m. Andriana Ferra placed 8th in the 200m final with 24.45 [European Juniors Championships][Greek Millitary Championships]

European Juniors Championships - Papamichail breaks walk record
21.7.2007 Alexandros Papamichail broke the national junior record for Greek walking the 10000m in 42:04.57 to get the fifth place in the European Junior Championships. Yesterday, Angelos Angelakis placed 6th in the 100m final [European Juniors Championships] from EAA

European Juniors Championships - Day 1
20.7.2007 European Juniors Championships started yesterday in Hengelo and Greek athletes managed good performances in the events of the first day. Spyridoula Stavrou placed 7th in the 10000m walk final and Theodosios Kaldis 10th in 10000m men's race. Angelos Angelakis qualified for the 100m final. Georgios Tsakonas also made it in the triple jump qualification round, while two of the pole vaulters, the silver medallist of the World Juniors Championships Ekaterini Stefanidi and Marianna Zachariadi also qualified for the pole vault final. Stefanidi cleared 3.90m and Zachariadi 4.00m in the qualification round, where a third Greek Styliani Ledaki also cleared 3.90m but placed 15th.
Today Andriana Fatala - Papadopoulou, silver medallist in Ostrava, did not produce any valid throw in the hammer's final [European Juniors Championships] from EAA
Read also: "Sithonia 2007" International Throwing Meeting, 04 Aug, Nikiti [Entries] [Former pole vault world champion Gibilisco suspended 2 years for role in doping] from SI

Impressive 10.03 by Bolt in Rethymno
18.7.2007 The elite sprinters and jumpers who gathered in the city of Rethymno, as well as some World and Olympic Champions in throwing events gave particular prestige to the “Vardinoyiannia 2007” meeting. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt’s impressive 100m personal best of 10.03, the winning time of 11.05 by Torri Edwards in the women’s race, and a deep men’s Long Jump competition which produced 8.31m leaps by Dwight Phillips and Brian Johnson, were but a few of the highlights at the meeting’s 23rd edition.
[Complete report by IAAF][Results]

Douvalidis smashed national record to take the gold. Silver medal for Stergiou in Debrecen
14.7.2007 Konstantinos Douvalidis won the gold medal of the European U23 Championships, setting a national record 13.49 for Greece. The former world youth record holder (two days ago American Wayne Davis clocked a new record 13.18 in Ostrava) was the favourite of the race and with the new record verifies he is on the way to achieve his life ambition, to join the elite world athletes of the event.
Antonia Stergiou got the silver medal with a 1.92m leap, the same mark with the winner of the event Russia's Svetlana Shkolina.
Yervasios Filippidis was 5th in the javelin throw with 75.26m and Konstantinos Vertoudos 9th with 71.73m. Niki Paneta failed in the long jump qualification round, jumping 6.04m [European U23 Championships]
[Douvalidis was born in 1987 by a Greek mother and an American father, in the city of Drama. He won the bronze medal in the world youth championships last year and the silver medal of the european juniors championships in 2005. In 2004 he clocked 13.22 (91.4cm), which had been the world youth best of the event until Wednesday]

Ekaterini Stefanidi and Andriana Fatala-Papadopoulou take silver medals in Ostrava
14.7.2007 Greece's Andrianna Fatala - Papadopoulou won the silver medal of the World Youth Championships, the second medal for Greece in Ostrava after the bronze won by the walker Panayota Tsinopoulou. Papadopoulou threw 55.97m, while the winner of the event, Romania's Bianka Perie set a championships record at 64.41m.
A third medal for the Greek team came by the defending World Champion Ekaterini Stefanidi who won the silver in the opole vault equalling her season's best 4.25m and having a tough fight with the world record co-holder Australian Vicky Parnov. Parnov was on the top for the greatest part of the competition, but Stefanidi cleared 4.25m with the first attemp, forcing the Australian to go higher, where she achieved a 4.30m clearance. The Greek girl left one attempt to 4.35m where she failed. Later the Australian set a championships record at 4.35m. Marianna Zachariadi placed 5th with 4.05m, the same mark with the bronze medallist Sweden's Petra Olsen.
Lykourgos Tsakonas clocked a 200m personal best and qualified for the final.
In Debrecen Efthymios Katsikantamis (hammer throw) and Sofia Yfantidou (javelin throw) competed in the morning session and managed qualifications for the finals [World Youth Championships]

Asafa Powell clocks 9.90 in Rome. Three go on for the jackpot
13.7.2007 The world record holder of the 100m impressed tonight in Rome Golden League where he won in a 9.90. Three jackpot contenders are going on after Rome, as Michelle Perry won the 100mh in 12.44, Sanya Richards the 400m in 49.77m. and Yelena Isinbayeva the pole vault with 4.90m. Andreas Thorkilsen won the javelin throw with 88.36m destroying the hopes of Tero Pitkamaki (he was second with 86.09m) for a share in the million dollars.  [Results]

Douvalidis in the final in Debrecen. Fifth place for Despina Zambounidou
13.7.2007 Konstantinos Douvalidis qualified today for the final of the 110mh in the European U23 Championships with 13.67, the faster time among the participants. Despina Zambounidou placed 5th in the 20000m walk, while Niki Paneta was finally 6th in the triple jump with 13.71m. Nikolaos Filandarakis placed 9th in the long jump final and Magdalene Komotoglou 11th in the discus throw with 49.72m [European U23 Championships].
On the third day of the World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Adriana Fatala - Papadopoulou qualified for the hammer throw final, while Lykourgos Tsakonas ran succesfully in the 200m heats and tomorrow is running in the semifinal. Eleni Lefkopoulou goes on in the 800m semifinals and Panayotis Laskaris cleared 4.70m and makes the pole vault final. Tomorrow two Greek hopes for medals, the reigning world champion Ekaterini Stefanidi and Mariana Zachariadi are competing in the pole vault final [World Youth Championships]

Tsinopoulou wins bronze medal for Greece in Ostrava. Four more athletes qualified for the finals in Debrecen
12.7.2007 Panayota Tsinopoulou won the bronze medal of the 5000m walk of the World Youth Championships, walking the distance in a national record performance of 22.49.15. The 17-year-old walker had an amazing performance and improved the national record by more than 40 seconds to become the third Greek youth athlete who manages to win a medal in the history of the world youth championships. Aliki Askitopoulou was bronze medallist in the triple jump in 2003 and Ekaterini Stefanidi won the gold medal in pole vault two years ago.
Meanwhile in Debrecen there are more success for the Greek team. In the afternoon session of the 1st day of the European under 23 Championships, Niki Paneta jumped 13.74m to produce the best attempt in the triple jump qualification round, while Dimitrios Regas after a dissapointing performance did not pass the 400m semifinals. Eftymios Stergioulis also makes the final, setting a 10.39 in the 100m semifinal race, while two more Greeks achieved qualifications for the final: Magdalene Komotoglou in the discus throw and Nikolaos Filandarakis in the long jump. [European U23 Championships]

European U23 Champs started in Debrecen. Stefanidi and Zachariadi qualified for the pole vault final in Ostrava
12.7.2007 The European U23 Championships oped in the morning in Debrecen with some good performances by the Greek athletes. Antonia Stergiou made the high jump final, while Eftymios Stergioulis qualified for the 100m semifinals.Konstantinos Vertoudos and Yervasios Filippidis will be in the javelin throw, in contrast to the Ioannis Smalios who failed to qualify.
On the second day of the World Youth Champs, both Greek pole vaulters, the reigning World Youth Champion of the event Ekaterini Stefanidi and Marianna Zachariadi world #3 perfrormer this year qualified easily for the final.Athanasios Chrysaidis placed 5th in the 110mh final.
[European U23 Championships], from EAA

World Youth Champs opened in Ostrava
11.7.2007 The World Youth Championships opened today in Ostrava and Germany picked up two gold medals in the boys shot put and the girls discus throw. Kenya won the third final of the first day, the 3000m steeplechase.
In the morning Greece's Christina Antonopoulou qualified for the discus throw final, where she finally was 10th. Athanassios Chrysaidis qualified for the semifinal and then for the final race of the 110mh, undoubtly a good start for the Greek team. [World Youth Championships][Leonidia 2007]

Obkwelu and Gevaert named European Athetes of the Month for June. The World Youth Championships opened in Ostrava
11.7.2007 Both reigning European Champions in sprint races, Portugal's Francis Obikwelu and Belgium  Kim Gevaert names European Athletes of the Month, while Greece's Luis Tsatoumas who produced the second all time longer jump with 8.66m and Germany' Christine Obergfoll who broke the javelin throw European Record last month are placed second. [Tofaleia results]

Ferra sets national juniors record for Greece
8.7.2007 Adrianna Ferra clocked 24.00 in the 200m heats of the national juniors championships to break the national juniors record for Greece. Dimitrios Fylladitakis won the hammer throw with 70.99m [Results]
Read also: [Let’s be more like Liu Xiang, an article by Chris Galakoutis to be read by all - shinning, rising and falling - Greek stars and our national officers]

Belarus and Great Britain won European Combined Events Cups. 5th place for Greek women
8.7.2007 Men's team of Belarus and women's team of Great Britain won the European Combined Events Super Leagues held in Tallin for men and Szczcin for women. In Tallinn Aleksander Parkhomenka dominated with 8.101p, while the Biritish team in Szczecin was led by Jessica Ennis 6.399 and Kelly Sotherton 6.229 points. The women's team of Greece placed 5th, retaining a position in the Super League, while men's team was 8th and relegated from the 1st League. Argyro Strataki was 5th with a season's best 5.917p.

European Combined Events Cup
7.7.2007 In the first day of the women's European Cup Combined Events Super League competition in Szczecin, Poland, it was all about the Britons, as Jessica Ennis established herself at the top of the standings with 3919 points, 60 points ahead of her teammate Kelly Sotherton.
Greece' s men team has placed 7th after the events of the 1st day in European Combined Events Cup - 1st League, while the women's team is 6th and fight to retain a position in the Super League. Belgium tops the men's classification (1st League). French men and Dutch women lead after Day 1 in Tallinn

Adkins goes on victorious. Vlasic clears 2.02, Feofanova 4.91m in Paris
6.7.2007 After his win in Athens Grand Prix, Bahama's Derrick Adkins won tonight in Paris Golden League with 10.00, defeating Shawn Crawford and Mark Jelks, while Blanka Vlasic dominated the women's high jump clearing 2.02. The Olympic Champion, one of the jackpot contenders, Yelena Slesarenko was second with 2.00m, while in the men's 110m Dayron Robles clocked 13.13 to defeat Anwar Moore who ran the distance in the same time.
In Paris only four contenders managed wins and go for the 1 million jack pot: Tero Pitkamaki (89.70), Sanya Richards (49.52m), Michelle Perry (12.56) and Yelena Isinbayeva who won with a world leading 4.91m and attempted to leap a world record 5.02m [Results]

Jeremy Wariner and Tatyana Lebedeva in Rethymno
5.7.2007 EAR Athletics Club, hosting of "Vardinoyiannia 2007" meeting (July 18, Rethymno) announced today the first entries of the international event. The reigning Olympic and World Champion of the 400m Jeremy Wariner will be competing in the 200m race since a full lap race is not included in the schedule. Tatyana Lebedeva will participate in the long jump along with Chrysopigi Devetzi. The 400mh European Champion Periklis Iakovakis is the first name announced for this event.
[Zagreb GP results]

The Greek team for Debrecen announced
4.7.2007 Twenty four men and women are included in the team announce by Greek Federation to participation in the European U23 Championships (12-15 July).
Men:Eftymios Stergioulis (100m), Georgios Koutsotheodorou (200m), Dimitrios Regas (400m), Konstantinos Douvalidis and Nikolaos Filandarakis (110mh), Spyridon Papadopoulos (400mh), Panayotis Kokoros (3000m st), Konstantinos Baniotis (HJ),Nikolaos Filandarakis (LJ), Nikolaos Dontas (TJ), Eftymios Katsikantamis and Konstantinos Stathelakos (HT), Yervasios Filippidis, Spyridon Lebesis, Ioannis Smalios and Konstantinos Vertoudos (JT)
Women: Eleftheria Kobidou (100m), Ekaterini Karatza (200m), Eleniki Nikolopoulou (10000m), Smaro Kokinidou (100mh) , Antonia Stergiou (HJ), Niki Paneta (LJ - TJ), Magdalene Komotoglou (HT) Sofia Yfantidou (JT), Despina Sabounidou (20000m walk)

SEGAS announcement on anti-doping tests of the NC
4.7.2007 "The second sample of the under investigation athlete, taken during the national championships is negative. This became officially known by the National anti-Doping Council today. After this development, SEGAS expresses sorrow for those who were in a hurry to conclude wrongly and against the sport, the athletes and the federation, before the end of the official investigation by OAKA laboratories. Also expresses sorrow for the inconsiderate reference to specific athletes in public, which occurs damage in their personal and social life and problems for their professional athletics career"

Lebedeva jumps 15.14m, Samitova clocks 9.11.68, Atkins 9.95 in Athens Grand Prix
2.7.2007 More than 30.000 attendants in the Olympic Stadium of Athens had the great chance to enjoy a meeting which produced top world performances and close competitions in most events. Although the Greek elite athletes did not recompense the crowd for the turnout, the interest was heightened by Lebedeva's world leading jump at 15.14m, the year’s faster 3000m steeplechase race by Gulnara Samitova, the national record performance of 9.95 by Bahama’s Derrick Atkins in the 100m, the meeting record set by Virglijus Alekna in the discus throw with 70.32m, the fast middle distance races and the national record for Greece set by Konstantinos Douvalidis in the 110m hurdles
The President of the Greek Olympic Committee and IAAF Council Member, Mr. Minos Kyriakou, talking as President of the hosting club Panellinios GS, expressed his satifaction for the volume and the enthusiam of the spectators and congratulated all athletes for the perfrormances they set. "The Athens Grand Prix Tsiklitiria is a unique experience in front of this crowd, especially so many young people gathered today in the Olympic Stadium" [Results][report written for the IAAF][The official site of the meeting]

Tsatoumas and Iakovakis nominated for European Athlete of the Month award for June
2.7.2007 European Athletics Association announced today the nominees for the European Athlete of the month awards for June. Click here to vote
Men: F.Obikwelu POR; M.Devonish GBR, C.Pickering GBR, D.Gillick IRL, Y.Borzakovskiy RUS, M.Baala FRA, B.Tahri FRA, G.Weidlinger AUT, T.Blaschek GER, L.Doucouré FRA, P.Iakovákis GRE, T.Lobinger GER, L.Tsátoumas GRE, D.Burkenya RUS, J.Olsen DEN, V.Alekna LTU, I.Tikhon BLR, T.Pitkämäki FIN, R.Šebrle CZE
Women: K.Gevaert BEL, T.Naimova BUL, N.Antyukh RUS, O.Zbrozhek RUS, Y.Soboleva RUS, G.Samitova RUS, S.Kallur SWE, Y.Pechonkina RUS, A.Di Martino ITA, Y.Isinbayeva RUS, M.Šestak SLO, T.Lysenko RUS, C.Obergföll GER, T.Chernova RUS, R.Turava BLR

Greece's hurdling heroes at the centre of line-up in Athens - IAAF Athens Grand Prix 2007
2.7.2007 The opening 400m Hurdles race of the season for Greece’s Olympic champion Fani Halkia should be one of the highlights of the Tsiklitiria 2007, a Grand Prix status meeting as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2007 to be held on Monday (2 July). A myriad of global and area champions have been assembled for what should be a spectacular night's action in Athens Olympic Stadium....[complete preview by the IAAF][Entry Lists announced]

June 2007

Good marks in the Greek U23 National Championships
30.6.2007 Dimitrios Hondrokoukis set the best season's performance for Greece in the high jump, leaping 2.24m in the Under 23 National Championships, opened today in Thessaloniki. Good performances also by Nikos Dontas (16.49m in the triple jump), the 18-year-old runner Petros Kyriakidis who clocked 47.14 in the 400m and the youth pole vaulters Ekaterini Stefanidi (4.10m) and Mariana Zachariadi (4.00m) [Results]
Meanwhile the victories by Yelena Soboleva, Yuriy Borzakovskiy and Blanka Vlasic and the close women's long jump competition were the key highlights in Moscow Luzhniki Cup 2007 held yesterday [Results]

SEGAS announcement on NC antidoping tests
29.6.2007 Earlier in the afternoon the Greek national athletics federation announced that "as informed by the National Anti-doping Council today, the under investigation sample of the athlete, member of the national team who was withdrawn of the European Cup for precautionary reasons, finally is not positive".

Menendez vs Obergfoll, Devetzi vs Lebedeva in Athens Grand Prix
27.6.2007 The announcement of the impressing Athens GP entrants is going on. Today the participants of two women events were revealed, both including the top world athletes. In the triple jump the silver medallist of the Olympics Chropigi Devetzi meets with Tatyana Lebedeva, but also the World Champion of the event Cuba's Trecia Smith and Sudan's Yamile Aldama, in a competition promising jumps over the 15m.
In the javelin throw the world record holder Osleidys Menendez competes with the european record holder Christina Obergfoll and the reigning European Champion Steffi Nerius. [entries]

Lysenko throws 77.71 in Ostrava. One hour record by Gebreselasie
27.6.2007 The Russian hammer throw world record holder Tatyana Lysenko impressed in the first day of Ostrava Grand Prix meeting having a throw at 77.71m. On Wednesday Reese Hoffa won the shot put with 21.77m and L.J Van Zul the 400mh in 48.64, while Minas Alozidis clocked 50.51 to get the 4th place. Yuliya Pechonkina won the women's race (54.58) defeating the reigning European Champion Yevgeniya Isakova (55.18) and Cypru's Kyriakos Ioannou cleared 2.30m to leave Stefan Holm on second place with 2.27m.
Haile Gebrselassie set a new World record in the One Hour Run. The legendary Ethiopian covered 21285m over the course of 60 minutes to break the previous best of 21101m, set by Mexican Arturo Barrios in La Fléche, France, on 30 March 1991. [ Results]

Alekna and the Estonians ready for Athens rematch
26.6.2007 The discus throw reigning Olympic, World and European Champion Virgiljus Alekna is going to participate in Athens Grand Prix to be held on July 2nd. His main rivals are expected to be again the Estonian duo, Aleksander Tammert (bronze medals in Athens and Gothenburg) and Gerd Kanter (silver medals in Helsinki and Gothenburg)
Among the new entrants announced today there are three pole vaults who had cleared 6.00m in their careers: Athens Olympic Champion Tim Mack from USA, his compatriot Brad Walker silver medalist in Helsinki World Championships and the World Indoor Champion of 2003, Germany's Tim Lobinger.
In the women's 400mh, besides Chalkia, three more entrants are the European Champion Yevgeniya  Nosova, the Olympics bronze medalist Yulia Pechonkina and Australian World Champion of 2003 Janna Pittman

Greek stars set for IAAF Athens Grand Prix. Jackson, Edwards, Campbell enter the meeting
25.6.2007 Fani Chalkia in the 400mh, Chrysopigi Devetzi in the triple jump, Periklis Iakovakis in the men's 400mh, Konstantinos Douvalidis in the 110mh and Maria Karastamati in the 100m set for IAAF Grand Prix in Athens. Some already announced entrants, including Bershawn Jackson and Felix Sanchez, Torry Edwards and Veronica Campbell betoken a stunning evening in Athens Olympic Stadium next Monday (July 2)

SEGAS verified positive drug tests
25.6.2007 The Greek national federation, SEGAS, verified today the press releases on three positive athletes in the Greek NC. One of them was found positive on a stimulant and was member of the national team selected for the European Cup, who was finally substituted. Although SEGAS did not refer the name of the athlete, according to Greek sport portals he is the pole vaulter Konstantinos Filippidis, who was replaced by Marios Evagelou in the team competed in Munich.
The other two cases are still undergoing analysis, believed to be tests of the "B" samples. The same reports say that a man sprinter and a woman hurdler are involved, both did not compete in Munich, although the sprinter was a back-up member of the 4X100 relay team.
SEGAS will officially announce the names after the investigation of the second sample. During the championships 69 athletes from all events were tested, the wider ever anti-doping control conducted in the country by the national federation.

The national team for Ostrava named today
25.6.2007 The national federation announced the athletes who will compete in the World Youth Championships (11-15 July, Ostrava). Three of them are currently among the best world youth athletes of the season: Ekaterini Stefanidi (#1 in the pole vault), Marianna Zachariadi (#3 in the pole vault) and Andriana Papadopoulou (#3 in the hammer throw). The other athletes are:
Men: Lykourgos Tsakonas (200m, 400m), Athanasios Chrysaidis (110mh), Antonios Mastoras (HJ), Panayotis Laskaris (PV), Dimitrios Tsolakidis (DT), Konstantinos Kostoglidis (HT)
Women: Eleni Lefkopoulou (800m), Panayota Tsinopoulou (5000m walk), Haido Alexouli (LJ), Christina Anagnostopoulou (DT)

France and Russia win European Cup in men and women. Greek men retained their position in the Super League
24.6.2007 Russian women achieved another European Cup win, the tenth title in a row, while France was finally the winner in men after a close, event-by-event competition with Germany. Both national teams had 116 points, but France won the Cup having one win in the events more than Germans.
Greek men's team achieved the objective to avoid relagation placing 6th in the final scoring. All athletes gave their best to manage the difficult mission with Anastasios Gousis to take 3rd place in the 200m with a personal best 20.43, the 4X400m team to set national record 3.02.21, Konstantinos Douvalidis to take 5th place in the 110m with 13.63 and the most of the others to add crucial points. This year the traditional weakness in the middle and long distance races did not cost to the team and everyone can hope a better future as an improvement in these events is coming.
The women's team was finally relagated, taking the 7th place and having 5 points less than Belorussians and 6 less than Ukrainians. The most pleasant fact is the dynamic appearance of the Olympic Champion Fani Chalkia, who won the 400m yesterday and today placed 4th in her first 200m experience, while she contributed desicively to 4X400m team effort which met Osaka's standard. The stability of Antonia Stergiou at 1.92m, the excellent race by Kalliopi Astropekaki who set personal best to take the third place in the 5000m were not enough for the Greek team, which could have some more points in events like the 110mh, the 800m, if athletes were a bit closer to their season's bests.  [Results by European Athletics Association]

Obergfoll throws European Record 70.20m. Greek wins for Iakovakis, Tsatoumas, Chalkia
23.6.2007 Germany Christina Obergfoll broke her own javelin throw European Record with 70.20m in the first day of the European Cup, opened today in Munich. Men of France and women of Russia are on the top of team scorings, while both Greek teams do their best to avoid relagation. Periklis Iakovakis clocked a european leading 48.35 in the 400mh to win the race, while Tsatoumas dominated the long jump with 8.16m. A third win came by Fani Chalkia who set a season's best 51.35 in the 400m, while Devetzi was second in the triple jump with 14.58m.
Iakovakis was disqualified after the 400mh race, but the Greek delegation appealed the decision and the final decision came into Iakovakis' own.
Good performances for Irene Kokkinariou (3rd in the 3000m steeplechase), Alexandros Papadimitriou (3rd in hammer), Afroditi Skafida (4th in the pole vault), while the contribution of the younger athletes is extremely remarkable. [Results by European Athletics Association]

The Greek teams in Munich
18.6.2007 The stronger possible men and women teams of Greece for the difficult mission they have next weekend in the European Cup Super League are announced today by the national federation:
MEN: 100m Stergioulis, 200m Goussis, 400m Gravalos, 800m Nakopoulos (Papadopoulos), 1500m Nakopoulos, 3000m Papantonis (Yelasakis), 5000m Fragos, 110mh Douvalidis, 400mh Iakovakis, 3000m st Kokoros, LJ  Tsatoumas, TJ Tsiamis, HJ Baniotis, PV Filippidis, SP Anastasopoulos, DT Arabatzis, JT  Iltsios, HT Papadimitriou, 4x100m Stergioulis, Kontzos, Gousis, Gavelas, Vasou, 4X400m Regas, Doupis, Dimotsios, P. Iakovakis, Gravalos
WOMEN: 100m Karastamati, 200m-400m. Chalkia, 800m Filandra, 1500m-3000m st Kokinariou, 3000m-5000m Astropekaki, 110mh Redoumi, 400mh Chatzi, LJ Devetzi (Perra), TJ Devetzi, HJ Stergiou, PV Skafida, SP Terzoglou, DT Kalpakidou, JT Lyka, 4X100m Kokloni, Kobidou, Bouda, Karatza, Karastamati, 4X400m Dova, Syrou, Demoglou, Chalkia, Chatzi
[2007 GRE lists:men,women]

Douvalidis clocks national record 13.59, Tsatoumas 8.37m
17.6.2007 The 110mh world youth record holder Konstantinos Douvalidis won the national championships setting a new record for Greece with 13.59m.and meeting the low standard for the world championships. Luis Tsatoumas impressed again with 8.37m, Flora Redoumi won the women's 110m with 13.01 and Antonia Stergiou improved again her personal best to 1.93m to dominate the high jump, equalling the U23 national record for Creece.
Devetzi won the long jump with 6.56m, followed by the other triple jumper Athanasia Perra who set a personal best at 6.48m
[results][our report written for the IAAF][2007 GRE lists:men,women]

Iakovakis 49.13, Alozidis 49.24. National steeplechase record for Kokinariou
16.6.2007 Irene Kokinariou set the first national record of the Greek Championships, running the 3000m steeplechase in 9.42.97, 11th european performance of the year and set the standard for Osaka World Championships. Previous record was 9.53.07 set by the same athlete last year in Gothenburg.
The 400mh final was a race of international level, with Periklis Iakovakis to set a season's best 49.13 and Minas Alozidis to break his career best with 49.24. Cypriot Kyriakos Ioannou won the high jump with 2.27m, Konsantinos Filippidis cleared 5.40m and Christina Chatzi set a personal best 56.40 to win the women's 400mh, where Olympic Champion Fani Chalkia did not compete [results]
[2007 GRE lists:men,women][All time GRE lists: men, women]

Defar breaks 5000m world record in Oslo
15.6.2007 Meseret Defar broke her own 5000m world record in the ExxonMobil Bislett Games, held in Oslo, with 14.16.63. Kenya's Vivian Cheruyiot clocked a national record 14.22.51 a mark also better than the previous record. In the first meeting of the IAAF Golden League series Asafa Powell clocked 9.94, Tero Pitkamaki threw 88.78m, Yelena Isinbayeva cleared 4.85m [results][women 5000m WR progression]

15.01m wind assisted for Devetzi. Tsiamis 16.97m, Stergioulis 10.29
15.6.2007 The Greek National Championships opened today in Athens with some brillant performances by the Greek stars, but also the new generational of the national athletics scene. Devetzi had the first over 15m jump of the season which, although wind assisted, indicated the high ambitions the Olympics and World Championships silver medalist has for one more season. The men's event was won by the national record holder Dimitrios Tsiamis, who jumped 16.97m to dominate an exciting competition with Konstantinos Zalagitis who finally placed second with 16.70m.
Olympic Champion Fani Halkia opened the championships with a win in the 400m with 52.06, while in the men's race the 2003 European Juniors Champion Dimitrios Gravalos won with 46.39 leaving the favourite Dimitrios Regas second. A 22-year-old sprinter, Eftymios Stergioulis, was the winner of the 100m, setting a personal best of 10.29, while the regning U23 European Champion Maria Karastamati was the winner of the women's race with 11.39. Karastamati returns by an injury which kept her far from action for about 2,5 years and seems to have finally recovered.[results]
[2007 GRE lists:men,women][All time GRE lists: men, women]

Greek NC start on Friday
13.6.2007 The Greek National Championship start on Friday 15 in the Olympic Stadium of Athens. This year the champs last for 3 days and are expected to gather all Greek stars who prepare for the European Cup Super League and Osaka World Championships. Besides Luis Tsatoumas who has already announced his participation, both Greek hurdles stars, Periklis Iakovakis and Fani Halkia are ready to open the season, while Chrysopigi Devetzi plans to compete in the triple jump, while two athletes who met the standards for the World Championships in the meeting held in Kalamata, Yervasios Filippidis and Athanasia Perra are also going to compete claiming the national title of their events.

Tatyana Lysenko and Halil Akkas voted European Athletes of the Month
13.6.2007 Meanwhile, Russia's world record breaking hammer star, Tatyana Lysenko, and Turkish middle-distance sensation, Halil Akkas, have been voted the European Athletes of the Month for May.
Lysenko is completely dominating her event on a world level, improving her own World record with a throw of 78.61m in Sochi on May 26. With six victories under her belt already this season, Lysenko will start as hot favourite to defend her SPAR European Cup hammer title in Munich in a little over a week.
The 23-year-old Akkas, has already experienced an exceptional year, setting Turkish records over 3,000m indoors, 2,000m outdoor as well as the 3,000m steeplechase in May, where his time of 8.18.43 is also the fastest in Europe so far this year. Narrowly missing out on the medals at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham in March, Akkas will now attempt to break the European record for the 3,000m steeplechase, at the IAAF Grand Prix in Ostrava (CZE) at the end of the month.

Tsatoumas verifies tremendous form: 8.54 in Chania
9.6.2007 After setting the best ever European performance at sea level last week in Kalamata, Luis Tsatoumas produced one more huge jump at 8.54m today, stealing the show in the 59th annual version of Venizelia 2007 held today in Chania. The win of Bjorn Otto with 5.70m and the personal best of Oleksandra Stadnyuk at 6.75m are among the highlights of the meeting.[Results][Our report written for the IAAF]

Howe jumps 8.25m, Bergqvist 2.02m in Turin
8.6.2007 European Indoor Champion  Andrew Howe won the long jump in Memorial Primo Nebiolo with 8.25m, while Kajsa Bergqvist cleared 2.05. Greece's Maria Papageorgiou placed 5th with 1.80m. In the Meeting Lille Metropole Dayron Robles clocked 13.27 in the 110mh

59th Venizelia in Chania
8.6.2007 The 59th version of "Venizelia" is being held tomorrow in Chania In the EAA Permit Meeting athletes from 30 countries are going to participate, among which the best all time european long jumper at sea level Luis Tsatoumas, Netherlands' world pole vault champion Rens Blom and the bronze medallist of the European Championships Bjiorn Otto, the silver medallist of the european indoor championships 2005 Sweden's Jenny Kallur, the long jump silver medallist of the european indoor champs Stella Pilatou. Entries
[Alexandreia Hellenic Grand Prix Meeting: Results]

Tsatoumas in more meetings
6.6.2007 After the world leading and national record jump at 8.66m Luis Tsatoumas prepares to participate in various meetings and championshipns in the coming weeks. His schedule includes "Venizeleia 2007" in Chania (June 9), the national championships (June 15-17), The European Cup in Munich (June 23-24) the Super Grand Prix of Lausanne (July 10) and the Golden Gala in Rome (July 13)

European Athlete of the Month for May
4.6.2007 Twelve men and eighteen women are nominated by the European Athletics Association for the title of the European Athlete of the month for May.
MEN: Francis Obikwelu POR; Tobias Unger GER; Andrew Steele GBR); Alistair Cragg IRL; Jesus Espana ESP; Halil Akkas TUR; Gregory Sedoc NED; Eike Onnen GER; Rutger Smith NED; Gerd Kanter EST; Yohann Diniz FRA; Vladimir Kanaykin RUS
WOMEN: Yevgeniya Polyakova RUS; Yuliya Chermoshanskaya RUS; Svetlana Pospelova RUS; Svetlana Klyuka RUS; Lornah Kiplagat NED; Nathalie De Vos BEL; Josephine Onyia ESP; Yuliya Nosova RUS; Blanka Vlasic CRO; Yuliya Golubchikova RUS; Lyudmila Kolchanova RUS; Dana Veldakova SVK; Franka Dietzsch GER; Petra Lammert GER; Tatyana Lysenko RUS; Christina Obergfoell GER; Carolina Klueft SWE; Rita Turava BLR

Juniors discus throw record for Greece
3.6.2007 Georgios Tremos set a national juniors record for Greece in Herakleia 2007 meeting with 57.21m (1.75k weight). In "Bizaneia 2007" meeting held in Kallithea, Michalis Stamatogiannis won the shot put with 18.68m, Savva Lyka the javelin throw with 57.68m, while Styliani-Hero Ledaki and Euridice Prezerakou cleared 3.90m in the pole vault [Herakleia 2007, results][2007 GRE outdoor lists: men, women]

Luis Tsatoumas rised to the highest level: 8.66m
2.6.2007 Luis Tsatoumas was waiting to Papaflessia 2007 which are held in Kalamata, the city of his origin, to produce this incredible jump to 8.66m. This mark smashes the national record for Greece, but also rises him to the 8th position of the world all time list and 2nd position of the european all time list. After the silver medal in Moscow last winter which followed a brillant performance he had in the Grand Prix series in 2006, Tsatoumas is ready to meet the high expectations he produced in 1999 when his original talent revaled in the world youth championships (4th place) and in 2001 when he won the european juniors championships. It was a really big evening for Luis Tsatoumas and his young coach Dimitris Vasilikos!
The meeting today was marked by many good performances such as the 17.28m by Jadel Gregorio, 1.98m by Vita Palamar, but also by the enthusiasm spread by the young Greek athletes. Antonia Stergiou (1.92m in the high jump), Yervasios Filippidis (81.01m in the javelin throw), Athanasia Perra (14.39m in the triple jump) set personal bests and met the standards for Osaka World Championships. [Results]

Douvalidis clocks 13.62 in Thessaloniki. Successful return for Tsoumeleka
1.6.2007 The world youth record holder of the 110mh, Konstantinos Douvalidis clocked 13.62 today in the Northern Greece Games, held in Thessaloniki. With this mark the 20-year-old hurdler becomes the second all time performer for Greece.
Meanwhile, Olympic Champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka returned to walk racing after giving birth to her daughter. Today she placed 7th in the Gran Premio Cantones de La Coruña with 1:34.08

May 2007

Gregorio in Kalamata on Saturday
30.5.2007 The triple jump world leader of the season Brazil's Jadel Gregorio (17.90m in Belem on May 20th) are among the entrants of "Papaflessia 2007" to be held in Kalamata on June 2nd, as announced today by the organizing committee. The silver medallist of the World Indoor Championships in 2004 and 2006 is going to compete in Kalamata with Ukraine's Viktor Yasterbov, Allen Simms of Puerto Rico, the Russians  Yevgeniy Plotnir and Alexander Petrenko. Petrenko and Simms have already exceeded the 17m this year [Entries]

Tatyana Kotova jumps 6.82m in Filothei
30.5.2007 The long jump World Champion set the best performance of Filothei Women Gala having the best attempt at 6.82m, enough to defeat the European Champion, Portugal's Naide Gomez who junped 6.72. Olympics triple jump silver medallist Chrysopigi Devetzi placed third with 6.47m.
Jamaica's Andrea Bliss dominated the 100mh in 13.37 and Ukraine's Olga Saladuha jumped 14.21 to win the triple jump. Antonia Stergiou cleared 1.89m in the high jump, while the U17 World Champion Ekaterini Stefanidi was the winner of the pole vault national competition with 4.10m. [Results][The official Site of the Meeting]

Kluft and Krauchanka winners in Gotzis
27.5.2007 Carolina Kluft and Belarus' Andrei Krauchanka won the 33th annual version of the Hypo-Meeting finished in Gotzis tonight. Sweden's Olympic and World champion set her 5th win in a row with a total of 6681 points, leaving Ukraine's Lyudmilla Blonska second with 6626 and Germany's Jennifer Oeser third with 6366p. Greece Argyro Strataki placed 19th with 5907p. Krauchanka smashed his personal best with 8617p to win the meet in front of the world record holder Roman Sebrle (8518p) and American Bryan Clay (8493p). [Results]
Meanwhile in the Greek Throwing Challenge held today in Tripoli, Andrianna Papadopoulou broke the hammer throw Juniors and U18 records with an attempt at 59.37m [Results]

Panhellinios placed 6th in the European Champion Clubs Cup
27.5.2007The women's Greek Champion Club Panhellinios GS finally placed 6th in Albufeira after the end of the second day of the Cup.  Vivian Cheruiuot managed the only win for the greek club today, dominating the 3000m with with 4.43.82, while Panayota Koutsioumati was second in the long jump with 6.21m. Tatyana Kotova was the winner of the event having a wind assisted jump at 7.10m. Luch Moscow won the European Cup in men and women.

European Champion Clubs Cup
26.5.2007The women's Greek Champion Club of Panhellinios GS achieved three wins on the first day of the European Champion Clubs Cup in Albufeira, Portugal and holds the third position of the classification after the events of the first day. The winners for the Greek champion club were Jana Pittman with 51.94 in the 400m and 55.52 in the 400mh and Vivian Cheruiuot in the 3000m with 9.06.14. Eleni Filandra was second in the 800m with 2.03.90. Luch Moscow leads the scoreboard with 61 points, followed by Valencia 50 and Panhellinios 45.
In men's competition, where the Greek Champion Olympiakos surprisingly withdrew few days ago, Luch Moscow is on the top with 49 points, Sporting Portugal and Fiame Gialle Rome follow with 44 and 42 points respectively.

Lysenko breaks again the record
26.5.2007Tatyana Lysenko of Russia extended her own World record  in the Hammer Throw, reaching 78.67m at the All-Russian Athletics competition in Sochi today. Her throw came on her first attempt to add 87 centimetres to her own previous World Record of 77.80m set on 15 August 2006 in Tallinn, Estonia.
Meanwhile Carolina Kluft with 3936 points and Bryan Clay with 4593 points are on the top after the first day of the 33th Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis [Results]
[THALES FBK in Hengelo:Results][women's hammer throw WR progression].

Tsoumeleka walks in Gran Premio Cantones de La Coruña
25.5.2007 Seven months after giving birth to a daughter, the 20000m walk Olympic Champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka returns to action. Although her main objective is Beijing Olympics, the 25-year-old Athanasia participates in Grand Premio Cantones to be held in La Coruna on June 2nd attempting to meet the standard for Osaka.

Venelina Veneva returns at Filothei
24.5.2007 Venelina Veneva participates in Filothei Women Gala (May 30), where last year she impressed with her leap at 2.03 which was a world leading mark then. [Preliminary entry lists][The Official Site of the Meeting]

Devetzi vs Kotova vs Gomez in Filothei
21.5.2007 World Long Jump Champion Tatyana Kotova will meet with the European Champion of the event Portugal's Naide Gomez and Chrysopigi Devetzi in Filothei Women Gala. Olympic's triple jump silver medallist starts her international competitions with the long jump in the meeting of 30th May.

American records for Greer and Stuczynski in Carson
21.5.2007 Breaux Greer threw 90.72m in the javelin and Jenn Stuczynski cleared 4.84m in the women’s pole vaultsetting American Records in Carson yesterday. In the annual version of Adidas Track Classic meeting  Gay ran a wind assisted 9.79 in the 100m, Torry Edwards won the women's 100m in 10.90, Christian Cantwell won the Shot Put at 21.96m and Michelle Perry the 100mh in 12.58 [Carson Results]
[Knosseia 2007][Belem GP results][Greek grand Prix Meeting in Argos Orestiko][Greek 10000m national championships][Halle results]

Two world leads in Halle. Gregorio Jadel flies to 17.90m in Belem
20.5.2007 Germany's discows thrower Franka Dietzsch and javelin thrower Christine Obergfoll produced world leading throws in Halle with 68.06m and 68.08m respectively. For the discus throw World Champion this mark is the second career best, after the 69.51 she threw in 1999 [Halle results]
Gregorio Jadel impressed with a 17.90m triple jump in Belem Grand Prix Meeting. Brazil's Keila Costa jumped also a world leading 6.88m, while Stella Pilatou was 6th with 6.25m. [Belem GP results]
[Greek grand Prix Meeting in Argos Orestiko][Greek 10000m national championships]

Vladimir Kanaykin and Ryta Turava winners in Leaminghton
20.5.2007 Vladimir Kanyakin, former youth and junior world champion, dominated the 50Km walking race in the European Cup held today in Leaminghton, UK. The Russian walker clocked 3:40.57, while Greece's Konstantinos Stefanopoulos was 30th with 4:03.42. Belarus' Ryta Turava was the winner in the women's 20Km with 1:27.52 where Evagelia Xinou was 36th with 1:37.56. Both Greek met the standards for the World Championships.
Even better performance for juniors of Greece as the national team of men was 6th in the teams ranking and the women's team was 12th. Alexandros Papamihail was the best junior, taking the 13th place in the juniors race with 43.21 [European Cup of Walking Race 2007, results]

Arabatzis throws 61.73m in Herakleion
20.5.2007 Discus thrower Spyridon Arabatzis set the best performance of "Knosseia 2007" meeting held today in Herakleion. Arabatzis threw a personal best of 61.73m, third all time performance for Greece [Results]

The 7th European Cup of Walking, one Grand Prix and two national meetings this weekend
18.5.2007 The 7th European Cup of Walking Race is to be held in Leaminghton, UK on Sunday, with the participation of 8 Greek Athletes: Konstantinos Stefanopoulos (50km), Theodoros Koupidis (20km), Evagelia Xynou (women's 20 Km) and Alexandros Papamichail, Vasilios Hrysikos, Spyridoula Stavrou, Anastasia Poulaki and Asimina Talanti in juniors races.On Sunday Stella Pilatou participates in the IAAF Grand Prix meeting of Belem, Brazil.
Meanwhile the Greek Grand Prix series start on Saturday in Argos Orestiko, while one more national meeting, the "Knoseia 2007" will take place in Herakleion, Crete.

64.19m Area Javelin record and world lead for Kreiner in Fortaleza. Pilatou placed 2nd in the long jump
17.5.2007 USA’s Kim Kreiner, 29, produced the best performance of the 3rd edition of the “Grande Prêmio Sul-Americano Caixa/Unifor de Atletismo”, held this Wednesday 16 May in Fortaleza, state of Ceará, in a warm and humid night Greece's Stella Pilatou placed 2nd in the long jump with 6.34m. [Results]

Roethlin & Abeylegesse are European Athletes of the Month for April
14.5.2007 European Marathon silver medallist, Viktor Roethlin, (Switzerland) and European 5,000m record holder, Elvan Abeylegesse, (Turkey) have been voted the European Athletes of the Month for April.
Roethlin had a superb start to the month taking just under two minutes off his Swiss record when winning the Zurich Marathon on April 1st in a time of 2:08:20.
Abeylegesse wins the award for her superb victory at the European Cup 10,000m in Ferrara, Italy, when she destroyed a top class field, including the reigning European Cross Country Champion, to win by over 30 seconds in 31:25:15. [Greek Clubs Championships results]

Halkia 52.66, Iakovakis 49.98, Pilatou 6.40m
11.5.2007 Fani Halkia clocked 52.66 in the 400m in her season's debut she did today in the Greek Clubs Championships. Periklis Iakovakis had no difficulties to win the 400mh in 49.98, while Luis Tsatoumas jumped 7.72m. Some more good marks are those of Minas Alozidis (50.08 in the 400mh), the wind assisted jump of Athanasia Perra at 14.38m with who she defeated Chrysopigi Devetzi, the jump by Styliani Pilatou at 6.40m and a hammer throw at 66.74 by Stella Papadopoulou. The 100m U23 European Champion Maria Karastamati returned to action after an injury she had with 12.20 she run, facing a strong negative wind mark

Vlasic 2.04m, Alekna 68.51m in Doha