International Athletics' News
December 2004
New Year,
more expectations
31.12.2004
A
new year opens within the next hours and the warming up for a new athletics
season has been started. This year the eyes turn to Madrid and Helsinki
for the Indoor and the Outdoor World Championships, but also to the new
initiatives announced by the IAAF for the upgrading of the Sport and the
continuous war against doping. A war who is expected to reach a pick during
the next months.
In Greece,
the expectations go far beyond the need for a rapid and radical settlement
of the drug scandal. The latest success in the international scene and
the emerging of new talented boys and girls in the stadiums schetch the
framework of a new euphoria for the prospects of our sport in the post-Olympics
Greece.
Happy New Year!
Tsoumeleka
named World Walker of the Year by the Track and Field News Magazine
31.12.2004
The
20000m Walk Olympic Champion, Athanassia Tsoumeleka, already elected as
the Woman Athlete of the Year for Greece, ranked on the top of her event
for 2004, by the prestigious Track and Field News Magazine.The Team of
Experts who every year for the Athletes of the Year voted Kenenisa Bekele
and Yelena Isinbayeva as the overall Athletes of the Year.
The Greek
Federation starts the investigation
29.12.2004Following
the instructions provided by the IAAF, the Greek Athletics Federation (SEGAS)
announced the start of the investigation on the drugs scandal. SEGAS in
engaged to diffuse all information to the Greek and international media
and calls everyone to respect the rights of the athletes under accusation.
The Federation expresses its will to close the survey earlier than the
80-day period asked by the International Association. Meanwhile, the year
ends dramatically for the Greek athletics. A 24-old shot putter, Pavlos
Atmatsidis, 10th all time Greek athlete of the event, lost his life on
Sunday morning, being involved in a car-crash happened in the Northern
Greece.
IAAF Statement
on the Greek athletes and coach
22.12.2004(From
the IAAF )The IAAF has now considered the
written explanations received from the Greek athletes, Mr Konstantinos
Kenteris and Ms Ekatherina Thanou and from the Greek coach, Mr Christos
Tzekos, in response to doping charges filed against them by the IAAF on
2 December 2004. In each case, the IAAF has concluded that the explanation
provided is unacceptable in response to the charges made. Accordingly,
the IAAF has notified the Greek Federation earlier this afternoon that
both athletes and the coach are provisionally suspended pending the resolution
of their cases. As provided under IAAF Rules, a hearing for each individual
will now be convened before the relevant disciplinary tribunal of the Greek
Federation to determine whether doping violations have been committed.
There will be a final right of appeal from the decision of the Greek Federation
to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Now that a disciplinary process
has commenced, the IAAF will make no further comment in this matter until
appropriate.
Athanassia
Tsoumeleka named Greek Athlete of the Year
21.12.2004:The
20000m walk Olympic Champion Athanassia Tsoumeleka named Woman Athlete
of the Year for Greece. The 22-year-old walker won the award in front of
the sailing gold double, Sofia Bekatorou and Emilia Tsoulfa and the 400m
hurdles Olympic Champion who was third.
The
men's awards are marked by the absence of athletics from the top three
athletes. Theodoris Zagorakis, the captain of the Greek Soccer Team who
won the European Championships last summer got the title, followed by the
Olympic Champion Dimosthenis Tambakos (gymnastics) and the Athens' bronze
medallist Pyrros Dimas (weightlifting).
One
more distinction for athletics came from the competition for the Coach
of the Year Awards. Giorgos Panayotopoulos, the coach of Fani Chalkia,
placed third, following the coach of the national soccer team, Otto Rehhagel
who is the winner, as well as Koulis Iosifidis, the technical leader of
the women's water polo national team, which won the silver medal in the
Olympics.
8
years ban for Michelle Collins
11.12.2004:
America's
former world indoor 200m champion is the first athlete to be suspended
without a positive drugs test or an admission of drugs use. Collins' ban
is a result of her connection to the federal inquiry into the Balco doping
scandal.[Full
story from BBC]
IAAF
to step up war against cheats
06.12.2004:
Set
up by the IAAF Council during the Athens Olympics, the IAAF Anti-Doping
Task Force has now made a number of recommendations in an effort to strengthen
the IAAF’s fight against doping. [Report
by the IAAF]
WADA tests Kenteris and
Thanou
06.12.2004:
Kostas
Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were tested yesterday by the WADA's medicines.
The athletes were asked to provide both urine and blood tests.
The World Athletics Museum
in Athens. Berlin to host the 2009 World Championships. Annual throws gala
in Olympia.
04.12.2004:
The
establishment of the World Athletics Museum in Athens and the introduction
of a new annual international meeting in the venue of the Ancient Olympia,
were among the decisions of the IAAF Council, enthusiastically welcome
by the greek media, athletes and other personalities of the sport and political
life. The World Athletics Museum – housed in 3000-4000 sq metres in the
former IBC – next to the Olympic Stadium in Athens, will be open by the
end of 2005. The main sponsor will be the Greek Government.
The
Olympia's Throws Gala will be held every year at the end of May, or the
beginning of June, while the first meeting of the new series will be organized
in 2005 or 2006.
The
delegation representing the city of Berlin successfully won its bid to
host the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, ahead of strong challenges
from Split and Valencia
New round of accusations
against Jones
04.12.2004:
Marion
Jones should be stripped of her five Olympic medals if allegations that
she used banned drugs before the 2000 Sydney Games are true, World Anti-Doping
Agency chief Dick Pound said Friday. [Report
by CNN/SI]
IAAF charges them
02.11.2004
(from the IAAF):
"In
August 2004, the IAAF Council appointed the Doping Review Board to investigate
whether evidence exists of the commission of Doping Violations under IAAF
Rules by the Greek athletes, Mr Konstantinos Kenteris and Ms Ekatherina
Thanou and by their Greek Coach, Mr Christos Tzekos.
Based on its investigations
to date, the Doping Review Board has concluded that evidence does exist
that Mr Kenteris and Ms Thanou committed Doping Violations under IAAF Rules.
These Doping Violations include whereabouts information violations which
led to missed tests against the athletes in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens
and a failure to submit to doping control in Athens on 12 August 2004.
Letters have been sent to the Greek Federation today outlining the charges
against both athletes.
The Doping Review Board
has also concluded that evidence exists that Mr Tzekos has committed Doping
Violations under IAAF Rules. These Doping Violations include distributing
prohibited substances, assisting in the use of prohibited substances and
tampering with the doping control process. Similarly, a letter has
been sent to the Greek Federation today outlining the charges against Mr
Tzekos.
The Doping Review Board
has conducted an extensive Inquiry over the course of the last 3 months
in co-ordination with the IOC, WADA and other anti-doping organizations
and with the assistance of the Greek civil authorities.
Disciplinary proceedings
will now be initiated against the above persons in accordance with the
standard procedures set out in IAAF Rules. The persons concerned will be
given the opportunity to respond to the charges against them by 16 December
2004 and, if their explanations are rejected, they will be provisionally
suspended by the IAAF pending a hearing before the relevant disciplinary
tribunal of the Greek Federation. As provided under IAAF Rules, there
will be a right of appeal from the decision of the Greek Federation to
CAS.
The Doping Review Board
will continue to investigate whether there is evidence of the commission
of further Doping Violations or other breaches of IAAF Rules by the above
persons or any other person that may have a connection with the above mentioned
Doping Violations.
Now that a disciplinary
process has commenced, the IAAF will make no further comment in this matter
until appropriate."
November 2004
Milano Marathon results
28.11.2004:
Men:
1 Daniel Cheribo (Kenya) 2:08:38, 2 Benjamin Kipchumba (Kenya) 2:09:23,
3 Enock Mitei (Kenya) 2:10:52, 4 Raymond Kipkoech (Kenya) 2:11:30,
5 Joseph Ngeny (Kenya) 2:12:08, 6 Rachid Amour (Morocco) 2:15:48, 7 Ibrahim
Mitei (Kenya) 2:16:16, 8 Vito Sardella (Italy) 2:17:32
Women: 1 Rita Jeptoo
(Kenya) 2:28:11, 2 Gloria Marconi (Italy) 2:31:53, 3 Debora Toniolo (Italy)
2:34:24, 4 Griseldes Gonzales (Spain) 2:34:28, 5 Irina Songerlainen (Russia)
2:38:09, 6 Rosita Rota Gelpi (Italy) 2.38:39
Minos Kyriakou named Honorary
President of the Greek Federation
25.11.2004:
Minos
Kyriakou, member of the IAAF Council and President of the Greek Champion
Club "Panhellinios", named today Honorary President of the Greek Athletics
Federation. Many champions, but also politicians, found words of exclamation
to describe his contribution to the progress of the athletics in the country,
expressing enthusiastically their agreement with the decision of the Federation's
Council.
Meanwhile, the new classification
of the Greek athletes was also announced. The Elite Athletes' category
includes 11 champions: Fani Halkia, Athanassia Tsoumeleka, Anastassia Kelesidou,
Chrisopigi Devetzi, Mirela Manjani, Katerina Voggoli, Christos Meletoglou,
Periklis Iakovakis, Giorgos Theodoridis, Keterina Thanou and Kostas Kenteris.
At the end of the season
2004-05, the athletes who will have achieved the standards for this category,
according to the new evaluation procedures, will receive all the respective
benefits retrospectively.
New evaluation procedures
for Greek athletes
19.11.2004:
Just
few days after the technical leadership of the national athletics undertook
its responsibilities, the plans for a new evaluation system of the Greek
athletes, based mainly in the IAAF's ranking system, come to publicity.
An athlete will be eligible for the Category A of the national planning
only if he/she is ranked among the top 12 athletes of the IAAF ranking
for his or her event. Respective criteria are established for the other
categories too (i.e. ranking among the 20 athletes for the second category,
etc). In addition, the elite athletes are now obliged to participate in
at least 4 IAAF meetings per season (Grand Prix or Permit Meetings) in
order to retain their position in the national classification system.
All the other criteria used
in the previous years (medals in World Championships and Olympic Games)
will be also in power. It must be notice that the classification of the
Greek athletes in categories is directly related with the annual financial
support every athlete receives by the Misnistry of Sport. The new system
aims to the greatest possibile compatibility of the evaluation procedures
with the IAAF's ranking system, as well as to face with the refuse of enough
top athletes to participate in meetings outside the country.
Officialy charged
18.11.2004:
After
the end of the first phase of the investigation on doping in Greece, the
Prosecutors charged officially Kentreris, Thanou and their coach, Christos
Tzekos with a series of accusations. The most serious are:
New technical leadership
for Greek Athletics
11.11.2004:
A
new collective scheme, responsible for the management of the national athletics
in the post-Olympics era, was announced by the Greek Federation. About
two months after the resignation of the previous headcoach, Kostas Spanidis,
the coach of the silver olympics medallist Anastasia Kelesidou, named Technical
Director of Elite Athletics, to become the new technical leader of the
sport. Dimitris Evagelopoulos, coach of Panayotis Sarris and Chryssa Goudenoudi,
is the new Coordinator of the National Teams, while a popular champion,
Labros Papakostas has been in charge for the International Relations, as
well as the management of the Athens Elite Athletics Center. Finally, one
more coach, Asteris Tsiftsoglou leads the Elite Athletics Center of Thessaloniki.
Jerome Young banned for
life
11.11.2004:
Sprinter
Jerome Young, a central figure in a doping case that could cost the U.S.
relay team its gold medal from Sydney, was banned for life by the U.S.
Anti-Doping Agency on Wednesday following his second positive test for
drugs. Young tested positive for the banned drug EPO at a Paris meet in
July.
Frederick Cerono wins
in Athens Marathon
07.11.2004:
A
strong Kenya's team dominated the 22nd version of the Athens Classic Marathon,
held today from the ancient Marathon site to the All-Marble Stadium in
Athens. Frederick Cerono clocked 2:15.28 to win the race, followed by Barnabas
Rutto 2:17.09 and Christofer Kosgei 2:17.29
Ethiopia's Zinash Alemu
was the winner of the women's race with 2:41.11, while her compatriot Hiruet
Aremba was second in 2:41.18 and Russia's Svetlana Ponomarienko third with
2:41.42
Konstantinos Gougousis won
the national Marathon Championships with 2:27.03, achieving his first ever
national title, while Lambros Zaragas placed second with 2:28.04. Georgia
Ambatzidou improved her personal best for the classic Marathon to 2:45.26
to win the fourth in a raw national marathon champs.
MEN: 1. Frederick
Cerono KEN 2:15.28, 2. Barnabas Rutto KEN 2:17.09, 3. Christopher Kosgei
KEN 2:17.29, 4. Michael Kapkai KEN 2:17.24, 5. Stanley Leleito KEN 2:17.32,
6. Jong Ngeno KEN 2:17.39, 7. David Mayo KEN 2:18.56, 8. Patrick Chumba
KEN 2:19.23, 9. Daniel Tu Kirwa KEN 2:20.18, 10. Elia Yator KEN 2:20.47
WOMEN: 1. Zinash
Alemu ETH 2:41.11, 2. Hiruet Aremba ETH 2:41.18, 3. Svetlana Ponomarienko
RUS 2:41.42, 4. Derbe Hunte ETH 2:41.59, 5. Georgia Ambatzidou GRE 2:45.26,
6. Yanna Malkova RUS 2:45.53, 7. Magdalene Gazea GRE 2:46.25, 8. Greta
Varhi ITA 2:46.27, 9. Magdalene Karimali GRE 2:48.13, 10. Nina Pontebnesova
RUS 2:50.14
Konstantinos Poulios with
32.18 and Eleni Nikolopoulou with 37.56 were the winners of the 10.000m
race.
Radcliffe victorious in
New York
07.11.2004:
Paula
Radcliffe dominated the New York Marathon with 2:23.10, after a close competition
with Suzan Chepkemei who placed second in 2:09.53. The British world record
holder claimed the win with a strong sprint in the last 400m, while Hendrick
Ramaala was the winner in the men's race with 2:09.28
Men:
Hendrick Ramaala, 2:09:28, Meb Keflezighi, 2:09:53, Timothy Cherigat, 2:10:00,
Patrick Tambwe, 2:10:11, Benson Cherono, 2:11:23, Christopher Cheboiboch,
2:12:34, John Kagwe, 2:12:35, Paul Kirui, 2:14:04, Ryan Shay, 2:14:08,
Ottavio Andriani, 2:14:51
Women:
Paula Radcliffe, 2:23:10, Susan Chepkemei, 2:23:14, Lyubov Denisova, 2:25:18,
Margaret Okayo, 2:26:31, Jelena Prokopcuka, 2:26:51, Luminita Zaituc, 2:28:15,
Lornah Kiplagat, 2:28:21, Larisa Zousko, 2:29:32, Madai Perez, 2:29:57,
Kerryn McCann, 2:32:06
European Athetes of The
Year Awards
03.11.2004:
For
the 12th time the European Athletic Association will award the best female
and male athlete of the outgoing season with the Waterford Crystal European
Athlete of the Year Trophy. Two Greek Olympic Champions, Fani Chalkia and
Athanassia Tsoumeleka. are among them. The candidates are:
Men: ALEKNA
Virgilijus (LTU), BALDINI Stefan (ITA), BELONOG Yuriy (UKR), BORZAKOVSKIY
Yuriy (RUS), BRUGNETTI Ivano (ITA), FERNANDEZ Francisco Javier (ESP), HESHKO
Ivan (UKR), HOLM Stefan (SWE), KORZENIOWSKI Robert (POL), KOVAGO Zoltan
(HUN), NIZHEGORODOV Denis (RUS), OBIKWELU Francis (POR), OLSEN Joachim
(DEN), OLSSON Christian (SWE), OPREA Marian (ROM), SEBRLE Roman (CZE),
SILVA Rui (POR), THORKILDSEN Andreas (NOR), TIKHON Ivan (BLR), VASILEVSKIS
Vadims (LAT)
Women: ABEYLEGESSE
Elvan (TUR), FEOFANOVA Svetlana (RUS), HALKIA Fani (GRE), HOLMES Kelly
(GBR), ISINBAYEVA Yelena (RUS), IVANOVA Olimpiada (RUS), KLÜFT Carolina,
KRASOVSKA Yelena (UKR), KUZENKOVA Olga (RUS), LEBEDEVA Tatyana (RUS), NERIUS
Steffi (GER), NESTERENKO Yuliya (BLR), RADCLIFFE Paula (GBR), SADOVA Natalya
(RUS), SAMITOVA Gulnara (RUS), SIMAGINA Irina (RUS), SKUJYTE Austra (LTU),
SLESARENKO Yelena (RUS), TOMASHOVA Tatyana (RUS), TSOUMELEKA Athanasia
(GRE)
• [Click
here to vote]
New releases link the
sprinters with BALCO
03.11.2004:
It
was mentioned many times, even from these pages, that the BALCO case could
be a vital lead in the doping investigation in Greece. Today, the Mercury
News provides new evidence, connecting Kenteris and Thanou with the american
laboratory. The new reports come in a period that the survey by the Greek
authorities, based on supporting material by the US Court, is in progress,
attempting not only to dissolve the Tzekos - Kenteris - Thanou case, but
also to investigate the real doping dimensions in the country's sport activities.
Later in the evening, Christos
Tzekos and Kenteris' lawyer talked to the television, rejecting emphatically
any relation with Victor Conte and BALCO. Both underlined that there is
not any link among them and the laboratory, as proved by the material found
in BALCO and the information given by the Americans to the Greek authorities.
• [New
evidence against sprinters] from San Jose Mercury News
Chalkia returns to track,
targetting Helsinki
02.11.2004:
After
a long period of vacations, the Olympic 400m hurdles champion, Fani Chalkia,
returned to training, targetting the world title next year. [Our
full story, written for the IAAF]
The way to the Court?
02.11.2004:
Kostas
Kenteris has said he is confident he will clear his name in court if authorities
in Athens decide to charge him with deliberately avoiding a drugs test.
Although the official decision of the prosecutor in charge has not yet
been announced, according to unofficial information published on several
newspapers in Greece and abroad, he is going to be officially charged,
along with Katerina Thanou, Christos Tzekos and the doctor of the hospital
who verified the car-crash, considered faked by the authorities.
WADA returns to Athens
01.11.2004:
Periklis
Iakovakis, Stella Tsikouna, Christos Polychroniou, Savva Lyka, Olga Vasdeki
and the triple jump Athens' silver medallist, Pigi Devetzi, were tested
by the WADA today in the Agios Kosmas training center.
October 2004
Kenteris talks to the
media
31.10.2004:
For
the first time after the incidents of the August 12th, Kostas Kenteris
gave a long interview to the ALTER CHANNEL, talking about the doping scancal
who has shocked Greece. Kenteris insisted on his innocence, claiming again
that he wasn't informed of the call for the control and repeated that the
accident was true.
During
the show, both the advance notice calls sent to Kenteris and Thanou by
the WADA were presented. The documents were not signed by the athletes,
but from three other persons, who, according to Kenteris never informed
them. According to the anti-doping rules, the athletes must was given a
period of 24 hours in order to provide the samples, instead of 1 hour they
had in this case. In other words, according to the champions' opinion,
the signs provided by the head of the Greek Olympic Team, the director
of the anti-doping of the Olympic Village and one volunteer, converted
the advance notice call into a no notice call. The procedure described
is the normal way usually followed by the WADA though, while the of-competition
tests in the Olympics period are carried out by the IOC, according to its
own legislation.
Other
athletes also talked, to give evidence that Kenteris and Thanou were in
the Agios Kosmas stadium during the crucial hours of that evening.
Kenteris
said that he decided to interrupt his collaboration with Tzekos, believing
that his coach should had informed him earlier about the call, although
he admitted that maybe Tzekos has not a clear conception of the case. "When
I realized that I lost the Olympics, I decided to change everything in
my life. Just one person cannot handle with everything about my carrer",
he added.
He
also presented a package of out-of-competion calls he received during the
last two years, about one every 20 days as he noticed ephatically. Concerning
the where-about he missed in Israel, he said he has the notice sent to
the Federation, informing about his move to Germany in order to visit a
doctor.
The
former Olympic and World Champion expressed his surprise for the involvment
of the President of the IOC to this case, and, at the end of the interview,
he disclosed that he seriously thinks about moving abroad, where he will
have the possibility to train with a new international coach, in a new
improved environment. "Although I was so dissapointed, I decided to go
on. I will never stop running for my country, for all these people who
support me."
Finally,
the journalist directed the show, presented a brief telephone interview
by an unamed doctor working for the WADA, who said that during the same
period he had tried three times to find Maurice Greene, but he never left
a notice to call him officially for an anti-doping control.
Franfurt Marathon results
31.10.2004:
Men
1 Boaz KIMAIYO KEN 2:09:09; 2 Luke KIBET KEN 2:11:27; 3 Ben ROTICH
KEN 2:11:44; 4 John RONO KEN 2:12:59; 5 Fred MOGAKA KEN 2:14:28 Women
1 Olesya NURGALIEVA RUS 2:29:48; 2 Elena NURGALIEVA RUS 2:29:49; 3 Yulia
VINOKUROVA RUS 2:32:27; 4 Gladys ASIBA KEN 2:35:14; 5 Maija ORAVAMAKI FIN
2:39:35
Kenteris talks to the
media
30.10.2004:
The
Greek ALTER Channel announced that Kenteris will be hosted by the talk
show "Kitrinos Typos" on Sunday, late at night. It is the first interview
of the former World and Olympic Champion after the incidents of the August
12th.
Return to training, in
search of a new coach
27.10.2004:
Although
there are not any further developments, regarding the investigation of
doping in Greece, Kostas Kenteris decided to return to training. "I want
to be ready to participate in games, whenever I am free to compete", Kenteris
said to the journalists just after his training yesterday. The former Olympic
and World Champion was training for 3.5 hours, along with the new Greek
star, Fani Chalkia, under the instructions of her coach, Giorgos Panayotopoulos.
According to media releases, after the end of his collaboration with Christos
Tzekos, Kenteris has started searching for a new coach, probably from Europe
or the US.
Today,
Panayotopoulos rejected rumors, according to which Kenteris would join
his training team.
Athens Marathon Classic
ALPHA BANK
23.10.2004:
The
22nd edition of the Athens Marathon Classic is held on Sunday, November
7 from the ancient Marathon to the All-Marble Athens Stadium. This year,
the international race is contucted in parallel with the Greek National
Marathon Championships.
Sirigos
left the hospital
22.10.2004:
The
Greek journalist who was attacked last week by two unknown men, left the
hospital yesterday. Talking to the journalists, he referred to the three
cases he has investigated surveys within the last months and declares his
belief that the Police will reveal who planned and executed the attack
against him.
Alvin Harisson banned
for 4 years. Kenteris and Thanou waiting for the Procecutor's decision
19.10.2004:
Alvin
Harrison, the 2000 Olympic silver medallist in the 400 meters, received
a four-year suspension from the sport after admitting he used several undetectable
performance-enhancing drugs, The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)
announced today.
Meanwhile,
in Greece, the decision of the Judge of the First Instance is expected
in the next days. According to press releases, based on the information
about the findings of the initial survey carried out by the Greek Justice,
the Procecutor can bring indictments against both Greek Champions, Kostas
Kenteris and Katerina Thanou. According to the same reports, they are facing
the accusations of obstruction of the anti-doping control, as well as their
false testimony, regarding the accident followed the doping call by the
WADA, which is considered fabricated.
These
developments are coming in the shadow of the attack against a greek journalist,
Philippos Syrigos, happened yesterday. Two motorcycle helmeted attackers
stabbed and beat him. Filippos Sirigos, sports editor at the major daily
Eleftherotypia, is in stable condition, with stomach and head wounds after
being stabbed multiple times and beaten with crowbars. The journalist have
carried out several surveys, including the corruption in soccer, the investigation
of some sponsorships programmes of the Olympics and the doping scandal
in Greece. Currently, there are no information about possible links of
the attack with any of the under survey cases. [American
Alvin Harrison Banned for Four Years], from the Reuters
Amsterdam Marathon results
17.10.2004:
Men
1.
Robert Cheboror (Ken) 2: 06:23 PB, 2. William Kipsang (Ken) 2:08:41, 3.
El Hassan Lahsinni (Fra) 2:10:10, 4. Wilfred Kigen (Ken) 2:12:05, 5. Hugo
van de Broek (Ned) 2.12:08 PB, 6. Khalid Boumlilli (Mar) 2.12:32, 7. Salim
Kipsang (Ken) 2:12:44, 8. Teferi Bacha (Eth) 2:13:07, 9. Rodgers Rop (Ken)
2:13:58; 10. Benjamin Kimutai Kosgei (Ken) 2:14:16
Women 1. Helena Javornik
(Slo) 2:27:33 PB, 2. Emily Kimuria (Ken) 2:29:46, 3. Tigiste Abidi (Eth)
2:33:26, 4. Kristijna Loonen (Ned) 2:37:01, 5. Jane Rotich (Ken) 2:37:14,
6. Alena Samokhvalova (Rus) 2:38:43
• [The
full 2005 Athletics Calendar was compiled]
Tzekos-Kenteris-Thanou
case: The first phase is over
16.10.2004:
The
first phase of the sensational case was completed yesterday. The findings
of the Procecutors' 3-member Committee was submitted to the Judge of the
First Instance which has the responsibility to undertake further judicial
action against them. Any development, depending upon the context of the
report, is expected after Monday.
Capri Marathon Results
17.10.2004:
Men:
1 Haron Kiplimo Toroitich (Kenya) 2:09:09, 2 Richard Maiyo Kiprono (Kenya)
2:09:47, 3 Ruggero Pertile (Italy) 2:10:22, 4 Johnstone Changwony (Kenya)
2:10:59, 5 Samson Kosgei (Kenya) 2:11:43, 6 Nelson Lebo (Kenya) 2:13:16
Women: 1 Anne Jelagat
Kibor (Kenya) 2:30:54, 2 Tatyana Hladyr (Ukraine) 2:32:44, 3 Meseret Kotu
(Ethiopia) 2:41:20
The doping discussion
in Greece
12.10.2004:
After
a long period of silence, followed by the confusion occurred by the incidents
of the August 12th, doping returns to the moment in Greece. Tonight, the
Greek TV MEGA Channel, presented a brilliant job prepared by a group of
elite country's journalists. In their weekly political show "The Folders",
a brief history of Christos Tzekos course was presented, stressing especially
the influence of a Bulgarian weightlifting coach, Ivan Ambatziev, in the
initial steps of his career. Ambatziev was also presented in an older video,
from a lecture given in Finland, referring to Thanou’s progression as an
example of the results of his training methods to sprinters. The coach
was banned for Sydney's Olympics as many of his athletes had been tested
positive.
The
possible links of some elite athletes to BALCO were again investigated,
based on the material published by the international media, although it
was underlined that the athletes referred by Conte may not be Kenteris
and Thanou, but other top athletes of the country. In addition, some copies
of the doping schedules found in the Laboratory were also presented, as
well as the initials and the other codes indicating the US elite athletes
who are currently under investigation.
Giannis
Psarelis, a Greek doctor who works for WADA, explained the problems he
had with the where-abouts of the Greek stars and the impacts in his relations
with some country’s authorities.
Maybe
the most important but depressing point of this report was the last. The
journalists claim that they have on hand the "training diary" of a thrower,
who participated in Athens Olympics. According to this, an unnamed woman
athlete, received up to 10 doses of several substances per day, including
testosterone, but she has never tested positive.
The
first phase of the prosecutors’ investigation on Tzekos – Kenteris – Thanou
case has already completed and in the next days the conclusion will be
known. Independently on the results of the specific official survey, we
are still on the beginning of the war in Greece and worldwide.
Evans Rutto and Constantina
Dita won the Chicago Marathon
10.10.2004:
Kenya's
Evans Rutto, running under perfect weather conditions in Chicago, hits
the finish in 2:06:16 to claim his second Chicago win in a row and his
third straight major marathon victory. Also, he improved his personal best
set in London, earlier this year. Daniel Njenga was second in 2:07:42 and
Takaoka third in 2:07:49.
Constantina
Dita - Tomescu won the women's race in 2:23:45 barely going hard enough
to break through the victory tape. Nuta Olaru ran a personal best to finish
second in 2:24:32, while Svetlana Zakharova was third in 2:25:01.[Full
coverage by the RunnersWorld]
Poznan
Marathon Results
10.10.2004:
Men:
1. Mikhail Iveruk (UKR) 2:17:55; 2. Vladimir Tyamchik (BLR) 2:18:22; 3.
Leszek Beblo (Sporting Miedzyzdroje) 2:18:37; 4. Richard Rotich (KEN) 2:18:41;
5. Aleksey Khaurychenka (BLR) 2:19:11
Women:
1. Arleta Meloch (Olimpia Grudziadz) 2:41:19; 2. Ewa Dederko (Kmicic Czestochowa)
2:47:09; 3. Katarzyna Dziwosz (Technik Malbork) 2:49:15; 4. Agnieszka Golak
(Srem) 2:49:28; 5. Agnieszka Gortel (Mikolów) 2:52:30
European
Cup returns to Florence
10.10.2004
(From the European Athletics Association): The
Council of the European Athletic Association approved at its meeting in
Lausanne the Italian city of Florence as the host of the SPAR European
Cup 2005.
Meanwhile,
the EAA announced that for the 3rd time in a row "Vardinoyiannia" in Rethymno
is the leading EAA outdoor permit meeting. In 2004 Rethymno achieved a
score of 83.058 points, ahead of San Sebastian (81.650) and Luzern (80.942).
"Venizelia" in Chania was 10th with 78.631 points and "Papaflessia" In
Kalamata 19th.
Mirella's new start
06.10.2004:
For
six consecutive years, Mirella Manjani has achieved to be on the pondium
of every major athletics tournament since 1999. Her two golds and one silver
in the world championships, two olympic medals in Sydney and Athens and
one european title in Munich, consist maybe the most impressing palmare
in the history of the Greek Athletics. This year, Mirella decides a significant
change to her career: "I have a great respect to my teacher, Vassilis Kokolis,
with whom I have worked during the last 8 years. But it's time for a change.
After all I have achieved, I need a change in order to refresh my career,
setting new targets.", said the world champion, announcing her collaboration
with a new coach, Vaso Panayotopoulou, the former discus throw champion
who dominated the national scene in the 80s.
"I'm still on vacation",
Manjani adds. "But from November I start training again, following a new
hard schedule. I want to participate in many meetings next year and return
to the long throws".
German coach rejects steroid
charges
06.10.2004:German
athletics coach Thomas Springstein has denied accusations that he gave
a banned steroid, found in his house during a police raid, to a young female
athlete. [Full
story by CNN/SI]
Douvalidis sets european
objectives
04.10.2004:
Konstantinos
Douvalidis has already been established as one of the hot prospects of
the Greek athletics, especially after the world all time youth best he
set in the 110m hurdles on Saturrday. "I was waiting for a record, after
a year of strong training but also many races in very good times. Now I
start thinking of the European Juniors Championships, to be held in Kaunas
next year, where I hope to have a good performance" says the new record
holder.
Douvalis was born on March
10, 1987 and last year he won the bronze medal in the European Youth Olympic
Festival, held in Paris, with 13.75. He closed 2003 with a personal best
of 13.62. On January, he improved his indoor 60mh record to 7.89, while
last May he set a new outdoor record with 13.55. From May to October he
broke the record four more times, to reach the top of the all time list.
He has a personal best of 10.68 in the 100m and 21.80 in the 200m. [Our
brief report written for the IAAF]
World Youth Record by
Kostantinos Douvalidis
03.10.2004:
Konstantinos
Douvalidis, 17, broke the world youth best of the 110m hurdles, in the
meeting "Petralia 2004" held yesterday in the island of Skopelos. Douvalidis,
who had threatened the record enough times this season, clocked 13.22 to
improve significantly the previous mark of 13.26 set by France's Ladji
Doucouré on 16 June 1999 in Bydgoszcz.
Yingjie Sun and Paul Kirui
won in New Delhi
03.10.2004:
China's
Sun Yingjie won the women's race in the IAAF World Halfmarathon Championships,
held in New Delhi, India. Sun, who was also Asian Champion in 2003 in both
5000m and 10000m races, set a new national record with 1:08.40. Lydia Cheromei
of Kenya placed 2nd and Romania's Constantina Tomescu 3rd, leaving Sonia
O' Sullivan on the 4th position.
Kenya's Paul Kirui was the
winner in the men's race with 1:02.15, followed by Tanzania's Fabiano Joseph,
and Qatar's Abdullah Ahmad Hassan (Albert Chepkurui). Kenya and Ethiopia
dominated the teams' standings in men and women respectively. [Results]
Jens Lukas won the Spartathlon
2004
03.10.2004:
Germany's
Jens Lukas won the Spartathlon 2004 (250km.) with 25:49.56, beating the
favourite, Austria's Markus Thalman, who was the winner last year. Thalman
placed 2nd (26:20.02), while his compatriot Yuriy Martin was 3rd (27:19.15)
and Finland's Janne Kankashira 4th in 27:19.15 too. Few meters before the
finishing line Martin almost collpsed, but the Finnish athlete instead
of going ahead of the Austrian, but he hugged and helped him to pass the
line.
Annus and Fazekas banned
for 2 years
01.10.2004:
Hungarian
athletes Adrian Annus and Robert Fazekas have been banned for two years
from competition by their country's athletics federation for doping violations
during last month's Olympic Games [Full
story by EUROSPORT]
September 2004
$5.6 Million in Prize
Money Awarded in September
26.09.2004:
More
than US$ 5.6 million in prize money was awarded in international track
& field competition in September, The TRACK PROFILE Report's ongoing
prize money tally showed.
Based upon winnings reported
from the Brussels and Berlin Golden League meets, the Rieti, Italy Grand
Prix, the season-capping World Athletics Final in Monaco, and the IAAF's
Multi-Event Challenge, at least $5,664,044 in prize money and bonuses were
awarded this month.[Full
article by Bob Ramsak]
Berlin Marathon results
26.09.2004:Men:
1. Felix Limo KEN 2:06:44, 2. Joseph Riri KEN 2:06:49, 3. Joshua Chelanga
KEN 2:07:05, 4. Wilson Onsare KEN 2:08:53, 5. Luis Jesus POR 2:09:08,
Women:
1. Yoko Shibui JPN 2:19:41, 2. Hiromi Ominami JPN 2:23:26, 3. Sonja Oberem
GER 2:26:53, 4. Beatrice Omwanza KEN 2:27:19, 5. Leila Aman ETH 2:27:54
Statistics update: 74
Greek national records in 2004
26.09.2004:
A
record production of 74 national records of various categories, in this
year, is among the results of the Olympic Games hosting by Greece. Thirty
seven records were broken in men and women (indoor and outdoor), while
juniors set 11 records, boys and girls under 18-years-old broke eighteen
records and eight more records were improved by athletes in the under 23
category.
Fani
Chalkia is the champion of the new records too, as she made 4 records in
the 400m, 6 in the 400mh, while she participated in both 4X400m records
set by national relay teams. Konstantina Efentaki follows, with 5 national
records in the middle distance races.
Three
of the records set are also Balkan Records (Chalkia in the 400mh, Devetzi
in the triple jump and Tsiliggiri in the pole vault), while the marks made
by Chalkia and Devetzi in the Olympics are also Olympic Records.
Four
new holders should be particularly mentioned in the juniors' category.
The pole vaulter Konstantinos Filippidis, who cleared 5.50m this summer,
the 110m hurdler Kostantinos Douvalidis, who ran a 13.32 this year, threatening
the world juniors record, Yervasios Filippidis, who sent the javelin to
77.73m and finally, the performance of the 14-year-old Ekaterini Stefanidou,
the best all time world athlete of her age in the pole vault with 4.14m.
• [Greek
national records in 2004][Greek
national records] [Balkan
Records]
Vassilis
Sevastis re-elected
26.09.2004:
Vassilis
Sevastis re-elected as President of the Greek Athletics Federation, after
the elections held yesterday in the older greek sport federation. After
the elections Sevastis accepted that the Federation should have faced with
doping problems earlier, while he stressed the need for extra financial
resources in order to overhelm the deficit accumulated in the previous
years and meet the requirements of the new olympic preparation.
Talence results
26.09.2004:
The
decathlon Olympic Champion, Roman Sebrle and Kelly Sotherton, are on the
lead after the events of the 1st day in Decastar. Results:[Decathlon][Heptathlon][Women's
Decathlon]
Murofushi 83.15m, Gatlin
9.97 in Yokohama
24.09.2004:
In
the ‘Super meet’ held in Yokohama yesterday, Olympic champions Justin Gatlin
and Koji Murofushi won the 100m and the hammer throw with new meet records.
Gatlin broke the previous meet record, 10.00, which was recorded by the
1992 Olympic gold medallist Linford Christie in 1995, while Murofushi broke
his own meet mark of 82.08m from 2001. Greece's Christos Meletoglou
placed second in the triple jump with 16.62m
[Results]
Second call by the prosecutors
22.09.2004:
Kostas
Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are going to testify again tomorrow morning.
The public prosecutors called them again, as after the first phase of their
investigation some voids and contradictions have revealed regarding their
initial testimony. Both champions are now called as suspects of obstraction
of the anti-doping control and not as witnesses, as they were called two
weeks ago.
The examination is expected
to be completed on Monday, September 27, and the prosecutors' conclusions
will be known within a period of two weeks.
Isinbayeva and Bekele
top the World Ranking
20.09.2004
Yelena
Isinbayeva, already named Athlete of the Year by the IAAF, tops the IAAF
World Ranking at the end of the season with 1.478 points. Two more Russians
follow her, Tatyana Lebedeva with 1.447 p. and Yelena Slesarenko with 1.431
p. Among the Greek women, Fani Chalkia and Pigi Devetzi climbed to the
top 50, after the medals they won in Athens and their performances in the
IAAF World Athletics Final. Chalkia is 19th in the overall standing and
3rd in the 400m hurdles, while Devetzi rised to the 34th overall position,
while she is 4th in the triple jump.
In the men's scoring Kenenisa
Bekele is on the top, with 1.460 p., followed by Roman Sebrle and Christian
Olsson. Periklis Iakovakis is the best greek, currently 194th in the overall
ranking (14th in the 400mh)
Athanassia Tsoumeleka (4th
in the running events), Anastassia Kelesidou (6th in the discus throw)
and Katerina Voggoli (11th in the discus throw), Hristos Meletoglou (13th
in the triple jump), Luis Tsatoumas (15th in the long jump), Olga Vasdeki
(19th in the triple jump), Stella Tsikouna (15th in the discus throw),
Alexandros Papadimitriou (19th in the hammer throw) and Yannoula Kafetzi
(20th in the long jump) are the other Greeks with relatively high ranking
in their events.
Bekele and Isinbayeva
named Athletes of the Year. Best Performance awards to El Guerouj and Holmes.
18.09.2004
(From the IAAF): "Olympic champions Kenenisa
Bekele of Ethiopia and Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia have been announced
as the 2004 Athletes of the Year on stage tonight at the climax to the
spectacular 2004 World Athletics Gala at the Grimaldi Forum, Monte-Carlo.
Bekele and
Isinbayeva have produced an exemplary series of performances in 2004, with
their respective triumphs stretching from the winter right through the
Olympic Games. In the case of the Russian following on from the highs of
Athens, even setting a World record in Brussels, and winning today at the
World Athletics Final.
As well as
an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000m and a silver in the 5000m, Bekele
triumphed as male Athlete of the Year thanks to his World 5000m & 10,000m
records this summer which backed up a sparkling winter which had led him
to a World Indoor 5000m record and his third consecutive World Cross Country
double
Isinbayeva’s
female Athlete of the Year award is due to her extraordinary feat of setting
eight World Pole Vault records in one year (three indoors), one of which
helped her to secure the World Indoor Championship crown in Budapest, and
another the Olympic title in Athens.
Hicham El Guerrouj
of Morocco and Britain’s Kelly Holmes were confirmed as having provided
the Performances of the Year, thanks to their double Olympic triumphs in
Athens." [Full
report]
World Athletics Final,
Day II
18.09.2004:
The highlight of the second day of the IAAF Athletics Final, is that Yelena
Isinbayeva, finally did not break the world record, althought she attempted
at 4.93m. One more athlete was very close to chance of winning the award
of $100.000, Saaeed Shaheen who won the Kenyans in the 3000m steeple with
7:56.94, threatening his own record.
Tonique Williams
won everything this year, but not the last race of the season. Ana Guevara
clocked 50.13 to win, in front of Monique Hennagan who was second, while
Williams finished on 5th position. Asafa Powel dominated the 200m in 20.06
beating Frank Fredericks in the last 200m race of his career, while Stefan
Holm cleared 2.33m to get his 21st win in this year. Excellent race for
Veronica Campbell who set a personal best of 10.91 in the 100m.
Greece's Pigi
Devetzi placed 4th in the triple jump with 14.78m and Katerina Voggoli
8th in the discus throw with 59.14m.[Results]
Mack clears 6.01m, Olsson
at 17.66m
18.09.2004:
Athens' pole vault Olympic Champion, Timothy Mack, became the 10th athlete
in the event's history who exceeded the 6m. Mack cleared 6.01m today, while
the win of Asafa Powell in 9.98, Olsson's jump at 17.66m, Holmes' absolute
domination in the 1500m and a throw at 66.20m. by Osleydis Menendez were
among the best performances in the first day of the 2nd IAAF World Athletics
Final.
Many Olympic
Champions weren't in shape, as the season's ic actually over. In the last
important meeting of the year, Spain's Mario Pestano won the discus throw
with 64.11m, where Virgiljius Alekna was 4th, Sandra Glover dominated the
400mh with 54.57 leaving Fani Chalkia 4th and Ionela Tirlea 5th, Youssef
Kamel clocked 1:45.61 to win the 800m, where Athens' silver medalist Mbulaeni
Mulaudzi placed 5th. Tatyana Lebedeva was defeated by Irina Simagina, while
Slesarenko won with 2.01m and attempted again for the world record.[Results]
Athletes
of the Year Awards: Shortlists announced. Chalkia's Olympic victory among
the top 5 Performances of the Year
17.09.2004:
Just 24 hours before the opening of the World Athletics Final, the President
of the IAAF Lamine Diack announced the short lists of the athletes, among
which the Panel of the International Athletic Foundation is going to elect
the athletes of the year and the best year's performances. For the first
time ever, there has been a public vote on the IAAF internet site to help
select the contenders for the Athlete of the Year:
Man Athlete
of the Year: Virgilijus Alekna (LIT), Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), Hicham
El Guerrouj (MAR), Christian Olsson (SWE), Liu Xiang (CHN)
Woman Athlete
of the Year: Veronica Campbell (JAM), Kelly Holmes (GBR), Yelena Isinbayeva
(RUS), Carolina Kluft (SWE), Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH)
Man's Performance
of the Year: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR), Justin
Gatlin (USA), Jeremy Wariner (USA), Liu Xiang (CHN)
Woman's
Performance of the Year: Elvan Abeylegasse (TUR), Fani Halkia (GRE),
Kelly Holmes (GBR), Xing Huina (CHN), Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH)
Obviously,
the public vote occurs some huge suprises. The elimination of Stefan Holm
from the performance of the year award, as well as of Tatyana Lebedeva
from both women's categories, are only two of them. Enough, though, to
stress that we all need to adopt more athletics and less national criteria
when voting.
"Here is
the Sun, here is the Light of the Earth"
17.09.2004:
With an unprecedended opening ceremony, called "Route to the Sun", the
Paralympic Games started in Athens. The flame lights the town again, motivating
the Greeks to return to the olympic venues. The Ceremony was held in the
packed Olympic Stadium, while many days, especially of swiming and team
events, have been already sold out.
IAAF World
Athletics Final
16.09.2004:
The
IAAF World Athletics Final is held during the weekend in Monte Carlo and
the entry lists have been almost finalized. The most of the Athens Olympic
Champions will be there to claim the win and the award of 30.000$ in each
event, while any athlete breaking a world record will be awarded with an
additional amount of 100,000$. Three Greek athletes, Fani Chalkia, Pigi
Devetzi and Katerina Voggoli have confirmed their entries for the most
important, after the Olympics, meeting of the season.
Fani
Chalkia is the favourite in the 400m hurdles race, where she has to defeat
again the other Athens' medallists. Katerina Voggoli wants to repeat her
throws over the 65m line, especially after her performance in Athens, where
she placed 8th, althought she was among the main contenders for the medals.
Finally, Pigi Devetzi is able to jump again over the 15 meters, as she
returned to her training program just on the next day of her silver medal
in the Olympics.
On
Sunday, during the World Athletics Gala, the International Athletic Foundation
is going to announce the annual awards for the Athletes of the Year, the
Best Year's Performances and the other distictions for the season's important
achievements.[Starting
lists from the Organizing Committee Site]
IAAF Athlete
of the Year and Performance of the Year awards
13.09.2004:
The
IAAF is inviting the public to participate in the vote for the Athlete
of the Year and the Performance of the Year awards. Everyone can participate
in the vote for the composition of the short lists of five men and women,
among which a Panel of the International Athletic Foundation will make
a final selection of Athlete of the Year. In addition, three performers
will be selected by the vote for the Performance of the Year Awards. The
nominees are:
Man Athlete of the Year:
1 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), 2 Roman Šebrle (CZE), 3 Christian Olsson (SWE),
4 Virgilijus Alekna (LTU), 5 Allen Johnson (USA), 6 Saif Saaeed Shaheen
(QAT), 7 Felix Sanchez (DOM), 8 Shawn Crawford (USA), 9 Paul Kipsiele Koech
(KEN), 10 Xiang Liu (CHN), 11 Bernard Lagat (KEN), 12 Hicham El Guerrouj
(MAR), 13 Asafa Powell (JAM), 14 Justin Gatlin (USA), 15 Francis Obikwelu
(POR)
Woman Athlete of the
Year: 1 Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), 2 Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS), 3 Yelena
Slesarenko (RUS), 4 Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH), 5 Hestrie Cloete (RSA),
6 Carolina Kluft (SWE), 7 Kelly Holmes (GBR), 8 Ana Gabriela Guevara (MEX),
9 Svetlana Feofanova (RUS), 10 Yamilé Aldama (SUD),
11 Maria de Lurdes Mutola
(MOZ), 12 Perdita Felicien (CAN), 13. Veronica Campell (JAM), 14 Edith
Masai (KEN), 15 Ionela Þirlea Manolache (ROM)
Performance of the Year
(Men): 1 Stefano Baldini (ITA), 2 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), 3 Yuriy Bilonog
(UKR), 4 Hicham El Guerrouj (MOR), 5 Justin Gatlin (USA), 6 Stefan Holm
(SWE), 7 Robert Korzeniowski (POL), 8 Saif Saaeed Shaheen (QAT), 9 Jeremy
Wariner (USA), 10 Liu Xiang (CHN)
Performance of the Year
(Women): 1 Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR), 2 Fani Halkia (GRE), 3 Xing Huina
(CHN), 4 Kelly Holmes (GBR), 5 Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), 6 Benita Johnson
(AUS), 7 Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS), 8 Osleidys Menéndez (CUB), 9 Mizuki
Noguchi (JPN), 10 Yelena Slesarenko (RUS)
• [Click
here to vote]
Three Greek
athletes are nominated for the World Athletics Final
13.09.2004:
After Berlin Golden League meeting, the IAAF world rankings have been finalized
anf the athletes who can participate in the World Athletics Final, to be
held in Monaco during the coming weekend, have been known. The top 7 athletes
in each event (top 11 in running events of 1500m and over) are invited
to take part in the competition and three Greeks are among them. Chrisopigi
Devetzi, currently 4th in the triple jump, Fani Chalkia, 5th in the
400m hurdles and Anastassia Kelesidou, which is 6th in the discus throw.
Katerina Voggoli is 9th in the discus throw and she could have few possibilities
to be invited, in case that some of the first eight discus throwers decide
not to participate.
The other Greeks
are far from the top seven; Iakovakis 11th in the 400mh, Meletoglou 13th
in the triple jump, Vasdeki 19th in the women's triple jump. Although,
the Olympic Champion, Athanassia Tzoumeleka is 4th in the world ranking,
the Final does not include walk events.
Christian
Olsson and Tonique Williams-Darling share the jack-pot of 1 million dollars
12.09.2004:
Both the remaining contenders of the season's jack pot won the last meeting
of the IAAF Golden League circuit and share the 1 million dollars. Christian
Olsson jumped 17.45m today, while Tonique Williams set a world leading
49.09 in the 400m. In this race Fani Chalkia was 4th with a national record
of 50.56.
Among the brilliant
marks of the meeting are also these by Virjilius Alekna in the discus throw
with 68.12m, one more 2.00m clearance by Yelena Slesarenko but also the
seasons' best of Amy Acuff at the same height and the mark of 12.46 in
the high hurdles, by the Olympic Champion Joanna Hayes. Russia's Tatyana
Tomashova clocked 4.04.41 in the 1500m to defeat the Olympic Champion Kelly
Holmes, while Greece's Konstantina Efentaki was 12th with 4.09.45
Christos Meletoglou
placed fourth in the triple jump with 16.88m, closing a very successful
season for the greek champion. [Results]
The last
meeting of IAAF Golden League series today in Berlin
12.09.2004:
Chrisian Olsson and Tonique Williams are one step before the jack pot of
the 1 million dollars. Tonight in Berlin they need just one more win in
order to share the award. Greece's 400mh Olympic Champion runs in the 400m.,
targeting the national record, while Christos Meletoglou participates in
the triple jump and Konstantina Efentaki in the 1500m, their last meeting
for the season.
"Althought
it was a season of hard training and I feel enough tired, I would like
to attempt at least once this year in the 400m. In addition, when a so
prestigious meeting invites you, you can not reject the invitation. I want
to enjoy the race, I know how exciting is the atmosphere in ISTAF every
year", Chalkia said before leaving Athens.
Juricial
contribution was asked
10.09.2004:
The
Athens News Agency reports today that the prosecutors investigating the
doping in Greece asked today for juricial contribution by the US Court,
regarding the BALCO case and the involvement of Greek athletes in the activities
of the laboratory.
Rovereto
results
09.09.2004:
The 2003 World bronze medallist Magdelin Martinez from Italy leapt to 14.92
in the women’s Triple Jump, one of the best marks set in Rovereto, yesterday.
Sandra Glover, won the 400 metres Hurdles in 54.41 and Anna Rogowska
from Poland won the women’s Pole Vault with 4.63 [Results]
Tzekos faces
with new indictment
09.09.2004:
The Greek coach Christos Tzekos was called by the Prosecutors who investigate
the possibilty to bring him in the indictment of possesion of forbiden
food complements. Tzekos was given a time-limit of 4 days and is going
to testify on Monday morning.
Katerina
testifies for 7 hours, but who is going to answer the questions?
07.09.2004:
It was her turn today to go to the prosecutors’ office and testify for
about 7 hours. The inquiry is going on, under strict secrecy according
to the Laws, but a parallel public debate seems to avoid touching the heart
of the problems, focusing on questions of the type "where were they between
7 and 9 that Tuesday". Essential information for the typical dimensions
of the story, but not a global approach aiming to define the problem.
The BALCO case
is still far from the lights in Greece. One newspaper elaborated the material
from the international media, but most people did not understand, or pretend
not to understand. Hopefully the prosecutors do.
Once again,
the BALCO case could be a vital lead in the doping labyrinth also in Greece.
A country, which is not on the technology edge, cannot provide products
of so sophisticated intelligence, but some can be good traders.
For example,
some day we should know: which were the two names of Greek athletes referred
in the messages investigated by the American authorities? If they don't
refer to Kenteris and Thanou, we must know to whom they refer. How Conte's
Laboratory sold its products, legal or not? Were there any official representatives
in Greece? Who are they and who are their clients? Which are their qualities?
What the Greek Federation did when the information about the involvement
of Greek athletes was circulated around the world? What the Federation
did to face with the "non show" incidents by Greek athletes, already referred
by IAAF's doping commission chairman Arne Ljungqvist and reported worldwide?
The forthcoming
weeks are crucial for the athletics in Greece. The new leadership of the
Federation, to be elected at the end of the month, has to face with fundamental
questions. Which kind of athletics we want? Where the limits between the
scientific support of the athlete and doping are drawn? Which standards
we want to follow, the strict legislation implemented in few countries,
or a more lax practice, followed - indeed - by much more countries? The
disclosure of the doping cases in Greece is the reality, a matter
of bad public relationships with the establishment of the athletics worldwide,
as some claim lately, or maybe both?
Difficult questions
need a strong, decisive and reliable leadership. Which should be the result
of an open discussion within the federation and its members and not the
result of compromises aiming to political or other benefits. The future
of the Greek athletics urgently needs certain steering and a clear – and
clean - direction to walk. It’s the least duty to some thousands of new
athletes entered the gyms during the last years, to the numerous talents
who started dreaming their own future.
Kuzenkova
and Karjialianen won in Szombathely
05.09.2004:
Olli-Pekka Karjalainen and Olga Kuzenkova won the first event of the World
Athletics Final, held in Szombathely, Hungary. The other events are held
in Monte Carlo on September 18-19.
• Results from
[World
Athletics Final] (hammer throw events). Results from [Rieti
Grand Prix]
Fani Chalkia
tests at 400m in Berlin
05.09.2004:
The 400m hurdles Olympic Champion, Fani Chalkia, participates in the IAAF
Golden League meeting to be helid in Berlin, on Septemeber 12. Chalkia
will run in the 400m race to make a test at this event. After the 400mh
final in Athens her coach Giorgos Panayotopoulos stated that Chalkia must
include some 400m races in her program, as he believes that after the appropriate
preparation she could clocked around 49 seconds. The national record of
the event stands at 51.68, the mark set Chalkia during the Indoor World
Championships in Budapest, while the all time outdoor best is 51.81 set
by Chrissa Goudenoudi in 2002.
Christos Meletoglou
is a second Greek participant in Berlin, his last competition for this
season.
Saaeed Saif
Shaheen breaks the 3000m steeple record. Isinbayeva cleared 4.92m and Powell
clocked 9.87 in Brussels
03.09.2004:
Quatar's Saif Shaheen kept his promise to break the 3000m steeplechase
world record in the IAAF Golden League Meeting "Memorial Van Damme", with
7:53.63. Shaheen did not compete in Athens Olympics as he hadn't complete
the required period of time after changing his nationality. The previous
record was 7:55.67 set by Morroco's Brahim Boulami in 2002.
Another world
record from Yelena Isinbayeva, the 7th since February, this time with 4.92m.
Jamaica's Asafa Powell set a national record of 9.87 to win the 100m in
, leaving Shawn Crawford on second place with 9.99.
Felix Sanchez,
among four athletes who were in contention for the jack pot, pulled out
during the meeting injured. One more, Hestrie Cloete defeated by the Olympic
Champion, Yelena Slesarenko, who cleared 2.00m. One step before the end,
the only remaining candidates for the jack pot are Tonique Williams, the
winner of the 400m in 49.59 and Christian Olsson who dominated the triple
jump with 17.44m
• [Results]
Read also [Greece
is focus on IAAF drug investigation],
from Washinghton Post
46 Olympic
Medals in Memorial Van Damme
03.09.2004:
No less than 46 medals from the Olympics in Athens will participate at
the 28th Memorial Van Damme (IAAF Golden League Meeting) to be held in
Brussels tomorrow.
Two Greeks,
Christos Meletoglou in the triple jump (sixth in Athens) and Konstantina
Efentaki, semifinalist in the 1500m. are among the participants.
• [Results]
[Entry
lists],
from the official site of the meeting
New leadership
in Greek Athletics
01.09.2004:
The Greek Athletics Federation (SEGAS) announced the resignation of its
Administration and called for Elections for September 25th. During the
meeting held today the Administration of the Greek Federation also accepted
the resignation of the headcoach Odysseas Papatolis and defined a three-member
committee for the further investigation of the "Tzekos-Kenteris-Thanou
case".
August 2004
The day after
29.08.2004:
Greece still celebrates the closing of the 28th Olympic Games and the words
of approval reported by the main international media, but in the background
the official enquiry on dopping, carried out by the Prosecutors, has been
in progress.
The investigation
started before the end of the Games and yesterday, Kostas Kenteris testified
for about seven hours.As he left the prosecutors' office Kenteris said
only that he had talked about his "situation throughout the last few years"
and that he wanted to compete again.
Both, Kenteris
and Thanou, have now a great opportunity to talk openly about everything,
even those which may complicate their position.
Chalkia and
Devetzi in Monaco, Meletoglou in Brussels
29.08.2004:
The 400m hurdles Olympic Champion Fani Chalkia is preparing for her participation
in the World Athletics Final to be held in Monte Carlo on September 18-19.
Pigi Devetzi, silver medalist in the triple jump will also participate
in the Final, while Christos Meletoglou who place 6th in the triple jump
in Athens confirmed his participation in the Brussels Golden League on
Friday.
The win of
Stefano Baldini in Marathon signals the end of the Games
29.08.2004:
The win of Stefano Baldini in the Marathon was the epilogue of the 28th
Olympic Games. The runners of Africa failed to verify the forecasts losing
once more the Classic Race. Baltini clocked 2:10.55 to repeat the triump
of his compatriot Gelido Bordin, who was the last Olympic Champion from
Europe in 1988. Also the Italian Marathon runner broke, after 35years,
the record of the Classic distance set by Bill l Adcocks (2:11.07). Mebrahtom
Keflezighi placed second, while Brazil's Sanderlei Da Silva got the bronze
medal.
It was the
first time that Athletics events were hosted in three different venues,
built in three periods of history. The modern Olympic Stadium, the All-Marble
Stadium built in 19th century for the first Olympics of the modern era
and the Ancient Olympia Place.
"I am an extremely
happy President" said Dr. Rogge in the press conference contacted today,
summarizing his impressions from the Games.
• [President
Diack: WONDERFUL] [Full
Results of the 11th day] [Event
by event report from the IAAF] [Greece
bids Games farewell],
from BBC ["We
were wrong"],
from CNN
Annus to
return the gold medal
29.08.2004:
Hungary's Adrian Annus has to return the gold medal he won in the hammer
throw, the IOC announced in Athens in the afternoon. The IOC accepts that
Annus violated the anti-doping legislation. It's the third athletics gold
medal to be returned, after those won by Russia's Korzhanenko and the other
Hungarian Robert Fazekas.
Holmes and
El Guerrouj double the golds. Fantastic wins for Slesarenko, Borzakovskiy
and Thorklissen
28.08.2004:
Actually it was the last day of athletics, a day full of top marks, joy,
music and celebrating atmosphere in the Athens Olympic Stadium. The party
started with Kelly Holmes, who managed a second gold, in the 1500m this
time, with an amazing sprinting in the last meters. Holmes clocked a national
record of 3:57.81 and made thousands of British to start dancing in the
stadium. Few minutes later, the 1500m Olympic champion, Hicham El Guerrouj
made also the double, dominating the 5000m. The other Olympic champion
of the race, Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele did not stand the attack by the
Morrocan, who crossed the line in triumph with 13:14.39. An historical
race for El Guerrouj, only Paavo Nurmi has to present the same achievement
80 years ago, in the Olympics of 1932.
The 22-year-old
Yelena Slesarenko, one of the main surprises of the season, achieved to
beat the favorite, Hestrie Coete, jumping 2.04 with her first attempt.
The Russian set a new national record at 2.06m and then she tried unsuccessfully
to break the world record with 2.10m. An athlete with a brilliant future
indeed! All the medallists were over the 2.00m tonight, as Vita Styopina
who got the bronze also cleared 2.02m. Another revelation of this season,
Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen is the new javelin throw Olympic Champion.
He improved twice his personal best to win with 86.50m, in front of Latvia's
Vadims Vasilevskis who also set a personal best at 84.95m and the favorite,
Russia's Sergey Makarov who was third with 84.84m.
Yuriy Borzakovskiy
was crying during the medals ceremony, few minutes after his historical
win in the 800m final. The 23-year-old reached the line in 1:44.45 to claim
the first individual gold medal for the Russian squad, but also the first
Olympic gold for his country in this event.
The USA teams
were the expected winners in both 4X400m relays. But it was the British
team the winner of the men's 4X100m, beating the Americans and giving to
the British a good reason to continue dancing.
The 10th day
of the Olympics tops off the brilliant athletics events of these ten days,
bringing the closing ceremony closer and leaving an early melancholy to
those we were found in the stadium these days, for what we'll miss so much
in the next weeks.[Full
Results of the 10th day]
Xiang Liu
equalled the world record. Menendez 71.53m, bronze for Manjani.
27.08.2004:
The 9th day of the Athletics was the big day for China. Xiang Liu clocked
12.91 in the 110m hurdles final to equal the record of the event, set by
Colin Jackson in August 20th, 1993. Later, Huina Xing dominated the 10000m
in front of three Ethiopians, running the distance in 30.24.36.
Three Russians,
exceeded the 7m in the long jump to take all medals. The bronze medalist
of the triple jump, Tatyana Lebedeva got this time the gold with 7.07m,
followed by Irina Simagina and Tatyana Kotova, both at 7.05. Marion Jones
placed 5th (6.85).
Jamaica's 4X100m
relay team got the olympic title in women's, followed by Russia and France.
The American team did not finalize as a bungled second change between Marion
Jones and Lauryn Williams put them out of the contest. A difficult night
for Jones which leaves Athens without any medal.
The javelin
throw reserved one more unforgettable event for the Olympics. Menendez
opened the final with a throw at 71.53m, just one centimeter off the world
record. The crowd watched breathless the last attempt of the 8 throwers.
Steffi Nerius, who was just one centimeter out of the medals, sent the
javelin to 65.82m to get the second position and leave Czech's Nicola Brejckova
third with 64.23m and Greece's Mirela Manjani fourth with 63.61m. But Manjiani
replied with 64.29m, while Brejkova could not react in her last attempt.
Menendez, Nerius and Manjani won the medals, while Brejkova, who was in
the medals from the beginning of the final placed fourth.
It was the
5th athletics medal for Greece in the 28th Olympic Games. Mirela Manjani
was born in 1976 and she is the reigning World Champion as well the reigning
European Champion. In addition she won the gold medal in the World Championships
in 1999. Today she got her second olympic medal, after the silver won in
Sydney 2000. In 1999 she set the first world record with the javelin of
the new type with 67.09m which is her personal best.[Full
Results of the 9th day] [Event
by event report by the IAAF]
Fourth Olympic
gold for Robert Korzheniowski
27.08.2004:
The greatest ever walker, Poland's Robert Korzeniowski, won today his fourth
olympic gold medal, after the historical double he made in Sydney and the
gold medal in 50000m won in Atlanta. The new record holder of the 50000m,
Russian Denis Nizhegorodov, almost collapsed on the finishing line to keep
the silver and one more Russian, Alexei Voyevodin took the bronze.
19.79 for
Crawford. Three Americans on the pondium of the 200m
26.08.2004:
Shawn Crawford won the 200m final in a personal best, followed by his compatriots
Bernard Williams and Justin Gatlin, the 100m Olympic Champion. One of the
highlights of the Olympics was shadowed by the behavior from numerous spectators
who protested against Kenteris’ absence from the Olympics. Only Frank Fredericks
applauded by the crowd, which provoked a delay of the race with a continuous
disapproval. Certainly an exception in these magnificent Olympics, which
has of course its causes. Was it a very singular expression of patriotism,
a lack of information or a low level of sports education? We are not responsible
to reply. But it’s pity. Greece managed to organize unforgettable Olympics,
to host a record participation of athletes from 202 countries on the highest
standards ever. Athletes of the country win medals every day. Greeks should
be proud for these achievements. The country which offered athletics to
the world does not need these ways of expression, fitting better to the
hooligans of some football stadiums.
Dwight Phillips
won one more gold for the US. Jumping a 8.59m he dominated easily the long
jump, where Jon Moffit placed second and Spain’s Joan Martinez third.
The 41st consecutive
win of Felix Sanchez was the more important in his career. The reigning
world champion verified all forecasts and won in 47.64. The silver medal
won by Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane and the bronze by France’s Naman Keita.
[Full
Results of the 8th day]
IAAF Statement
on Greek Athletes and Coach
26.08.2004:
From IAAF: "On 18 August 2004, the IOC Executive Board took a decision
to refer the cases of Konstantinos Kenteris, Ekaterini Thanou and Christos
Tzekos to the IAAF for further action under IAAF Rules, including possible
sanctions.
The IAAF Council
has considered the IOC’s decision and has today appointed the IAAF Doping
Review Board to conduct an Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the
lead up to and eventual withdrawal of Kenteris and Thanou from the Olympic
Games in Athens on 18 August 2004.
The purpose
of the Inquiry is to establish whether sufficient evidence exists to charge
any person with a Doping Violation or other breach of IAAF Rules. If such
evidence exists, disciplinary proceedings will be initiated in accordance
with the standard procedures laid down in IAAF Rules.
The Doping
Review Board Inquiry will commence immediately."
The stadium
is burning for Fani Chalkia
25.08.2004:
Just one week ago none could predict that Greece's Fani Chalkia would be
the Olympic Champion of the 400m hurdles. Only after the qualification
round, when Fani smashed the national record walking in the last meters,
the 25-year runner was taken into serious consideration, while she actually
joint the favourites after her impressing olympic record in the semifinals.
Tonight Chalkia became the third Greece's woman who gets the olympic crown,
after Voula Patoulidou and Athanassia Tsoumeleka, running in 52.82 and
leaving far behind all the big stars of the event. Running a relatively
slow first part, she accelarated after the 200m sweeping everyone in the
last meters.
"I am in tremendous
shape", said Chalkia after the race "I entered the stadium saying that
there is not any chance to be defeated. We are Greeks, we carry a long
history, we should show to the world that we can win. I am so proud tonight".
Later, talking
to the "New Hellenic Television" her coach Giorgos Panayotopoulos analyzed
the technical features of the final, as well as his training strategy on
the Olympic Champion. "She could run the 400m in a time around 49" but
she prefers the hurdles. We'll include some 400m races in our program though.
Our schedule for this season includes at least one more big meeting, maybe
in Monaco, while next year we'll attempt for the world record" he added.
The new Olympic
Champion showed a strong potential earlier this year, when he placed 6th
in the World Indoor Championships in Budapest, where she also led the national
relay team to the 6th place in the final.
Meanwhile,
rumors are entangled with the reality, regarding the positive tests in
the Olympics. Although at noon the Greek National Radio reported that the
winner of the triple jump Cameroonese Francoise Mbango failed the drug
test, nothing has been verified yet. It is the second time in these Olympics
that a winner is said to be positive without any official confirmation.[Full
Results of the 7th day]
World Juniors
Record for Alisson Felix
25.08.2004:
In the other great final of the 7th day, the women's 200m, Veronica Campbell
won the gold with 22.05, while 18-year-old Alisson Felix broke the world
juniors record with 22.18 to take the silver. Debbie Ferguson, of the Bahamas,
claimed bronze.
Hicham El
Guerrouj won the race of the Games. World Record by Isinbayeva
24.08.2004:
El Guerrouj made history tonight in Athens, winning the only precious title
he hadn't addef to his collection, the Olympics gold. Hicham dominated
an unforgettable 1500m final after a close fight with Lagat in the final
80 meters. Portugal's Rui Silva gets the bronze medal.
Few minutes
later the competition between Isinbayeva and Feofanova ended with a world
record by Yelena at 4.91m. Isinbayeva, who had failed at 4.70m and 4.75m.,
got the gold with her only remaining attempt at 4.80m and deified by the
spectators when she made a really huge vault over the record.
The first hudle
in the 100m race was fatal not only for Devers yesterday, but also for
Felicien, the favourite of the final. Irina Shevchenko of Russia who was
running in the lane just outside Felicien was also taken down by the Canadian’s
rolling body. Joanna Hayes won the race with an olympic record of 12.37,
followed by Olena Krasowska of Ukraine and the other American, Melissa
Morrison.
The Kenyans
verified their domination in the steeplechase, sweeping all medals, while
Sebrle won the deacathlon gold with a total of 8.893 points, a new olympic
record. Bryan Clay finished second with 8820p and Kazakhstan's Dmitry Karpov
third with an Asian record of 8725 points.
Olympics
Athletics Results: Day
6
Alekna got
discus gold
24.08.2004:
The IOC announced that Robert Fazekas lost the discus throw gold medal,
as the athlete tried to manipulate the antidoping control. It was also
announced that Belarus' high jumper Aleksey Lesnichiy, who failed to make
the final, is to be thrown out of the Games after testing positive for
clenbuterol.
More problems...
23.08.2004:
Greek media report more doping problems in the Olympics. According to them
a medal winner of the women's 100m has been tested positive and a formal
announcement is expected in the next hours. In addition, one more problem
could be connected with the Discus Throw Olympic Champion Robert Fazekas.
According to the same media, Fazekas gave inadequate sample after the end
of the final and then he left the stadium althought he had been warned
that the quantity given is not adequate for the test.
Olympics
Athletics Results: Day
6
Mbango wins
first Olympic Gold for Cameroon - Devetzi triumphs for Greece
23.08.2004:
Francoise Mbango, twice silver medalist in the World Championships in 2001
and 2003, was the winner of the strongest ever triple jump competition
in Athens. Four girls exceeded the 15 meters, but Mbango's African record
at 15.30 m. was the best. Greece's Pigi Devetzi, who jumped 15.32 m. in
the qualification round got the silver with 15.25m., while the favorite
of the event, Russia's Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 15.14 m. to get the bronze.
Trecia Smith of Jamaica was fourth with 15.02m, while Sudan's Yamile Aldama
was fifth with 14.99m.
Pigi Devetzi
was born in 1976 and started her sport career in Gymnastics. In 2001 she
was 5th in the Mediterranean Games and next year placed 7th in the European
Championships in Munich. In the World Championships held in Paris last
year she was 8th, while last winter won the bronze medal in the World Indoor
Championships in Budapest. She is training with the former Greek triple
jump champion Sofia Bakatsaki.
Kelly Holmes
spread enthusiasm to the numerous British in the Olympic Stadium, with
her close win in the 800m in 1:56.38, Britain’s first Olympic middle distance
gold medal since 1984. Benhassi, from Morocco, set a national record of
1:56.43 to go with the silver medal, but Ceplak was so close, that the
Slovenian was given the same time. Surprisingly, Maria Mutola was fourth
with 1:56.51.
The final of
the 400 m. was a triumph for the US as all medals were sweeped by the Americans.
Jeremy Wariner clocked 44.00 to get the title, followed by Harris and Brew.
Robert Fazekas set an Olympic Record of 70.93 m. to defeat the favourite,
Virjilius Alekna who was second. Finally, Ethiopia's Meseret Defar dominated
the women's 5000m, followed Kenya's Isabella Ochichi and her compatriot
Tirunesh Dibaba. The world record holder of the event, Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse
was just 12th.
Olympics
Atletics Results: Day
5
Tsoumeleka
drives Greece mad
23.08.2004:
Athanassia Tzoumeleka, a 22-year-old talented walker, made the big surprise
in the first event of the 5th day in Athens. Supporting by a huge crowd
in the roads surrounding the Olympic Stadium, Tsoumeleka got the gold medal
in the women's 20000m walking race, with 1:29.12. Tsoumeleka took the lead
after the 17th kilometer and achieved to overcome the strong pressure by
Russia's Olympiada Ivanova, the world record holder, who tried twice to
pass on. The other Greek walker, Athina Papayianni, placed 10th.
"I wanted this
medal" said the new Olympic Champion after the race. "I was so fast during
the training period and wondering if the others could be so fast. I have
never seen so much people in a walking event. This crowd who ran in the
parallel road to encourage me made me so strong. Thanks God, thanks to
the people, thanks to the other Greek walkers who have so much helped me."
Tsoumeleka
was born in 2 January 1982 and showed very early her potential in 2000
when she placed 4th in the World U23 Championships. Next year she took
the silver medal in the European U23 Championships, while in 2002 placed
9th in the European Champs. Last year she was 7th in the Paris World Championships,
promising a better performance in Athens. And she did the best.
Justin, Francis,
Fani and the Swedish. A magic night in Athens
22.08.2004:
About 80.000 spectators enjoyed historical moments tonight in the Athens
Olympic Stadium. The fourth day of athletics, reserved amazing moments
in almost all events. Justin Gatlin topped the fastest ever 100m final
in 9.85, followed by Portugal's Francis Obikwelu who set a European record
in 9.86 and Maurice Greene who ran a 9.87 to take the bronze.
Stefan Holm
and Christian Olsson added more gold to the Swedish team. Althought both
were the clear favourites of their events, Holm proved once more how the
really great athlete compete and win. Challenged by the Americans, Holm
was just fifth at 2.34m, but he needed only one attempt to catch the gold
at 2.36m.
In the women's
Marathon, the Classic course produced an epic race, where courage was ultimately
rewarded with triumph for Mizuki Noguchi of Japan, the new women’s Olympic
Marathon champion. The silver medal went to last year’s World champion,
Catherine Ndereba and the bronze to Deena Kastor. The favourite of the
race, Paula Radcliffe did not finalize
Adian Annus
won the hammer with 83.19m, followed by Koji Murofushi who sent the hammer
to 82.91m. Belarus' Ivan Tikhon was third with 79.81m.
Fani Chalkia
made an unbelievable 400m hurdles semifinal, smashing almost all records.
Her 52.77 is an Olympic Record, the 6th all time world performance for
the event, a wold leading mark for this season and of course a national
record. The final is scheduled for Wednesday, just few minutes before men's
200m final. The new heroe is to be born to offer the balsam to the Greek
crowd.
Finally, Christos
Meletoglou had an excellent performance in the triple jump final today,
getting the 6th place with 17.13m.
Results:
Olympic's Athletics Day
4
Korzhanenko
failed drug test
22.08.2004:
Irina Korzhanenko, the only woman in history who won an Olympic title into
the Ancient Stadium of Olympia, failed the drug test after her win. Althought
there is not a formal announcement by the IOC, French media reports that
the winner of the shot put tested positive for steroid. The Russian Champion
was also banned for two years in 1999 by the IAAF because of drug use.
Nesterenko,
Sadova, Kluft won golds. Devetzi flies to 15.32m
21.08.2004:
Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus captured the Olympic title in the 100 metres,
running the final in 10.93. Nesterenko who had all races under 11 seconds,
followed by Lauryn Williams who clocked 10.96 and Jamaica's Veronica Campbell
who got the bronze. The big surprise happened in the semifinal where Christine
Arron failed to make the final.
Russia's Natalya
Sadova dominated the discus throw with 67.02m, while Greece's Anastassia
Kelesidou was again second. The second Olympic silver for the Greek, while
she had won also two silvers in World Championships. The bronze medal went
to the reigning world champion, Irina Yatchenko of Belarus, while Katerina
Voggoli was 8th.
Sweden's Carolina
Kluft was the expected heptathlon Olympic Champion, with a total of 6952
points, followed by Lithuania's Skujyte Austra and Kelly Sotherton of Great
Britain.
The stadium
was taken off tonight by an amazing jump of Chrisopigi Devetzi, in the
triple jump qualification round. The bronze medalist of the world indoor
championships this year landed to 15.32m to become the third all time world
performer.
In the highlights
of the the are also included the failure of Stacey Dragila in the pole
vault qualification round and one more record for Greece by Argyro Strataki
who was 15th in the Heptathlon with 6117 points.
Results:
Olympics'
Athletics Day 3
Bekele won
historical race. Greek medal hopes in two events
21.08.2004:
Kenenisa Bekele won the Olympic title in the 10000m race, in a historical
for Ethiopia's running race, where Gebreselasie attempted a third Olympic
gold. Although Gebre, strongly supported by his compatriots, placed fifth,
Ethiopia also won the silver whith Shihine, while Zersenay Tadesse was
the surprise bronze medallist, clocking a national record of 27:22.57,
becoming Eritrea’s first ever Olympic medalist.
Yesterday morning
an Italian walker won the first athletics gold. Ivano Brugnetti clocked
1:19.40 in the 20000m to get the title, followed by Spain's Javier Fernandez
and Australia's Nathan Diekes.
Meanwhile,
the Greek athletics seem to overcome the shock by the latest developments
in Tzekos' scandal. Christos Meletoglou jumped a season's best of 17.09
to qualify for the triple jump final, while three Greek girls will participate
in the discus final. Sydney's and Paris' silver medalist Tasoula Kelesidou,
the European Champion and Paris' bronze medalist Katerina Voggoli, attempted
only once to secure an easy qualification. Later, Stella Tsikouna, 6th
in Sydney, was also added to the Greek trio, able to win medals in the
final.
Finally, the
Saturday's morning session deserved one more pleasant time for the Greeks.
Fani Halkia, almost walking in the last meters, clocked 53.88 in the 400m
hurdles qualification round. It's one more national record by Fani, who
seems to be in excellent shape and targets a position in the final Results:
Olympics'
Athletics Day 2
Eventually
Withdrawn - Kenteris' and Thanou's Case to be judged by IAAF
18.08.2004:
Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou pulled out of the Olympics today. Now,
the IAAF have to decide about their future, on August 26th. Kenteris also
announced the end of his collaboration with Christos Tzekos, while the
Greek media reports that the headcoach, Mr. Odysseas Papatolis, has also
resigned. Their decision, althought delayed, was the best solution, as
their case has overshadowed enough the brilliant Olympic Games already
in process. It's time to enjoy the athletics events now, while after the
games we'll be back in this case, as we know that the anti-doping war just
starts.
After 1611
years, back to ancient Olympia
18.08.2004:
The ancient Olympic Stadium in Olympia opened today to host the shot put
finals, 1611 years after the last Olympic Games of the ancient era. More
than 15.000 spectators watched Yuriy Belonog and Irina Korzhanenko to win
the Olympic crown in the ancient place. The men's competition was the best
ever in olympic final, as the Ukrainian won the gold just with his last
attempt, when he equalled Adam Nelson's 20.17m. But Nelson, having 5 fault
shots, got once more the silver medal. Results:
Olympics'
Athletics Day 1
Kenteris
and Thanou out of the Greek team
14.08.2004:
One
day after the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, a full of symbolisms,
history and mythology 3-hours-long event that impressed the whole world,
the Greek Olympic Commitee tried to give an end, a "deus ex machina" solution
to the hubris that seems to cover the Olympic Spirit. Chris Tzekos' sprinters,
Kenteris and Thanou, are out of the Olympics, temporarily, until the IOC
decides what will happen with them. In fact, the Greek Olympic Commitee's
decision serves as a media warning of what's next. And what's that? Probably
the IOC will be very strict on its rules, convicting the two athletes to
a 2 years ban for failing to sit for a doping test. No, a new testing is
not going to be held. IOC has its rules and they were broken. No matter
how important the two athletes are for Greece, the country that hosts the
Olympics, there's no way that the IOC will accept to become a fool of herself
and accept to play with Chris Tzekos' rules. Greek governments and Athletics
federals have done it for many years -and now they pay for it. The Greek
people will always remember it's Sydney Golden and Silver medallists, but
now have other things to care about: Giving to the world the best Olympics
possible and celebrating for the new champions that will emerge in these
Games...
•ÄéáâÜóôå
Áêüìç:
Åí
Ïßêù: "Ðþò öèÜóáìå
ùò åäþ" (Üñèñï
ôïõ Ìé÷Üëç Íéêçôáñßäç)
Stop
playing with the Olympic Spirit!
13.08.2004:
Tonight
Athens becomes the heart of the whole world, as the Olympic Games start
with the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium. But it seems that an
ancient tragedy is taking place as well. A tragedy that leads to the death
of the Olympic Spirit right in the place where it was born. Kenteris and
Thanou were supposedly injured in a motorcycle crash last night.
They
're probably losing the Olympics. But that is not the point this time.
Few Greeks still believe that their idols were victimised. Chris Tzekos'
athletes seem to be involved in the biggest ever scandal of Greek Sports,
after failing to sit for a drug test yesterday evening and after not attending
the IOC hearing this morning. Even if the two athletes are clear, a lot
of questions will be asked to mr. Tzekos. For example, who has given him
the right to play games with the Olympic Spirit the same day the Games
start? How can a coach of such athletes like a Golden and a Silver Olympic
Medallist leave them ride a motorbike during midnight, just days before
their races? And not only Tzekos, of course, is to blame, but the whole
system of Greek Sports and Media, that not only leave him play his games
all these years, but also hide them from the public.
Whatever
the end of the scandal will be, the reality is that the Olympics start
today. Let's save all the dignity that we 're left with and give to the
world some great Games. Let's give them the Games that will be remembered
not for our misery but for our hospitality and for our tries to bring the
Olympic Spirit back.
No
chance for cheaters - An antidoping revolution starts in Athens
12.08.2004:
On
Thursday morning, one day before the official start of the Athens' Olympic
Games, on a Press Conference held by WADA, Dick Pound was clear: "Cheaters
have nowhere to hide". If Christos Tzekos' athletes, Sydney Olympic Champion
Kostas Kenteris and Silver Medallist Katerina Thanou, are cheaters indeed
is left to be proved. The IOC, via WADA, asked the two top Greek athletes
to give a blood test. Fifty more athletes of various nationalities were
also called by the Agency tonight in Athens, twenty of them from USA -according
to reports by the Greek Media. Both Greeks failed to give the test and
IOC decided to call them for hearing, tomorrow morning.
After
the media speculation that occured, Kenteris and Thanou asked for a test
at any time, even in the night. A few minutes earlier, the head of the
Greek Olympic Team, talking to the Greek television, explained that the
athletes, returning from the US, went directly to the village. Later, they
left the village for few hours in order to visit their homes. When he received
the call from the WADA, he informed them, but they didn't have the time
to return before the expiration of the one hour.
"According
to our information, the Greek team leader was informed, but not the athletes.
To our mind this doesn't constitute a refusal," Istvan Gyulai, secretary-general
of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) stated,
in an attempt to "clear" the athletes. The
strong efforts undertaken by the IAAF and the WADA against the doping nightmare
won't stop in the coming days, and there are rumors here in Athens that
the strong pressure on Kenteris and Thanou tonight was imposed by the USA
team, whose 8 track and field stars were tested this morning in Rethymon.
where they train. Whatever the reasons, it is a clear fact now that the
IOC and WADA are willing to clear the Olympics and do not hesitate to create
a big issue for the media by putting such a pressure to the host of the
Olympics most famous athletes...
Read
also: [US
athletes under drugs cloud (Fox Sports)] [Anti-drugs
chief confirms HGH test (CNN)]
"An
anti-doping revolution starts in Athens" - A long hot night in the greek
Capital
12.08.2004:
The
WADA called today two top Greek athletes, the Olympic Champion Kostas Kenteris
and Sydney's silver medallist Katerina Thanou, to give blood test. Fifty
more athletes of various nationalities also called by the Agency tonight
in Athens, twenty of them from USA.
According
to latest reports, both Greek athletes called for a test at 19.30, but
one hour later they did not present. The IOC Executive Committee and WADA's
Executive Committee are reported to be in official meeting in an Athens'
hotel. According to the same reports both athletes claimed that did not
receive any call because they weren't in the Village in the afternoon,
but they are ready to provide the samples now.
The
strong efforts undertaken by the IAAF and the WADA against the doping nightmare
won't stop in the coming days, during the Athens Olympics. Not only the
usage of the HGH test, but the intensive controls asked by the WADA, verify
what an international athletics reporter said earlier: "An anti-doping
revulotion starts in Athens".
Latest
news: IOC decided to call both athletes for hearing, tomorrow morning.
Kenteris and Thanou asked for testing at any time, even in the night. Few
minutes earlier the head of the Greek Olympic Team, talking to the Greek
television, explained that the athletes, returning from the US, went directly
to the village. Later, they left the village for few hours in order to
visit their homes. When he received the call from the WADA, he noticed
them, but they didn't have the time to return before the expiration of
the one hour.
"According
to our information the Greek team leader was informed but not the athletes.
To our mind this doesn't constitute a refusal," Istvan Gyulai, secretary-general
of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
Blanka
Vlasic jumps 2,03 m.
11.08.2004:
The
Croatian, two times World Junior Champion of the Women's High Jump, jumped
2,03 m. in Ljubljana and now heads for Freiburg before her Olympics' challenge
in Athens.
A
Greek 65-member squad ready for the greatest challenge
10.08.2004:
Eventually,
65 men and women athletes are included in the Greek athletics squad for
Athens Olympics.Three more athletes added to the initial team announced
two weeks ago; Barcelona's Olympic Champion Voula Patoulidou in the 4X100m
relay, Maria Protopapa who smashed the 5000m record for Greece in Heusden
and George Economidis for the 4X400m relay. At the same time Chrysa Iakovou
was eliminated, after the achievement of the "A" standard by Protopapa.
All
the top Greek athletes, with the only exception of Kostas Gatsioudis, are
included in the squad, having a great chance to compete in Olympics organized
by their home country. These Olympics are expected to reserve at least
a record participation for the greeks in the finals, while along with the
stars internationally known, some new athletes will start building their
own reputation in the highest level of competition.
•
The Greek Olympic squad: [MEN][WOMEN]
Ayhan
scandal shocks
8.08.2004:
The
European 1500m Champion, Turkey's Surreyya Ayhan, withdraws from Athens
Olympics, because of injury, announced formally on Friday. Yesterday, Turkish
media reported that Ayhan tried to submit a sample of someone else's urine
in a doping test by the WADA last month.
Turkey's
director of sport Mehmet Atalay admitted that Ayhan had pulled out
of the Athens Olympics because she had tried to 'fix' the doping test and
not due to injury. Besides her European title, Ayhan got the silver medal
in the World Championships last year, while she named Athlete of the Year
for Europe in 2002.
•
[Full
story by TurkishPress.com][Jerome
Young fails (again) drug test]
Powell
9.93, Cloete 2.04m, Alekna defeated
7.08.2004:
Asafa
Powell won again in the Zurich Golden league with 9.93, while Maurice Greene
was second with 9.94; Athens final is expected really amazing. Virjilius
Alekna, one of the five candidates for the jackpot before the meeting,
was defeated by Hungary's Robert Fazekas who threw 69.77m. In the B race
of the 800m, Burundi's Yusef Saad Kamel set a surprising world leading
mark of 1:43.11. Later Winfred Bungei improved the season's best mark to
1:43.06.
The
other four candidates for the jackpot won their events: Christian Olsson
with 17.46m, Tonique Williams with 49.73, Hestrie Cloete with a world leading
2.04m and Felix Sanchez with 47.92. [Results]
Torri
Edwards to lose Olympics
6.08.2004:
Torri
Edwards, the world 100 metres champion, is set to miss the Olympics after
being found guilty of taking drugs. The American failed a test in Martinique
in April but claimed she had ingested the banned stimulant nikethamide
inadvertently when her physical therapist gave her glucose tablets she
did not know contained the substance.
Her
last hope of being allowed to run in Athens lies in an appeal to the international
Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has established an office in Athens
to deal with such cases. Edwards is the 13th American athlete to be banned
for drugs this year. [Full
story by the Guardian]
Kenteris'
gold promise
3.08.2004:
In
a video presented by the greek "MEGA Channel" today, Sydney's Olympic Champion
Kostas Kenteris talked about his expected performance during the Olympics.
"I feel ready for the races in Athens. I am totally healthy, I have overcome
the problems that obliged me to withdraw in Paris. I never think about
my opponents, I always focus on my own performance."
His
coach, Christos Tzekos, added: "Of course Kostas has to defend his Olympic
title. We have to be ready for very fast races. If we run fast, the gold
medal will be won".
Kenteris,
who is currently in the last stage of his preparation in Mexico along with
Christos Tzekos and Katerina Thanou, starts the 200m qualification round
in August 24th.
In
addition, the leader of the Greek olympic team Mr. Papadogiannakis, replying
to questions regarding comments made by foreign newspaper, about Kenteris
and Thanou, said: "They were used to criticizing Greece for the Olympics
preparation. Suddenly, they found out that everything is ready. And now
started talking again about this story. Both Kenteris and Thanou are among
the mostly tested athletes during the last years. They have been tested
repeatedly, both by the WADA and the Greek Federation. Last time on July
16th. All the tests are negative. I am sure that the athletes' reply will
come soon from the track"
Aldama
flies to 15.28m in Linz, Phillips at 8.60m
2.08.2004:
Sudan's
Yamile Aldama flied to 15.28m, a new African record, threatening even the
world mark. The competition with the favourite of the Olympics, Tatyana
Lebedeva is expected to be amazing in a few days in Athens. Jamaica's Trecia
Smith broke again the national record with 15.16m, while Greece's Dimitra
Markou was 4th with 13.75m.
World
leading mark for Dwight Phillips who jumped 8.60m, while Osleydis Menendez
with 65.68m was defeated by Checz's Nicola Brejchova who set a personal
best at 65.91m [Results]
Papadimitriou
in good shape
1.08.2004:
Alexandros
Papadimitriou won the hammer throw meeting held today in Nikiti, Chalkidi
with 80.35m, just 10cm out of his own national record. The bronze medalist
of the European Championships 2002 comes to a great form just few days
before the opening of the Olympic Games, proving his ability for one more
distincion in his home country. Alexandros goes on his preparation in Hungary
next week. The results are:
Men:
1. Alexandros Papadimitriou GRE 80.35m; 2. Libor Charfreitag SVK 79.14m;
3. Karsten Kobs GER 79.14m; 4. Holger Klose GER 77.56m; 5. Markus Esser
GER 72.31m.
Women:
1. Andrea Bunjes GER 69.70m.; 2. Katalin Divós HUN 68.30m; 3. Lorraine
Shaw GBR 67.01m; 4. Susanne Keil GER 66.97m; 5. Clarissa Claretti ITA 66.20m;
6. Evdokia Tsamoglou GRE 65.00m; 7. Stella Papadopoulou GRE 64.72m; 8.
Julianna Tudja HUN 63.74m
July 2004
Isinbayeva
vaults 4.90m. Powel 9.91, Greene 9.97, Idowu 17.47m in London
30.07.2004:
An amazing pole vault competition marked the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting,
held in London tonight. Yelena Isinbayeva broke again the pole vault record
with 4.90m with her first attempt, while Svetlana Feofanova left two vaults
for 4.95m. Feofanova did not manage it tonight and the new record was enough
for Yelena to take win. Her 5.00m clearance is obviously a matter of time.
Jamaica's
Asafa Powel won the 100m in the IAAF Super Grand Prix Meeting in London,
with a season's best of 9.91. Greene was second with 9.97, while
earlier he had run the semifinal in 9.98. Steve Backley placed second in
the javelin with 83.42m in the last competition of his brilliant career
in his home country. Backley retires after Athens Olympics. Phillips Idowu
won the triple jump with 17.47m in front of Bahamas' Leevan Sands who jumped
17.41m. Gebreselasie clocked 12:55.51, while Australia's Craig Mottram
set a national record in 12:55.76 [Results]
Zurich
snub for Jones
30.07.2004:
Marion
Jones cannot compete at the Zurich Golden League meeting because of doping
claims against her, organisers have confirmed. [Full
Story from BBC]
Russian
Championships
29.07.2004:
Natalia
Sadova set a discus throw 67.58m today in Tula, during the Russian Championships.
An impressing mark also set by Olga Kuzenkova in the hammer throw (74.54m),
while Julia Tabakova was the winner of the 100m in 11.16 [Results]
Additions
to the Greek Olympic squad
29.07.2004:
The
Greek Federation announced two more athletes to be added to the Olympics
team. Voula Patoulidou, the 100mh Atlanta's gold medallist secured a honorary
participation to the Olympics, for 5th consecutive time. Patoulidou, 39,
is added to the 4X100m relay team. Georgios Economidis (4X400m) is the
second addition announced, while in the next days few more athletes may
be also included to the squad.
•
[Ayhan not expected to race
until Olympics. Abeylegesse to double] by Bob Ramsak
•
[Gebreselasie: I'm still quite
good] by Bob Ramsak
Olympians
to face Human Growth Hormone test
28.07.2004:
Athletes
competing at the Athens Olympics will, for the first time, face tests for
the previously undetectable banned drug Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Thanks
to efforts, have been undertaken since 1997, by a resarch team of Southampton
University, a new strong weapon in the war against doping is now available,
while its impacts might be obvious even before the opening of the Games.
•
[Full
Story from BBC] Read also the extensive
report by THE GUARDIAN]
Kluft
jumps 6,85m in Stockholm, Holm unbeatable
27.07.2004:
Carolina
Kluft jumped 6.85m in the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting in Stockholm, while
Ghana's Aziz Zahari set a personal best of 10.00 in the 100m. Stefan Holm
won the high jump under the continuous raining. Baba was the first who
cleared 2.30m, but Holm replied with an impressing jump at 2.33m to take
the lead. Felicien won again the 100m hurdles in 12.61 and Paul Coech clocked
8.03.10 in the 3000m steeple. Christian Olsson jumped 17.28m to get the
second place, after Romania's Stefan Oprea who won with 17.30m. [Results]
4.89m.:
World Record for Isinbayeva in Birmingham
25.07.2004:
Yelena
Isinbayeva cleared 4.89m today in the Norwich Union International, to set
a new world record, the 4th record by the Russian champion in this year.
Jamaica's Aleen Bailey ran the 100m in 11.04, while Kelly Holmes dominated
the 800m. in front of Ceplak. Dwight Phillips jumped 8.35m and Greece's
Konstantina Efentaki won the 1500m with 4:10.30. Kim Collins, the 2003
World Champion, won the 100 m. race in 10.10
[Results]
Mo
Greene was defeated by Obikwelu
23.07.2004:
Maurice
Greece, less than two weeks after his win in Sacramento, with the impressing
9.91, was unexpectedly defeated by Portugal's Francis Obikwelu, in the
IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting of Paris Saint Denis. Obikwelu clocked 10.06,
while Greene's mark was 10.14. Christine Arron dominated the women's race
in 11.10, while very good marks were set by Tonique Williams (49.15 in
the 400m), Allen Johnson (13.07), Muna Lee (22.49 in the 200m.) and Yipsi
Moreno 73.43m.
•
[Results]
•
Bob Ramsak reports from Paris: [Tonique
Williams Darling: "Racing-wise, I Have My Game Plan Together]
The
Greek squad was announced
21.07.2004:
As
expected, the Greek Federation announced today the Greek squad for the
Olympics. The head coach, Odysseas Papatolis, the man who has indissolubly
linked his name with the enormous progress of the greek athletics over
the last decade, presented the biggest ever Greek team in the Olympic Games
history. A total of 63 men and women are going to compete in the Athens
Olympic Stadium, in their home country, while five more athletes have the
chance to be added to the team, if they set the standards before August
8. [The
Greek Squad]
A
huge Greek squad to be announced
20.07.2004:
The
greek squad for the Olympics is going to be announced in the coming days.
The head coach, Odysseas Papatolis, the man who has indissolubly linked
his name with the enormous progress of the greek athletics over the last
decade,
is almost ready to present the bigger ever Greek team in the Olympic Games.
About 60 athletes are going to compete in the Athens Stadium, in their
own country. According to the coach about 15 of them are expected to participate
in the final, while 4 target the podium.
Rogowska
(4.71m) and Smith (14.90m) shine in Thessaloniki
19.07.2004:
Anna
Rogowska broke twice the pole vault record for Poland with 4.66m and 4.71m,
while Tracy Smith set also a double Jamaica's record in the triple jump
with 14.77m and 14.90m in the IAAF Grannd Prix II Meeting, held in Thessaloniki.
Top performances by Michael Blackwood in the 400m with 44.95 and Aretha
Hill who sent the discus at 63.53m.
Afroditi
Skafida set a pole vault personal best with 4.40m and joint the Greek Olympic
Team. Stella Papadopoulou set a national U23 hammer throw record with 68.08m
to set the standard for the Olympics, while Stella Pilatou won the olympic
qualification competition in the long jump with 6.55m and also made the
olympic squad, along with Niki Xanthou and Yannoula Kafetzi. [Results]
World
leading mark by Bungei. Efentaki smashes the 1500m greek record in Madrid
17.07.2004:
Svetlana
Feofanova cleared 4.80m tonight in the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting held
in Madrid, where Winfried Bungei dominated the 800m in 1:43.72, a
world leading mark for this season. Impressing run by Grenada's Aleyne
Francique who clocked 44.52 in the 400m, while Konstantina Efentaki placed
3rd in the 1500m race with a national record 4:05.63 and made the standard
for Athens. Paris' bronze medalist Periklis Iakovakis placed 4th in the
400mh with 49.13 [Results]
Jones
pulled out of 200m in Sacramento. Grimes "A" positive on steroid
17.07.2004:
Marion
Jones decided not to participate in the 200m semifinals of the US Championhsips.
The defending 200m, Olympic Champion, is qualified to participate in the
Olympics only in the long jump, after her failure to qualify in the 100m,
in which she also is the defending champion. In the men's 200m Shaun Crawford
flies, with marks 19.88 in the qualification round and 20.00 in the semifinals,
while another qualifier, Mickey Grimes, has tested positive this year norandrosterone
in out-of-competition testing by the international track federation (IAAF)
May 25 in Los Angeles. [Results]
Read
also: [Regina Jacobs accepts
4-year sanction for THG offense] by Bob Ramsak,
Kostas
Filippidis placed 4th in Grosseto
17.07.2004:
Kostas
Filippidis finally fot the 4th place in the pole vault final of the World
Juniors Champs, with 5.35m. The Greek Champion need only one attempt at
this height, but then failed at 5.40m three times. Chrisi Moedisou was
7th in the shot put with 15.49m. [Results,
Day5]
10.95
fror Christine Arron. Positive test for Larry Wade
16.07.2004:
Christine
Arron clocked 10.95 in the first day of the French Championships, setting
a strong candidature for Athens' gold next month. On the other side, drugs
drama goes on, Larry Wade tested positive on steroid, in a meeting he participated
earlier this year. [French Championships, Results][Larry
Wade positive on steroid, from SF GATE]
World
Juniors Champs: Yervasios Filippidis placed 5th in the javelin. Kiriakopoulou
6th in the pole vault
16.07.2004:
Yervasios
Filippidis set a javelin throw personal best with 73.37m to get the 5th
place, the better so far for the Greek team in the World Juniors Championships.
Nikoleta Kirakopoulou equalled her personal best with 4.00m and placed
6th in the pole vault final. On the previous days of the champs Nikos Filandarakis
was 8th in the long jump and Eftimios Stergioulis also 8th in the 100m.
Filandarakis qualified for the 110m Semifinals, while Antonia Stergiou
(high jump) and Chrisi Moesidou (shot put) made the finals. [Results,
Day4]
Torri
Edwards tests positive
15.07.2004:
American
athletics have been shocked again, as Torri Edwards tested positive for
the stimulant nikethamide at a meeting in Fort-de-France, Martinique, on
April 24. Penalties for the use of a stimulant range from a public
warning to a two-year ban, which could bar the 27-year-old from competing
at next month's Olympic Games. Edwards became World Champion last
year's after the ban of Kelli White followed her acceptance of drug use.[Report
by Bob Ramsak][HSI
Statement on Tori Edwards by TrackProfile.com]
Kostas
Filippidis in the pole vault final
15.07.2004:
Kostas
Filippidis had no difficulties at 5.05m and qualified for the pole vault
final on the 3rd day of the World Juniors Championships. Filippidis, with
a season's best of 5.51m is the Greek hope for a medal in these championships.
[Results, Day3]
Invitation
to Paris Golden League remains open to Jones
14.07.2004:
Marion
Jones remains welcome to compete at next Friday's Gaz de France Golden
League meet in Paris despite the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's ongoing
investigation into doping allegations, the meet's director said yesterday.[Full
report by Bob Ramsak] [Read also:
Wilson Kipketer: Thinking
about the small things, by Bob Ramsak]
Two
more Greek qualifiers in Grosseto finals
14.07.2004:
Nikoletta
Kiriakopoulou in the women's pole vault and Yervasios Filippidis in the
javelin throw qualified for the finals after the end of the morning session
of the second day in the World Junior Championships [Results,
Day2]
World
Juniors Champs: Stergioulis and Filandarakis in the finals
13.07.2004:
Efthimios
Stergioulis was the first Greek athlete of the 10th World Juniors Championships
who achieved to qualify for the final. The Greek champion clocked 10.49
in the semifinal, the 5th performance among those who qualified. Later,
Nikolaos Filandarakis jumped 7.34m in the long jump and also will go on
to the final. Ethiopia's Meselech Melkamu got the gold medal of the women's
5000m with a championships record of 15.21.52 and Bulgaria's Georgi Ivanov
was the shot put world champion with 20.70m. [Results,
Day1]
EEA
Permit meeting "Tofalia 2004"
12.07.2004:
Jamaica's
Jermain Gonzales, winner of the 400m in 45.42 and Nathan Morgan who jumped
8.03m were about the highlights of the EAA Permit Meeting "Tofalia 2004"
held in Patra, Greece. Good marks also for Jamaica's Roneta Smith who dominated
the 400m in 51.66 and Konstantina Efentaki who approached the 800m greek
record winning the race in 2:01.59.
Interesting
come-back for Charalambos Papadias, the 60m World Indoor Champion in Paris'
97. Papadias clocked 10.34 in the 100m to follow Angelos Pavlakakis who
set a season's best of 10.33; both confirmed their participation in the
IAAF Grand Prix II to be held in Thessaloniki next Monday, where
they have one more chance for the Olympic standard. [Results]
9.91
for Maurice Greene, Montgomery out of the Olympics
11.07.2004:
The
100m world record holder, American Tim Montgomery, has not the chance to
compete in the Olympic Games. Montgomery, already officialy charged by
the US Antidoping Agency with doping violation, placed 7th in the US Championships
with 10.13. Maurice Greene 9.91, Justin Gatlin 9.92 and Shawn Crawford
with 9.93 make the US 100m squad. [Results]
Marion
Jones failed to make Olympic squad in the 100m. Major surprises on the
second day of the US Champs
10.07.2004:
Believable
or not, the greatest American athletics star, Marion Jones failed to secure
her participation in Athens' Olympics, for the 100m and probably the relay
team ...
Jones
was just 5th in the 100m. final, following Collander, Edwards and Williams,
but also Gail Devers who wins the 4th position in the American relay team.
The long discussion about her probable involvement with BALCO case has
now an end, at least regarding Jones' participation in Athens Olympics
in those two events. She is still alive for the 200m and the long jump.
Christian
Kantwell, currently world leading performer in the shot put, placed 4th
in the final and also disqualified from the US Olympics Team. Joey Woody
in the 400mh and Jeff Hartwig in the pole vault failed to qualified for
the finals of their events.[Results]
Jason
Gardener won the 100m in the UK trials
10.07.2004:
Jason
Gardener clocked a season's best 10.22 to defeate Darren Campbell 10.23
and Mark Francis Lewis 10.23 in the British trials and go to Athens. During
the 1st day of the Championships Hammer thrower Lorraine Shaw broke the
championships record with 68.11m, her best of the year and Kelly Holmes
was the fastest qualifier for the final of the women’s 800m, clocking 2:01.62.[Results]
The
USA Championships and Olympic Team trials opened in Sacramento
9.07.2004:
The
US
Championships started in Sacramento. In the only final held in the
first day Mebraton Keflezighi won the 10000m in 27:36.49, followed by Abdi
Abderahman and Daniel Browne, who made up the first trial of the American
Olympic team. All the favourites go on in the women's 100m and the men's
long jump.
DRUG
CRISIS: US
Olympic trials begin in shadow of drug investigation (THE GUARDIAN)
Douvalidis
clocked 13.32 in the Greek U18 Championships
9.07.2004:
Kostas
Douvalidis, 17, set a national U18 record for Greece in the 110mh (0.91m)
with 13.38 in the qualification round of the first event of the National
U18 Championships, started today in Ioannina. Later in the afternoon, Douvalidis
improved again the record to 13.32, just 0.06 out of the world youth all
time best of the event. Maria Zerva set a javelin record with 51.19m.
The
Greek team for the World Juniors Championships
8.07.2004:
The
Greek Federation announced the team for the World Juniors' Champs to be
held in Groseto in July 13-15:
MEN:
Efthimios Stergioulis (100m, 4X100m), Antonis Koutrikis (1500m), Nikolaos
Filandarakis (100mh, LJ, 4X100m), Apostolos Vlahavas (Triple Jump), Theodoros
Mathioudakis (High Jump), Kostas Filippidis (pole vault), Yervasios Filippidis
(javelin), Panayotis Chrisospathis (4X100m), Ioannis Apostolou (4X100m)
WOMEN:
Ana Thalassinou (3000m), Despina Zabounidou (walk), Eleni Kafourou (long
jump), Antonia Stergiou (high jump), Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou (pole vault),
Chrisi Moesidou (shot put), Magda Komotoglou (discus), Varvara Zohou (javelin)
Tsiliggiri
improved the pole vault record for Greece
7.07.2004:
Georgia
Tsiliggiri improved twice her own national pole vault record, today in
the Hellenic Grand prix meeting "Leonidia 2004", held in Sparti.
Tsiliggiri cleared 4.42m and then attempted successfully at 4.47m.
Lebedeva
again at 15.33m.
6.07.2004:
Tatyana
Lebedeva approached once more the world record tonight, winning in the
Super Grand Prix in Lausanne
with a jump of 15.33m. Yamile Aldama was second with 14.95m, while Budapest's
bronze medalist Chrisopigi Devetzi placed 7th with 14.35m. Felix Sanchez
clocked 47.86, while Yelena Selasarenko jumped once more over 2.03m. Hicham
El Guerrouj returned to vistories with 3:32.20 in the 1500m
Two
World Records in the Athens Super Grand Prix: Gulnara Samitova smashes
the steeplechase record, Svetlana Feofanova clears 4.88m to return on the
top of the all time list
4.07.2004:
Russia's
Gulnara Samitova set an amazing world record in the Athens Super Grand
Prix, held in Heraklion. Her time 9.01.59 is more than seven seconds better
than her own previous record. Few minutes later Svetlana Feofanova, who
won the pole vault at 4.75m. broke the pole vault world record with 4.88m.
World leading mark for Jana Pitmann who won the 400m in 53.52, followed
by the world record holder Yulia Pechonkina 53.73 and the new Greek star
Fani Halkia who broke again the national record with 53.99. Tatyana Lebedeva
won the triple jump with 15.34m. in the last attempt, while she had a jump
at 15.28m, indicating that the world record is just a question of time.
Cuba's Joan Martinez jumped a personal best 8.25m, Chris Rawlinson won
the 400mh in 48.19 and Deji Aliu won the 100m with 10.27, but set a season's
best of 10.07 in the semifinal. Menendez was the winner of the javelin
thro with 67.99m [Results]
Three
more wins for the Greek team in the Balkan Championships
4.07.2004:
The
Greek team won three more events in the second day of the Balkan Championships.
Christos Meletoglou jumped a wind assisted 16.94m, the 4X400m relay team
clocked 3:09.68 to take the win and Marios Evaggelou cleared 5.40m in the
pole vault. Full results
from the Balkan Championships
4.14m:
Katerina Stefanidou breaks junior's and U18 records setting a world all
time best
4.07.2004:
The
14-year-old pole vaulter Katerina Stefanidou cleared 4.14m. to set new
juniors' and U18 records for Greece, tonight during the first day of the
national U18 championships, held in Corinthos. This mark is the an all
time world best among 14-year-olds athletes in the women pole vault. Stefanidou
(bd 4 February 1990) not only crushed the record for her age but bettered
that for 15-year-olds. The lists (data provided by Roger Ruth):
(14yo)
4.14
Katerina Stefanidou GRE, 02 Jul 04, Corinthos - 4.10 Lisa Ryshich,
GER, 21 Jun 03, Mannheim. - 4.00 Wu Sha, CHN, 17 Aug 02, Jinan -
3.80 Hannah Olson, GBR, 08 Jun 02, Ashford.- 3.76 Vanessa Boslak,
FRA, 29 Sep 96, Saint-Quentin.
(15yo)
4.14
Katerina Stefanidou, GRE, 02 Jul 04, Corinthos - 4.05 Amandine Homo,
FRA, 29 May 96, Miramas. - 4.01 Annika Becker, GER, 29 May
97, Schelklingen.
Romania
on the top after the first day of the Balkan Championships. Five wins for
Greece
4.07.2004:
Greek
athletes set five wins in the first
day of the Balkan Championships, held in Instanbul. Platon Gavelas
won the 400mh with 50.38, Konstantinos Vassiliadis the long jump with 7.94m.
Afroditi Skafida cleared 4.25m in the pole vault, Areti Ambatzi won the
discus throw with 58.15m and the women's 4X100m clocked 44.77 to win the
relay. Adelina Gavrila set a 14.45m in the triple jump, while the young
greek sprinter Maria Karastamati was second in the 100m with a personal
best of 10.48.
MEN:
ROM 76, GRE 75, TUR 70, SCG 62, BUL 41, MKD 29
WOMEN:
WOM 81, GRE 69, TUR 68, SCG 48
Tonique
Williams sets a world leading 49.25 in Rome. Kipketer runs in 1.43.18 while
Cloete and Slesarenko clear 2.03m
2.07.2004:
Bahama's
Tonigue Williams set a 400m. national record of 49.25 in theh
Rome
Golden League to defeat Ana Guevara who clocked 49.74. Rachid Ramzi
clocked a world leading 3:30.25 in the 1500m race where Hicham El Guerrouj
placed 5th, Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 7.01m. and Paul Koech won the 3000m
steeple in 7:59.65. Felix Sanchez won the 400m in 48.43, while Periklis
Iakovakis placed 6th with a season's best of 49.02
Rome
Golden Gala Meet Preview
2.07.2004:
A
full slate of intense competition is on tap as the TDK Golden League series
resumes Friday night at the MGK-Vis Golden Gala meeting in Rome's Stadio
Olimpico. Meeting Preview
by Bob Ramsak
The
Greek team for the Balkan Champs
2.07.2004:
The
greek team for the Balkan Championships to be held in Istanbul on July
3-4 is the following
Men:
100m Ioannis Parashopoulos, 200m Christos Vassou, 400m Menelaos Gravalos,
800m Andreas Georgiou, 1500m Konstantinos Tsokos, 3000m Michalis Yelasakis,
5000m Vasilios Pouliopoulos, 110mh Christos Economopoulos, 400mh Platon
Gavelas, 3000m steeple Naim Akrout, HJ Stilianos Kesidis, LJ Konstantinos
Vassiliadis, TJ Christos Meletoglou, PV Marios Evaggelou, SP Vaios Tigas,
HT Alexandros Papadimitriou, DT Spiridon Arabatzis, JT Georgios Iltsios
4X100m Drakos, Magos, Parashopoulos, Kontzos, 4X400m Tsomos, Markopoulos,
Assariotakis, Gravalos
Women:100m
Maria Karastamati, 200m Athina Kopsia, 400m Anna Moesidou, 800m Angeliki
Raftaki, 1500m Pagona Nika, 3000m Kalliopi Astropekaki, 5000m Eleni Nikolopoulou,
100mh Georgia Stoyannidou, 400mh Stiliani Dimoglou, 3000m steeple Maria
Pardalou, HJ Soultana Papasotiriou, PV Afroditi Skafida, LJ Asimina Vanakara,
TJ Dimitra Markou, SP Fotini Kiriakidou, HT Stella Papadopoulou, DT Areti
Ambazti, JT Penelope Petreli, 4X100m Patsou, Rerra, Kospia, Karastamati,
4X400m Koumblia, Nakopoulou, Dimoglou, Moesiadou
Emmanuel
cleared 4.20m in Preveza
1.07.2004:
Dimitra
Emmanuel set a personal best of 4.20m in the Greek Grand Prix meeting,
held in Preveza,
yesterday. Savva Panavolgou had a discus throw at 60.71m, while Maria Koletsou
dominated the women's competition with 57.02m and Panayota Koutsioumari
jumped 6.30m to win the long jump.
June 2004
2.00m
for Cloete in Zagreb
29.06.2004:
South
Africa's Hestrie Colete, the 2003 World Athlete of the Year, cleared 2.00m
in the Grand Prix II meeting of Zagreb. China's Xian Liu clocked 13.25
in the 110m hurdles and Olga Kuzenkova won the hammer throw with 71.91m.
[Results]
"Cloete
pleased with season's first two-meter effort", Bob Ramsak reports
from Zagreb.
Sofia
Sakorafa returned 22 years after her world record
28.06.2004:
Twenty
two years after her world javelin throw record, Sofia Sakorafa, 47, returned
tonight to Chania, to participate in the "Venizelia EAA Permit meeting",
the first stop in her run to meet the Olympics standard. The former world
record holder decided to return in order to represent Palestine in Athens.
Her throw today measured at 47.23m.
Louis
Tsatoumas won the long jump with a wind assisted 8.37m., while Yanna Kafetzi
jumped 6.71m to set a personal best and secure her participation in Athens
Olympics. [Full
Results from Chania]
[Results
from Prague GP]
4.87m:
Isinbayeva breaks the record in Gateshead
27.06.2004:
Yelena Isinbayeva improved her pole vault world record to 4.87m today in
the IAAF Super
Grand Prix Meeting in Gateshead. Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 6.87m to take
the win in the long jump, while Marion Jones was second with 6.77m, and
Paula Radcliffe ran the 10000m in 30:17.15. New Spanish record for Glorie
Alozie, the winner of the 100m hurdles with 12.57
[More
on Isinbayeva's record by TrackProfile
Report]
Grigorieva
hasn't given up on Athens bid
26.06.2004:
Tatyana Grigorieva won the Minerfest
EAA Meet in Velenje, Slovenia
with a poor 4.00m and still searching for Athens mark: "The
height that won the gold medal in Sydney is not even going to be close
to the medals in Athens," Bob
Ramsak reports from Velenje [Full
Story]
Pechonkina
53.90, Arron 11.18 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq Grand Prix
26.06.2004:
The 400mh world record holder Yulia Pechonkina clocked 53.90 in the IAAF
Grand Prix Meeting held in Lille.
Christine Arron dominated the 100m in 11.18 and the 200m in 20.60, while
Olga Yegorova won the 1500m in 4:02.93.
Alekna
70.97m, Lebedeva 15.23m, Samitova 9:09.84, world leading marks in Rethymno.
23.06.2004:
The
20th version of Vardinoyannia EAA Permit meeting did not produce any world
record, but three world leading marks confirmed its leading position in
the EAA meetings ranking. Virgiljus Alekna set the first WL mark of the
night, sending the discus to 70.97m, although few minutes earlier he saw
Hungary's Robert Fazekas to exceed first the 70m with a throw at 70.83m.
Tatyana Lebedeva finally won with 15.23m in her third attempt, but Sudan's
Yamile Aldama had set a 15.21m in the second round of the triple jump.
Aldama withdrew after the third round because of an injury. Russia's Gulnara
Samitova clocked 9:09.84, about a second far from her own world record.
A stronger competition, especially after the first two rounds, could had
led the Russian to smash the record. Top performances by Irina Simagina
(7.01m), Yulia Nestherenko (11.01 and 22.91), Glory Alozie (12.66 in the
100mh), Uchena Emedolu (10.05 and 20.39), and Vladimir Zyukov (8.23m).
[Full Results]
Germany
and Russia got the European Cup. Radcliffe set 3rd all time mark
20.06.2004:
Yelena
Selsarenko shone in the second day of the European
Cup (Super League), breaking her personal best and setting a high jump
world leading mark with 2.04m. Christian Olsson won with his last attempt
the triple jump with 17.30m, Irina Shimagina jumped 6.91m and Paula Radcliffe
returned with an impressing 14.29.11, 3rd all time performance in the 5000m.
Kalliopi
Ouzouni, second in the shot put with 18.45m and Yannoula Kafetzi, third
in the long jump with 6.56m were the best among the Greeks on the second
day. The Greek relay team placed third, thanks to the excellent start by
Chrisa Goudenoudi and the unbelievable race of Fani Chalkia, smashing the
national record with 3.26.33
Germany
got the Cup in men, after a close point-to-point competition, decided just
in the final event of the 4X400m relay, while Sweden and Netherlands relegated.
Russia was the expected winner in women. The Greek team placed 6th in front
of Spain and Great Britain which will in the first division next year.
Kenteris
clocked 20.33 in Plovdiv
20.06.2004:
Kostas
Kenteris ran the first 200m race of the season in a european leading 20.33,
in the Group
A of the First Division. Ivet Lalova, after her 10.77 yesterday in
the 100m., clocked 22.58 in the 200m race. Czech Republic in men and Romania
in women promoted to the Super League. Besides Kenteris, the most of the
Greek were again dissapointing and placed 5th in the final ranking.
Diamantaras
jumped 8.07m in Larisa
20.06.2004:
Dimitris
Diamantaras, 20, jumped 8.07m in the National
U23 Championships, the best mark in the 2nd day of champs. In the women's
event Eleni Kafourou, 18, won with a personal best of 6.40m. Afroditi Skafida
cleared 4.30m to break the U23 national record for Greece.
European
Cup, Super League: Pyatykh 14.85m, Chalkia 54.16
19.06.2004
The
Super League of the European Cup opened in the afternoon in Bydgoszcz,
with many top performances. Olga Kotlyarova clocked 50.09 in the 400m and
Christine Aaron dominated the 100m with 11.23, Cris Rawlinson ran the 400m
hurdles in 48.59, Chris Tomlinson jumped a personal best of 8.28m and Carl
Myerscough won the shot put with 20.85m.
Greece's
Fani Chalkia was again impressing; she won the 400m hurdles and improved
once more the national record for Greece to 54.16, the 3rd world performance
for this season. Katerina Voggoli, trialed by a virus in the last days,
achieved the winning throw of 64.25m just in her last attempt, while Chrisopigi
Devetzi placed 2nd in the triple jump with a wind assisted 14.81m, followed
Russia's Anna Pyatykh who set a world leading 14.85m. Devetzi improved
her personal best with a jump at 14.65m, within the approved wind mark
limits. Angeliki Tsiolakoudi won the javelin throw with a season's best
of 62.80m. Tough moments of the first day the serious injury of Ashia Hansen
and the disqualification of her compatriot Mark Lewis - Francis in the
100m race.
The
men's British team won 6 events and leads the overall ranking with 60.5
points. In contrast, the UK women are surprisingly on the 8th position.
Russia's women are on the top, with 69 points, where the Greek team is
5th with 45 points. Although without Thanou's contribution in the 100m
and the relay, where Greeks gathered just 4 points, the team has a good
prospect to avoid relegation.
Shawn
Crawford sets a 9.88 in Eugene
19.06.2004
Perdita
Felicien won the 100m hurdles in Prefontaine
Classic IAAF Grand Prix with a world leading 12.46, also a national
record for Canada. Impressing Shawn Crawford clocked 9.88, in front of
Maurice Greene who placed second with 9.93. Inger Miller and Gail Devers
clocked 11.05 in the 100m where Marion Jones placed 6th. Wolrd leading
mark for Koji Murofushi 82.65m
Ivet
Lalova clocked 10.77 in Plovdiv. Choidis runs a 100m 10.14
19.06.2004
Bulgaria's
20-year-old sprinter Ivet Lalova won the 100m in the First
League (Group A) in a fantastic 10.77, a national record an world leading
mark for this season. Great jumps by Bogdan Tarus and Petar Dachev,
both at 8.20m, while Vera Prospisilova set a discus throw 66.20m. Christoforos
Choidis was the only exception in the absolutely dissapointing performance
of the men's Greek team, winning the 100m in 10.14. Women's of Romania
(67 points) and Bulgaria (64 poins) struggle for the promotion to the Super
League, while in men's ranking Romania is on the top after the events of
the first day.
Cyprus's
Maria Diekiti set a 100m hurdles 13.09 NR, the better mark of the Group
A of the Second League in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Francis
Obikwelu clocked a wind assisted 10.02 (+4 m/s) in Istanbul,
where Elvan Abeylegesse won the 3000m in 8:49.14
Perra
and Papadopoulou set national U23 records in Larisa
19.06.2004
Athanassia
Perra set a U23 national record for Greece, with 14.39m, today in the first
day of the Greek
U23 Championships, held in Larissa. The second record set by Stella
Papadopoulou with a hammer throw at 67.54m
Lebedeva
to compete in "Vardinoyiannia" EAA Permit meeting. Top names in Rethymno
18.06.2004
Tatyana
Lebedeva participates in the EAA Permit meeting "Vardinoyiannia 2004",
held in Rethymno next Wednesday (June 23). The indoor world record champion
will compete with Yamile Aldama and Italy's Magdelin Martinez. Lars Riedel,
Virgilijus Alekna and Robert Fazekas participate in the discus throw, while
Zhana Block runs in the 100m. Tatyana Kotova, Olga Roubliova, Glorie Alozie,
Ivan Heshko, Yago Lamela, Coby Miller are also among the 180 athletes expected
to compete. Fani Chalkia, Niki Xanthou, Chrisa Goudenoudi, Louis Tsatoumas,
Niki Bakogianni, Angelos Pavlakakis, Alexandros Papadimitriou, Christos
Polychroniou are the top greek entrants.
[Start
Lists]
White's Performances
annulled
June
18. (From the IAAF) Following USADA’s sanctions regarding Ms
Kelli White, announced on 19 May 2004, under IAAF Rules all her performances
including since 15 December 2000 have been annulled. Amended
results.
Jones calls
for public hearing
June
16. "In an ongoing campaign to clear her name, triple Olympic
champion Marion Jones continued her offensive against the United States
Anti-Doping Agency, calling upon the agency to hold a public hearing into
its ongoing doping investigation. Full
story by Bob Ramsak The USADA reacted
immediately (from Track and Field News)
On the meanwhile,
the BBC reported earlier today that Victor Conte, the man at the centre
of the doping scandal that has rocked America looks set to reveal all he
knows. Full
story
DRUG
CRISIS: Fifth
US athlete gets warning (by the GUARDIAN)
Kenteris
and Voggoli top the Greek Teams for the European Cup
June
16. Almost all the winners of the National Championships last
week, are ready to participate in the European Cup, to be held during weekend.
Kostas Kenteris runs in the 200m, in the First League Group to be held
in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, while Katerina Voggoli is among the competitors of
the Super League in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Katerina Thanou withdrew from the
meeting, facing with waist pains after the national championships.
Late tonight
the federation announced also the withdrawal of Periklis Iakovakis because
of injury problem. Platon Gavelas joint the team for the 400m hurdles.
The
Greek Teams.
Sofia Sakorafa
returns to Chania
Jun
16. Sofia
Sakorafa returns to action 17 years after her retiring. Sakorafa will participate
in the EAA permit meeting "Venizelia 2004", where 22 years ago broke the
javelin throw world record. Her objective is to set the standard in order
to participate in the Olympic Games, representing Palestine. The meeting
is scheduled for June 28, while some early
entries have already been announced.
The Greek
Teams for the European Cup
June
13. Men: 100m Hristoforos Choidis, 200 m. Konstantinos
Kenteris, 400m Anastassios Goussis, 800m Panayotis Stroubakos, 1500m Konstantinos
Karakatsanis, 3000m Michalis Yelasakis, 5000m Antonios Papantonis, 100mh
Ioannis Marakakis, 400mh Periklis Iakovakis, HJ Dimitrios Sirkaos, PV Marios
Evangelou, LJ Louis Tsatoumas, TJ Hristos Meletoglou, SP Michalis Stamatogiannis,
DT Stefanos Konstas, HT Alexandros Papadimitriou, JT Georgios Iltsios,
4X100m Choidis, Stergioulis, Pavlakakis, Petridis, Kenteris, 4X400m Doupis,
Goussis, Economidis, Gravalos, Sarris
Women:
100m. Ekaterini Thanou, 200m. Olga Kaidatzi, 400m. Chrysa Goudenoudi, 800m
Eleni Filandra, 1500m and 3000m Konstantina Efentaki, 5000m Maria Protopapa,
100mh Flora Redoumi, 400mh Fani Chalkia, 3000m steeple Konstantina Kefala,
HJ Niki Mitropoulou, PV Georgia Tsilligiri, LJ Yannoula Kafetzi, TJ Chrisopigi
Devetzi, SP Kalliopi Ouzouni, DT Ekaterini Voggoli, HT Alexandra Papageorgiou,
JT Angeliki Tsiolakoudi, 4X100m Vassarmidou, Patsou, Kaidatzi, Thanou,
Karastamati, 4X400m Foudenoudi, Bouda, Kaidatzi, Chalkia, Tsapara
Evangelou
breaks the pole vault record. Devetzi starts with 14.48m
June
12. Marios
Evangelou set a pole vault national record with 5.62m in the third day
of the Greek
Championships. Chrisopigi Devetzi dominated the triple jump with 14.48m.
an outdoor personal best for the bronze medalist of the world indoor championships.
Excellent performances by many athletes who met also the Olympics standards:
Anastassios Goussis won the 200m with 20.51, Olga Kaidaztzi clocked 22.88
in the women's race the second all time performance for Greece, Flora Redoumi
won the 100m hurdles in 12.86, Alexandra Papageorgiou sent the hammer to
69.31m, Niki Mitropoulou cleared 1.91m in the high jump.
Nikolaos Filandarakis
broke twice the 110m hurdles juniors record with 14.07 and 14.06, while
Alexandros Papadimitriou won the hammer throw with 77.70m and Kalliopi
Ouzouni the shot put with 18.63m
Turkey's
Elvan Abeylegesse set a fantatstic world record in Bergen
June
11. Turkey's - of Ethiopian origin - Elvan Abeylegesse broke
the 5000m world record in the Golden League meeting in Bergen.
Abeylegesse ran the distance in a tremendous 14.24.68 smashing Bo Jiang's
record of 14:28.09 set in Shangai in 1997. Tirunesh Dibaba from Ethiopia
improved the World junior record to 14.30.88.
women's
5000m: WR progression
Fani
Chalkia breaks the 400m hurdles record
June
11. Fani Chalkia was the top athlete of
the 2nd day of the Greek
National Championships. Budapest's 400m finalist, broke the 400m hurdles
record for Greece in the morning preliminaries with 56.03m, to smash it
again in the final, with 54.88, 7th world mark for this season.
Savva
Lika was the surprising winner of the javelin throw with a personal best
of 62.89m, defeating not only Angeliki Tsiolakoudi who had also long throws
at 62.89m in the qualification round and 62.00m in the final, but also
the World Champion of the event, Mirella Manjani.
Periklis
Iakovakis clocked 49.67 to dominate without difficulty the 400m hurdles.
Kenteris
runs 100m in 10.18, Voggoli breaks discus record with 67.72m
June
10. The
best Greek National
Championships of the last years started in morning in the renovated
Olympic Stadium of Athens, with the participation of the most greek stars.
Kostas Kenteris ran the 100m final in 10.18, after a fault start he had,
marking the opening of one more hopefull season for the Olympic Champion.
Now he plans to run 200m in the European Cup next week.
Katerina
Thanou set a 11.21 in her first race of the year and seems able to overcome
the injuries she faced during last winter.
The
long expected discus throw competion finally produced a national record
for Greece. The European Champion and Paris' bronze medallist Katerina
Voggoli, sent the discus to 67.72m to take the record and set a world leading
mark. Anastassia Kelesidou, who had a throw at 63.81m in the morning qualification
round, withdrew from the final because of an injury during warming-up.
The
winner of the other events so far, are Louis Tsatoumas in the long jump
with 7.94m, Naim Akrut in the 3000m steeplechase with 8.52.80, Yannoula
Kafetzi in the long jump with 6.65m and Maria Protopapa in the 5000m with
16.25.47
26:20.31,
one more world mark for Bekele in Ostrava
June
08. Stacy
Dragila improved the pole vault outdoor best performance to 4.83m today
in Ostrava
Super Grand Prix. Thus, the American gets back from Isinbayeva the
outdoor best mark, althought the latest has an absolute record of 4.86m
set in the indoor season.
Few
days after his 5000m record in Hengelo, Kenenisa Bekele double the world
records, running the 10000m in 26:20.31.
In
the long jump Tatyana Kotova won with 7.00m, followed by Tatyana Lebedeva
6.91m and Marion Jones 6.67m. Torry Edwards clocked 11.25 to win the 100m,
where Christie Gaines, who charged with a doping violation today, placed
3rd.
Yulia
Pechonkina set a world leading 53.99 in the 400m hurdles and Allen Johnson
won the 110m hurdles with 13.45. Romania's Christina Casandra won the 3000m
steeple with a world leading 9:34.36, while Maria Mutola dominated the
800m in 1:57.21. Blanca Vlasic won the high jump, while Cloete was second;
both cleared 1.98m. Konstantina Efentaki placed 6th in the 1500m, setting
a new greek record with 4:07.92. [men's 10000m: WR
progression, women's pole vault: WR
progression]
DRUG
CRISIS: EUROSPORT:
Montgomery
faces ban. EUROSPORT:
Probe
eyes Jones, Block, GUARDIAN Montgomery
could face Athens ban over Balco links, GUARDIAN:
Jones
hits back at Rogge
Montgomery
and Gaines charged over drugs
June
08. Besides Gaines, the 100m record holder
Tim Montgomery, also charged by the USADA today with doping violation.The
charges relate to investigation into the Balco laboratory, which has been
linked with new steroid THG. Full
story by the BBC
Paraskevi
Tsiamita announces retirement
June
08. Sevilla's world triple jump champion,
Paraskevi Tsiamita, announced yesterday her decision to retire. After a
long period of injuries Tsiamita abandoned the effort for coming back before
the Olympics. The Ministry of Culture, the General Secretary of Sports,
the Greek Federation and top Greek athletes emphasize the great contribution
of the athlete for the improvement of Greek athletics.
Strataki
and Andreoglou win the national champs
June
06. Argyro Strataki won the heptathlon
national championships for Greece with a total of 5.595 points. Georgia
Ambatzidou dominated the women's 10000m championships in 35:23.10, while
Euthimios Andreoglou won the men's decathlon with 7.624 points.
4.41m:
Tsilligiri breaks pole vault record. Kelesidou equals world leading mark
June
05. Georgia Tsiliggiri broke her own pole
vault record for Greece, with 4.41m in Alexandria
2004, Greek GP meeting where Anastassia Kelesidou had a throw t 67.03m,
to equal her world leading mark. Dimitrios Tsiamis set a triple jump personal
best with 16.80m.
Sevilla
Grand Prix
June
05. Some impressing marks set tonight
in the Sevilla
GP Meeting, where Shawn Crowford clcked 20.23 in the 200m, Winfred
Bungei won the 800m in 1:44.69 beating Borzakovskiy, Yipsi Moreno threw
73.91m and Estonia's Gerd Kanter won the discus throw with 68.50m. Dwight
Phillips won the long jump with 8.23m, despite the strong negative wind
at -2.5 m/s.
Maria
Protopapa was 10th in the 5000m race with 15:34.12, while Antonis Papantonis
placed 134th in the men's race, smashing his personal best with 13:38.53
Kostas
Kenteris to run in the Greek National Championships
June
05. After
about one year far from the track, Sydney's Olympic Champion Kostas Kenteris
returns. Kenteris will participate in the Greek National Championships,
to be held on June 10-12 in the Olympic Stadium of Athens, running in the
100m. This is his first participation in the national championships since
2001, while Katerina Thanou is also expected to start the season from the
Championships which are the test- event for the renovated stadium.
Olsson
jumps 17.61m in Torino
June
04. Christian Olsson was the brilliant
star of Torino
Grand Prix II Meeting jumping
17.61m. Italy's
Magdeline Martinez won with a 14.73m, while Ionela Tirlea opened
the season with a decent 400m hurdles win in 54.86 and Frank Fredericks
was the faster 100m runner in 10.34. Dan McFarlane won the 400m hurdles
in 48.80, beating Llewellin Herbert (48.89) and Stephane Diagana
(49.13)
Results
from Dessau
Adere
runs a 14:36.92 in Milano
June
02. Berhane Adere clocked 14:36.92 in
the 5000m, today in Milano
Grand Prix II, where good marks set also by Ivan Hesko who won
the 1500m in 3:35.60, Finland's Olli-Pekka Karjalainen in the hammer throw
(79.06), Morroco's Amine Laalou in the 800m. (1:44.76) and Belgium's Kim
Gevaert, the winner of the 100m. in 11.14. Romain Mesnil and Netherland's
Rans Blom cleared 5.70m leaving the world champion
GiuseppeGibilisco
third with 5.60m. Fiona May dominated the long jump with 6.61m. Panayotis
Sarris was 5th in the 100m with 10.48. while Konstantinos Karakatsanis
placed 13th in the 1500m with 3:45.17
May 2004
Kenenisa
Bekele breaks world record in Hengelo
May
31. Paris' 10000m world champion and bronze
medalist in 5000m, broke the world record of the 5000m tonight in Hengelo
Grand Prix meeting running the distance in 12:37.35. The previous record
was 12:39.36 by Haile Gebreselasie in 1997.
Merlene
Ottey won the 100m in a wind assisted 11.35 and Blanca Vlacic dominated
the high jump with 1.96m. Maria Mutola won the 800m in a world leading
1:58.40 and Eliud Kipchoge the 1500m with 3:33.20. Ethiopia's Sileshi Sihine
won the 10000m race with 26:39.69 in front of Haile Gebreselasie who clocked
26:41.58
Dragila
clears 4.70m in Palo Alto
May
31. Stacy Dragila jumped 4.70m to win
the pole vault in the Palo
Alto GPII. Toby Stevenson dominated the men's event with 5.85m. LaTasha
Colander ran the 200m in 22.37 and Maurice Greene the 100m in 9.78, strongly
assisted by the wind. John Godina won the shot put with 21.71m
Kluft
and Sebrle winners in Gotzis. National record by Argyro Strataki
May
30. Argyro
Strataki placed 8th in the Hyppobank Meeting in Gotzis
with 6.157 points to improve her own national record for Greece. Karolina
Kluft was the winner with 6.820 points, while the other Greek participant,
Vassiliki Delinokola was 15th with a total of 5.843 points. Roman
Sebrle won the men's deacathlon with 8.842 points, followed by Tom Pappas
who picked up 8.732 points.
Luch
Moscow won the European Champions Clubs Cup
May
30. The Russian Champion team won the
European
Cup in men and women, while "Panhellinios G.S" placed 5th in men's
and 3rd in women's classifications. Saeed Shaheen set the only win for
the greek champion today, running the 3000m steeple in 8.33.75. Chrisa
Iakovou clocked 15.33.43 in the 5000m. Inga Babakova won the high jump
with 1.99m, while Abeylegesse dominated the 1500m in 3.58.28 leaving Jolanda
Ceplak second with 4.04.44. Results from "Heraklia
2004" Greek GP Meeting
Macrozonaris
clocked 10.26 in Kalamata. Hurtis defeated by Abi Oyepitan
May
29. France’s
Muriel Hurtis, the world champion with the 4X100 national team, was not
only the top star of the women’s sprint races tonight in Papaflessia
2004, but also produced the surprise of the meeting. Hurtis withdrew
from the 100m to focus on the 200m race, where defeated by Abi Oyepitan.
The British athlete clocked 22.96, while she also won the 100m in 11.37.
Canada's Nicolas Makrozoaris won easily the 100m in a seson's best of 10.26,
while Cyprus Antri Sialou impressed in the 400 m. hurdles with a national
record of 59.09, the best European mark for the season. Marios Evaggelou
placed second in the pole vault with 5.55m, following Igor Pavlov who cleared
5.65m, and set the low standard for the Olympics.
Hyppobank
Meeting in Gotzis
May
29.
Carolina Kluft and Roman Sebrle dominate the combined events Hyppobank
Meeting in Gotzis,
after the events of the first day, with 4.536p and 4.041p respectively.
The Greek champion Argyro Strataki is currently 5th with 3.673p, while
Vassiliki Delinikola is 16th with 3.471 p. Results from Polish
League
“Panhellinios
GS” women’s team goes well
May
29. The women’s team of Panhellinios GS,
is currently on the second position in the European
Champions Clubs Cup, which is in process in Moscow. Jolanda Ceplak
ran for the greek team a world season’s best of 1.58.80. Savva Lyka won
the javelin throw with 60.75m and Anastassia Kelesidou the discus throw
with 64.20m.
The
men's team is on 6th position, having achieved two wins with Cris Rawlinson
in the 400m hurdles (49.10) and Saif-Said Shaheen in the 5000m (13:55.08)
Muriel
Hurtis tops "Papaflessia" entries
May
28. Muriel Hurtis confirmed her participation
in "Papaflessia 2004" to be held tommorow in Kalamata. Hurtis said today,
during the press conference given by the organisation committee, that her
objective is a mark under 22.70 in the 200m, while she will also run in
the 100m race. Adelina Gavrila, currently best European for this season,
participates in the triple jump, while her compatriot Monica Iagar has
to compete with Russian Anna Chicherova in the high jump. Canada's Nicolas
Makrozonaris and American Tim Harden are the top names for the 100m. Dwight
Phillips will be also in Kalamata for the long jump, while the pole vault
entrants promise a high level of the competition. Among them Ilian Evremov,
Igor Pavlov and Yevgeniy Smyriagin. The meeting includes some Greek stars
who plan to open the season in Kalamata. Fani Chalkia, finalist in the
world indoor championships, runs in the 400m hurdles with Debby Ann Paris,
while Angelos Pavlakakis is going for his first 100m race in the season.
"Panhellinios"
with big stars in Moscow
May
28. The athletics scene in the coming
weekend includes some other very interesting events. On Sunday the second
Greek Grand Prix is scheduled in Heraklion, Crete with the participation
of enough greek top athletes, while in Moscow, the Greek team champion
"Panhellinios" participates in the European Champions Cup, having in its
roster Jolanda Ceplak, Anastassia Kelesidou, Luis Tsatoumas, Olga Vasdeki,
Cris Rawlinson, Chrysa Goudenoudi and Carin Mayer.
Babakova
clears 1.96m in Filothei. Dimitraki and Kafetzi set olympics standards.
May
26. Inga Babakova, 37, returns to the
field with an impressing jump over 1.96m, set today in the Filothei
Women Gala. Romania's Adelina Gavrila dominated the triple jump with
14.40m, while Niki Xanthou opened the season with a wind assisted jump
at 6.72m. Cyprus' Marilia Gregoriou was the winner of the 100m in 11.55,
while two Greek athletes set personal bests to meet the olympics standards:
Irene Dimitraki was second in the triple jump with 14.21m and Yanoula Kafetzi
was also second in the long jump with 6.64m. Finally, Tanya Koleva - Stefanova
cleared 4.34m to win the pole vault and Carmen Zamfir won the 100m hurdles
in 13.29
Kelesidou
shines in Halle. Gregorio jumps 17.25 in Belem
May
24. Anastassia Kelesidou opened the season
in the International Throwing Meeting, held in Halle
during weekend. Kelesidou threw 67.03m, the best world mark for far, to
beat many of the expected competitors in Athens' Olympics. In the Grand
Prix meeting held in Belem, Jadel Gregorio jumped 17.25m, while Yiampoy
set a 800m season's best in 1.45.09 and Lasena Golding Clarke clocked 12.69
in the 100m hurdles.
Stamatopoulos
wins the walking championships
May
24. Theodoros Samatopoulos won the 20000m
Walk Championships for Greece, held yesterday in Nea Ionia. Stamatopoulos
clocked 1:27.19, while Georgios Argyropoulos was second in 1:29.00 and
Spyridon Kastanis third in 1:29.15. Maria Hatzipanayotidou dominated the
women's race with 1:45.20
Sakorafa
to participate in Athens Olympics with the Palestinian team
May
20.
As announced few days ago, Sofia Sakorafa, the former javelin throw world
record holder decided to return on the field at the age of 47 attempting
to participate in Athens' Olympics. With this symbolic participation, supported
by the Palestinian Authority, Sakorafa attempts to draw attention on the
Palestinian problem and stress her support to the people of Palestine.
The IAAF confirmed by letter sent to the athlete on 14 May that in principle
having acquired Palestinian citizenship, she is eligible to represent her
new country at the Olympic Games. The Women’s Javelin “B” Qualification
Standard” is 56m. Sakorafa needs to set the standrard by 21 July 2004,
otherwise the acceptance of her entry would be at the discretion of the
IAAF Technical Delegates.
IAAF
on White case
May
20. In a statement issued today,
IAAF spokesman Nick Davies praised the swift resolution reached by U.S.
sprinter Kelli White and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). "We commend
USADA for the speedy and efficient resolution of this case according to
IAAF rules," Davies said. "Because this athlete has signed to accept her
suspension we have avoided further legal action which is usually costly,
often time consuming and also keeps our sport in the news for the wrong
reason. The sport of track and field needs headlines about the 98 percent
of athletes who are clean and not the two percent or less who have cheated.
We hope that any remaining BALCO cases are dealt with as soon as possible
so we can all enjoy a great summer of track and field."
Kelli
White accepts suspension
May
19.
Paris' 100m and 200 m. winner, Kelli White, accepted a two-year suspension
for violation of anti-doping rules, the United States Anti-Doping Agency
(USADA) announced today. In addition to her suspension which begins on
May 17, 2004, the date she accepted the sanction, all of White’s competitive
results since Dec. 15, 2000 will be disqualified including the results
obtained in 2003 IAAF World Championships and the 2003 USA Outdoor Track
& Field Championships. Full
report by Sports Illustrated Read also:"Jones:
I'll sue if barred from Olympics" by the GUARDIAN
Papaflessia 2004, EAA
Permit Meeting
May
16. The
EAA Permit Meeting "Papaflesia 2004" will be held in Kalamata, on May 29
and among the early entries are some of the top world athletes. Frank Frederics
is expected to participate in the 200m race, while Dwight Phillips tops
the entries in the long jump. Anna Chicherova, Tim Harden, Igor Pavlov,
Arden Rozario, Yevgeniy Smyriagin have also confirmed their participation,
while enough Greeks plan to open the season in Kalamata. Among them, Fani
Chalkia the 400m finalist in the World Indoor Championships, Niki Bakoyianni
in her way for the olympic standard, Angelos Pavlakakis, Anastassios Gousis
and Konstantinos Zalagitis.
As
every year happens, the international meetings in Greece start with Filothei
Women Gala to be held on May 26. Results from Rio
Grand Prix II
Vienna
City Marathon
May
16. Men: 1. Samson Kandie KEN 2:08:35;
2. Raymond Kipkoech KEN 2:10:45; 3. Luis Jesus POR 2:11:24; 4. Artur Osman
POL 2:12:48; 5. Michael Buchleitner AUT 2:12:58
Women:
1. Rosaria Console ITA 2:29:22; 2. Lidia Simon ROM 2:30:40; 3. Sonja Oberem
D 2:30:58; 4. Eva Maria Gradwohl AUT 2:38:04
Iakovakis
opens victorious his Grand Prix races
May
14.
Periklis
Iakovakis, bronze medalist in the world championships last year, clocked
49.33 to win his first international race for this season in IAAF Super
Grand Prix meeting, held in Doha.
Natalya Sadova sent the discus far winning the event with 66.40m and India's
Bobby George jumped a wind assisted 6.82m.
Five
men ran under 10" in the 100m wind assisted final; Shawn Crawford was the
faster with 9.86 (+2.6m/s). Elvan Abeylegesse dominated the 3000m race
in 8:35.83
Katerina
Stefanidou goes on
May
13. A Greek girl, Ekaterini Stefanidou,
who was impressing in the last indoor season, shows more improvement. Last
weekend, Stefanidou, who was born in 1990, cleared 4.01 in Agios Kosmas.
Now she is the second all time vaulter among the 14-year-olds girls. The
lists
13-year-old:
3.90
Annu Mäkelä, FIN (20.9.82), 10 Jul 96, Somero, 3.90 Ekateríni
Stefanídou, GRE (4.2.90), 09 Jun 03, Chania, 3.70 Natascha
Brenner, GER, (90), 21 Sep 03, Homburg, 3.65 Samantha Shepard, USA
(11.11.83) 14 Jun 97, Raleigh, 3.61 Minna Nikkanen, FIN, 29 Jul 01,
Turku
14-year-old4.10
Lisa Ryshich, GER (27.9.88), 21 Jun 03, Mannheim, 4.01 Ekateríni
Stefanídou (4.2.90), 09 May 04, Agios Kosmas, 4.00 Wu Sha, CHN (21.10.87),
17 Aug 02, Jinan, 3.80 Hannah Olson, GBR (29.1.88), 08 Jun 02, Ashford,
3.76 Vanessa Boslak, FRA (11.6.82), 29 Sep 96, Saint-Quentin, 3.75 Silke
Spiegelburg, GER (17.3.86), 26 Aug 00, Zweibrücken (*
Data provided by Roger Ruth)
American
Toby Stevenson clears 6m in Modesto
May
09. American pole vaulter Toby Stevenson
became the 9th man who exceeds the 6m in the pole vault, yesterday in Modesto
relays. Stacy Dragila won the women's event with 4.55m, while Dwight Phillips
set long jump season's best at 8.43m. Perdita Felicien clocked 12.60 in
the 100m hurdles and John Godima dominated the shot put with a shot at
20.36m. Kenta Bell won with a wind assisted jump at 17.46m
Greene,
Liu, Murofushi shine in Osaka
May
08. Maurice Greene made a dynamic come
back, winning
the 100m in 10.04, while China' s Xiang Liu set also a great mark in the
Osaka
Grand Prix. Chinese hurdler clocked 13.06 to defeat Allen Johnson who
was second wtih 13.13. Torri Edwards was the winner in the women's 100m
in 11.05
Koji
Murofushi set an impressing hammer throw win with 82.18m. Adrian Annus
also exceeded the 80m. having a throw at 80.93m, while Alexandros Papadimitriou
placed 5th with 75.84m. Grenada's Francique Alleyne won the 400m in 44.47
and Yipsi Moreno the women's hammer throw with 72.92m. Sandra Glover dominated
the 400m hurdles with 54.95
Sofia
Sakorafa desires to represent Palestine in the Olympics
May
08 (From
the newspaper TO VIMA, 08 May 2004) Sofia Sakorafa, 47, the former javelin
throw world record holder, is ready to undertake a symbolic action, participating
in the Olympic Games with Palestinian Team. Her initiative, strongly supported
by the Palestinian Authority, expressed yesterday when Sakorafa informed
the President of the Greek Federation Mr.Vasilis Sevastis and the President
of the Hellenic Olympic Committe Mr. Lambis Nikolaou. According to the
newspaper, Sevastis supports with enthusiasm this idea, while the athlete
has already sent a letter to the IAAF Council and the President Lamine
Diack.
Jones
wins 100m and long jump at Jamaica Invitational
May
08.
Marion Jones easily won the dash race in Kingston yesterday, in 11.04 followed
by Aleen Bailey who clocked 11.19. American Darvis Patton won in a photo
finish over John Capel with 10.12, while Tim Montgomery was fourth in 10.25.
Gail Devers dominated the 100 hurdles in 12.50 and reigning world champion
Maria Mutola won the 800 in 2:00.38, outdistancing American Hazel Clark,
who finished in 2:01.46. Jamaica's world junior record holder Usain Bolt
withdrew from the 200m race because of a hamstring injury.
Perez
defeats Korzwniowski in Naumburg
May
02. Mexico's Jefferson Perez was the winner
of the 20000m walk race of
the IAAF World
Walking Cup, leaving the favorite Robert Korzeniowski second. Perez
clocked 1:18.42 and Korzeniowski 1:19.02. Russia's Yelena Nikolayeva dominated
the women's race setting a championships record with 1:27.24, followed
by China's Jing Jiang and Spain's Maria Vasco. The Chinese teams top both
event's classification.
The
Greeks did not meet the expectations for a medal. Athina Papayianni did
not finish the race, while Athanassia Tsoumeleka placed 14th with 1:29.51
and Christina Kokotou 17th with 1:30.20. The Greek team was 7th in the
final classification.
Iakovakis
starts with 49.89 in Kalamata
May
02. Periklis Iakovakis opened the season
today in the Greek
Military Championships, running without pressure the 400m hurdles in
49.89. Michalis Stamatogiannis improved again his shot put personal best
to 19.60m., while Giorgos Iltsios won the javelin throw with 76.35m. Giorgos
Bohtsos set a high jump personal best of 2.25m. Yesterday, Kalliopi Ouzouni
won the shot put with a personal best of 18.90m. and Alexandros Papadimitriou
the hammer throw with 77.08m. Participating out of competition, Konstantinos
Philippidis, 18, set one more personal best in the pole vault; this time
at 5.41m.
Hannover
Marathon, results
May
02 Men 1. Moses Masai KEN 2:12:28
h; 2. Amos Matui KEN 2:13:21; 3. Julius Sugut KEN 2:13:50; 4. Stephan Freigang
D 2:14:00 Women 1. Birra Tadelech ETH 2:37:32 h; 2.Ines Cronjäger
D 2:41:10; 3. Stefanie Voss D 2:48:15; 4.Birgit Koch D 2:49:27
Rhein-Marathon
Düsseldorf, results
May
02. Men:1. Carsten Eich D 2:14:06
h; 2. Alan Bomfim Silva BRA 2:15:38; 3. Gidion Koech KEN 2:17:52; 4. Jaroslaw
Janicki POL 2:21:41; 5. John Chumo KEN 2:23:03; 6. Rüdiger Heiligtag
D 2:32:02 Women: 1. Dorota Ustianowska POL 2:39:45 h; 2. Olpher
Oruke KEN 3:00:18; 3. Ute Spicker D 3:00:42
Voyovedin
wins in Naumburg. Third place for the Greek women juniors team
May
01. Russia's Aleksey Voyovedin won the
50000m race in the IAAF
World Walking Cup, started today in Naumburg, Germany. The Russian
walker overcame the strong competition by the Chinese athletes, who dominated
the race in its first half, to set a season's best of 3:42.44. China's
Caohong Yu was second and Russia's Yuriy Andronov third. Both Greek walkers,
Stamatopoulos and Kastanis did not finish the race.
Vera
Sokolova won the 10000m juniors' race, where Despina Zapounidou placed
fifth. The Greek team was third, following Russia and Poland. Tomorrow
a strong Greek team attempt for a medal in the women's 20000 m. walk race.
Athina Papayianni (photo) and Athanassia Tsoumeleka have a good prospect
for a new national record and the podium.
April 2004
Promising
marks by young athletes
Apr
29. Yervasios Filippidis broke once more
the U18 javelin record yesterday in Kastoria, attempting only once at 77.73m,
during the national schools championships. Filippidis is going to attempt
for the world youth record in the next meetings. In the pole vault, Konstantinos
Filippidis was impressing as he cleared 5.35m and had good, but unsuccessful,
jumps at 5.51m. Michalis Mertzanidis clocked 13.86 in the 110m hurdles
final.
Dwain
Chambers performances annulled
Apr
29. Regarding Dwain Chambers case, the
IAAF announced today the following:
"Following
expiry of the deadline, under IAAF Rules, for Dwain Chambers (GBR) to appeal
his doping offence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, his 2 years of
ineligibility until 6 November 2005 is confirmed. As a result of Mr Dwain
Chambers’ offence, all his performances from the date on which his sample
was provided, 1 August 2003, need to be annulled. The IAAF will officially
amend the results from last year’s World Athletics Series, as follows:
Men’s
100m Final (World Championships, Paris 2003) 1. COLLINS Kim SKN 10.07;
2. BROWN Darrel TRI 10.08; 3. CAMPBELL Darren GBR 10.08; 4. MONTGOMERY
Tim USA 10.11; 5. WILLIAMS Bernard USA 10.13; 6. ALIU Deji NGR 10.21;
7. EMEDOLU Uchenna NGR 10.22
Men’s
4x100m Relay Final ( World Championships, Paris 2003) 1. UNITED STATES
38.06; 2. BRAZIL 38.26; 3. NETHERLANDS 38.87; 4. NIGERIA 38.89; 5. POLAND
38.96; 6. JAPAN 39.05
Men’s
100m (IAAF World Athletics Final, Monaco): 1. WILLIAMS Bernard USA
10.04; 2. CAPEL John USA 10.05; 3. EMEDOLU Uchenna NGR 10.08; 4. GATLIN
Justin USA 10.12; 5. COLLINS Kim SKN 10.13; 6. ALIU Deji NGR 10.18; 7.
POWELL Asafa JAM 10.23"
The
Greek Grand prix series opened in Crete
Apr
28.Michalis Stamatogiannis improved his
shot put personal best to 19.56m, to set the best mark in the first meeting
of the Hellenic Grand Prix series, held today in Heraklion,
Crete. It was the second personal record for the 22-year-old athlete in
this season in his road to the olympics standard.
In
the other events, Antigoni Asteriou cleared 4.00m in the pole vault, Aris
Petridis was the winner in the 100m with 10.54 and Konstantina Efentaki
opened the season running the 1500m in 4.18.52.
Cyprus'
Kyriakos Ioannou broke the high jump national record with 2.23m.
Leipzig
Marathon results
Apr
25. Men: 1 Christopher Cheboiboch
KEN 2:10:16; 2. Ernest Kipyego KEN 2:11:10; 3. Habte Jifar ETH 2:14:47;
4. Carsten Schütz D 2:23:18; 5. Jacek Kasprczyk POL 2:24:04; 6. Tomasz
Wilczynski POL 2:29:15 Women: 1. Tegla Lorupe KEN 2:29:40;
2. Judy Kiplimo KEN 2:38:19; 3. Tanja Semenowa UKR 3:02:48; 4. Karola Weiglein
D 3:08:21; 5. Nicole Bornhütter D 3:12:44; 6. Meta Steinbach-Olsson
SWE 3:14:54
Timothy
Cherigat and Catherine Ndereba winners in Boston
Apr
20. Kenya's runners dominated one more
Marathon race this year. Timothy Cherigat clocked 2:10.37 in Boston yesterday,
while Catherine Ndereba won the women's race with 2:24.27
MEN:
1) Timothy Cherigat (KEN) 2:10:37; 2) Robert Cheboror (KEN) 2:11:49; 3)
Martin Lel (KEN) 2:13:38; 4) Stephen Kiogora (KEN) 2:14:34; 5) Hailu
Negussie (ETH) 2:17:30; 6) Benjamin Kosgei Kimutai (KEN) 2:17:45; 7) Joshua
Kipkemboi (KEN) 2:18:23; 8) Andrew Letherby (AUS) 2:19:31; 9) Fedor Ryzhov
(RUS) 2:21:45; 10) Elly Rono (KEN) 2:22:45
WOMEN:
1) Catherine Ndereba (KEN) 2:24:27; 2) Elfenesh Alemu (ETH) 2:24:43; 3)
Olivera Jevtic (SCG) 2:27:34; 4) Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) 2:30:16; 5) Nuta
Olaru (ROM) 2:30:44; 6) Lyubov Denisova (RUS) 2:31:17; 7) Malgorzata Sobanska
(POL) 2:32:23; 8) Victoria Klimina (RUS) 2:33:20; 9) Ramillia Burangulova
(RUS) 2:34:08; 10) Ai Yamamoto (JPN) 2:34:32 The
official
site
London Marathon results
Apr
18. Evans Rutto beat fellow Kenyan Sammy
Korir to win the London Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, 18 seconds.
Korir, who paced Paul Tergat to the marathon world record in Berlin last
September, was second in 2:06:48. World champion Jaouad Gharib was third
in 2:07:02. Earlier, Margaret Okayo won the women's race in 2:22:35 seconds.
Russian Lyudmila Petrova finished second, with mid-race leader Constantina
Tomescu-Dita third.
Amog
the Greek participants, Nikos Pollias was the best with 2.15.02, while
Labros Zaragkas clocked 2.19.21 , Gerasimos Kokotos 2.21.19 and Konstantinos
Gougousis 2.22.47. Spiridoula Souma was the better woman with 2.40.34,
followed by Paraskevi Gratsani 2.44.35 and Magda Karimali 2.46.01
MEN:
1 Evans Rutto (KEN) 2:06:18; 2 Sammy Korir (KEN) 2:06:48; 3 Jaouad Gharib
(MAR) 2:07:02; 4 Stefano Baldini (ITA) 2:08:37; 5 Tesfaye Tola (ETH) 2:09:07;
6 Benoit Zwierzchiewski (FRA) 2:09:35; 7 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (MAR) 2:09:42;
8 Lee Troop (AUS) 2:09:58; 9 John Yuda (TAN) 2:10:13; 10 Joseph Kadon (KEN)
2:11;30
WOMEN:
1 Margaret Okayo (KEN) 2:22:35; 2 Lyudmila Petrova (RUS) 2:26:02; 3 Constantina
Tomescu-Dita (ROM) 2:26:52; 4 Albina Ivanova (RUS) 2:27:25; 5 Joyce Chepchumba
(KEN) 2:28:01; 6 Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) 2:28:10; 7 Sun Yingjie (CHN)
2:28:32; 8 Alina Ivanova (RUS) 2:28:48; 9 Svetlana Demidenko (RUS) 2:33:06;
10 Tracey Morris (GBR) 2:33:52
Results
from SA Championships in Durban
Results from the Greek
Clubs Championships
Hamburg Marathon results
Apr
18. Men: 1. Vanderlei de Lima BRA 2:09:39; 2. Thomas
Chemitei KEN 2:11:27; 3. Fred KiptumKiprop KEN 2:11:45; 4. Benjamin
Rotich KEN 2:11:49; 5. Wilfred Kigen KEN 2:11:52; 6. Georgiy Andreyev RUS
2:11:53; 7. Leonid Shetsov RUS 2:12:28; 8. Azat Rapikov BLR 2:12:32; 9.
David Ruto KEN 2:12:33; 10. Dmitri Baranovski UKR 2:12:34 Women:
1. Emily Kimuria KEN 2:28:57; 2. Alice Chelangat KEN 2:28:58; 3. Larissa
Malikova RUS 2:32:17; 4. Stine Larsen NOR 2:32:53; 5. Liza Hunter-Galvan
NZL 2:36:27; 6. Manuela Zipse D 2:36:51; 7. Marcio Narbock BRA 2:37:19;
8. Leila Aman ETH 2:38:01; 9. Maija Kukkohovi FIN 2:42:33; 10. Lilian Chelimo
KEN 2:45:30
Lisbon Marathon results
Apr
18. 1. Stephen Rerimoi KEN 02:13:34;
2. Lebo Nelson KEN 2:14:55; 3. Yuriy Hychun UKR 2:15:03; 4. Mitei Kipchirchir
KEN 2:15:28; 5. Moses Kemei KEN 2:15:41; 6. Onesmo Ludago 2:16:24; 7. Kiplagat
Albert KEN 2:16:58; 8. Lokira Paul KEN 2:19:01;9. Too Kirwa Daniel KUW
2:20:39; 10. Carlos Valente POR 2:21:12; 12. Alexey Rodionov RUS 2:23:02;
13. Vitor Vasco POR 2:26:27; 14. Josphat Chemjor KEN 2:26:38; 15. Paulo
Guerra POR 2:26:52; 16. Dmytro Osadchyi UKR 2:28:17
Turin Marathon results
Apr
18. Men:1
Frederick Cherono (Kenya) 2:08:38; 2 Alberico Di Cecco (Italy) 2:09:29;
3 Daniel Cheribo (Kenya) 2:10:37; 4 Migidio Bourifa (Italy) 2:13:38;
5 Michael Kapkiai (Kenya) 2:13:53; 6 Derba Bedade (Ethiopia) 2:13:54; 7
Abdelkebir Lamachi (Morocco) 2:14:41; 8 David Cherui (Kenya) 2:15:53 Women:
1 Helena Javornik (Slovenia) 2:31:13; 2 Jennifer Chesinon (Kenya) 2:32:46;
3 Jane Ekimat (Kenya) 2:36:41; 4 Stefania Benedetti (Italy) 2:37:10;
5 Sisay Measso (Ethiopia) 2:42:22
Tzoumeleka smashes walk
record
Apr
17. Athanassia Tzoumeleka won the 10000m walk race in Patra
in 44.10.02 to smash the national record for Greece, by about 30 seconds.
On the second day of the Greek
Clubs Championships very good marks set also by the shot putters Michalis
Stamatogiannis (19.46m) and Andreas Anastassopoulos (19.41m), while Stefanos
Konstas had a discus throw at 61.41m. Angeliki Tsiolakoudi sent the javelin
to 60.70m and made the standard for Athens.
Greek Clubs Championships
Apr
17. The
Greek
Clubs Championships opened yesterday in several cities of the country,
marking the opening of the olympic season for many greek athletes. In the
group of Agios Kosmas, Kalliopi Ouzouni had a shot at 18.69m to set the
best mark of the first day. In the same group Panayotis Stroubakos clocked
1.50.29 in the 800m, while Evaggelia Derveni won the hammer throw with
66.69m., followed by the national record holder, Alexandra Papageorgiou,
who had a throw at 65.05m. Kostas Filippidis cleared 5.30m in the pole
vault. The games are in process.
Nagano Marathon results
Apr
12. Moges
Taye and Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia won the sixth annual Nagano Marathon,
today. In the men's race, two Greek runners also participated. Georgios
Hondrogiannis was 19th with 2:34.32 and Panayotis Artinos 34th with 2:41.20
Men 1) Moges Taye
(ETH) 2:13:09; 2) Adam Dobrzynski (POL) 2:14:26; 3) Satoshi Watanabe
2:17:33; 4) Manabu Itayama 2:21:36
Women: 1) Fatuma
Roba (ETH) 2:28:05; 2) Valentina Yegorova (RUS) 2:31:47; 3) Natalya
Berkut (UKR) 2:32:49; 4) Alevtina Ivanova (RUS) 2:33:09; 5) Asami
Obi 2:33:34; 6) Yoshimi Hoshino 2:37:48, 7) Madina Biktagirova (RUS)
2:38:48; 8) Shitaye Gemeche (ETH) 2:39:27
Felix Limo runs a 2:06.14
in Rotterdam
Apr
04. Kenya's
Felix Limo set a world leading mark of 2:06.14 to dominate the Rotterdam
Marathon, breaking the course record. The results are:
MEN: 1. Felix Limo
(Ken) 2:06:14; 2. Michael Rotich (Ken) 2:09:07; 3. Romulo Wagner da Silva
(Bra) 2:11:28; 4. Peter Kiprotich (Ken) 2:11:52; 5. Stephen Cheptot (Ken)
2:11:52; 6. Tom van Hooste (Bel) 2:11:55; 7. Luc Krotwaar (Ned) 2:11:56;
8. Zebedayo Bayo (Tan); 9. Willy Cheruiyot (Ken) 2:12:28; 10. Philip Singoei
(Ken) 2:12:36; 11. Salah Hissou (Mor) 2:12:45; 12. Kamel Kohil (Alg) 2:13:40;
13. Wilson Chelal (Ken) 2:14:23; 14. Shane Nankervis (Aus) 2:14:45; 15.
Bernard Barmassai (Ken) 2:14:49
WOMEN: 1. Zhor el
Kamch (Mor) 2:26:10; 2. Madai Perez (Mex) 2:27:08; 3, Jelena Burykina (Rus)
2:30:15; 4. Maria Abel (Spa) 2:32:23; 5. Zahia Dahmani (Fra) 2:33:01; 6.
Delilah Asiago (Ken) 2:37:24; 7. Maria Jose Puyeo Bergua (Spa) 2:37:34;
8. Nadja Wijenberg (Ned) 2:38:39; 9. Kristijna Loonen (Ned) 2:38:45; 10.
Serep Aktas (Tur) 2:41:01
Colleen de Reuck wins
the US women's Marathon trials
Apr
04. Colleen de Reuck came from behind to defeat Deena Kastor
who finished 2nd. Jen Rhines secured the 3rd Olympic spot as Blake Russell,
the early leader who led by a minute at half way, faded to 4th. The results
are: 1. Colleen De Reuck, 2:28:25 CR; 2. Deena Kastor, 2:29:36; 3. Jen
Rhines, 2:29:56 PB; 4. Blake Russell, 2:30:32 PB; 5. Magdalena Lewy, 2:30:50
PB; 6. Heather Hanscom, 2:31:53 PB; 7. Sara Wells, 2:33:14 PB; 8. Deeja
Youngquist, 2:34:21; 9. Susannah Beck, 2:34:44 PB; 10. Jenny Spangler,
2:36:30
Paris Marathon results
Apr
04. MEN: 1. Ambesa Tolosa ETH 2:08:56; 2. Raymond Kipkoech
KEN 2:10:08; 3. Paul Biwott KEN 2:10:30; 4. Gashaw Melese ETH 2:10:36;
5. Robert Cheruiyot KEN 2:10:38; 6 .Marilson dos Santos BRA 2:12:22; 7.
Jacob Losian KEN 2:12:35; 8. Hakim Bagy FRA 2:13:12; 9. Said Belhout
ALG 2:13:37; 10. Henry Tarus KEN 2:13:55
WOMEN: 1. Salina
Kosgei KEN 2:24:32; 2. Asha Gigi ETH 2:26:05; 3.
Corinne Raux FRA 2:29:19; 4. Larisa Zyusko RUS 2:29:30; 5. Olga Rovpotina
RUS 2:29:56; 6. Beata Rakonczai FRA 2:30:36; 7. Béatrice Ros SPA
2:30:43; 8. Yunilesh Bekele ETH 2:35:54; 9. Nilli Abramski ISR 2:36:36;
10. Judit Nagy HUN 2:38:51
Debno Marathon results
Apr
04.Waldemar Glinka and Monica Drybulska were the winners of
the Marathon race, held today in Debno, Poland
MEN: 1. Waldemar
Glinka 2:12:13; 2. Michal Bartoszak 2:13:31; 3. Leszek Beblo 2:16:57; 4.
Miroslaw Plawgo 2:18:42
WOMEN: 1. Monika
Drybulska 2:33:27; 2. Edyta Lewandowska 2:37:02; 3. Malgorzata Jamróz
(Warszawianka) 2:39:53; 4. Krystyna Kuta 2:43:05
Jose Manuel Martinez and
Margaret Maury winners in Maribor. Second place for Greece in the men's
ranking
Apr
03. Spain's
Jose Manuel Martinez won the 10000m in the European
Challenge, held today in Maribor, Slovenia. Martinez clocked 28:11.1
to dominate the race, ahead of his compatriot Carles Castillejo and Netherlands'
Kamiel Maase.
Very good performance for
the Greek men's team. Ioannis Kanellopoulos, European U23 Champion last
year, was fourth with 28:27.0, while Michalis Yelasakis placed 7th with
29.05.4 and Dimitris Papoulias 13th in 29.22.5. Greece's team was second
in the men's classification, behind Spain.
In the women's race France's
Margaret Maury was the winner with 32:01.0, easily in front of Romania's
Michaela Botezan who clocked 32.15.4 and Portugal's Fernanda Ribeiro. Maria
Protopapa was 6th in 32:46.2. France was the winner in the women's classification.
National
Walk record by Athina Papagianni
Apr
03. Athina Papagianni broke the
20000 m. walk record for Greece, with 1:28.58, to win the Balkan Championships,
held today in Reschitza, Romania. The Romanian team won the other races;
Bolan the 20000m men's race with 1:21.50, Ursu the 10000m men juniors walk
with 42.33 and Maksim the juniors women with 48.04.
Alexandos Papamichail broke
the 10000m walk juniors record for Greece with 46.40
Youth records in the Schools
Championships
April
01. Some very good preformances made by young Greek athletes,
during the first phase of the School Championships.Yesterday in Trikala,
Konstantinos Douvalidis (17) broke the 110m hurdles U18 record for Greece
with 13.55, while Yervasios Philippidis (17) set a new U18 javelin record
with his throw at 75.90 m. In the other group of the Championships, held
in Pyrgos, Konstantinos Philippidis (18) cleared 5.20m in the pole vault,
where Michalis Pastos (18) was second with 5.00m and Georgios Tsakonas
(16) set a triple jump 15.26m
March 2004
Marathon results
Mar
31. China's Zhou Chunxiu won the the second Xiamen International
Marathon in an impressing time of 2:23.28 and qualified for the Chinese
team who will participate in the Olympic Games.
In the Rome City Marathon
(March 28), Italy's Ruggero Pertile set a national record of 2:10.12 The
results of the race are:
Men: 1 Pertile Ruggero
ITA 2:10.12; 2 Bourifa Migidio ITA 2:11.13; 3 Chemweno Kemboi Samuel KEN
2:11.45; 4 Bekele Habtambu ETH 2:12.04; 5 Ngeno Jhon KEN Nullo 2:12.16;
6 Rotich Chemlany Phillemon KEN 2:13.07; 7 Halefom Abebe ETI Nullo 2:13.55;
8 Caballero Javier SPA Nullo 2:15.37; 9 Kanda Paul KEN Nullo 2:17.20;
10 Samson Mulli KEN Nullo 2:17.33
Women: 1 Ferrara
Ornella ITA 2:27.49; 2 Genovese Bruna ITA 2:29.03; 3 Console Rosalba
ITA 2:33.15; 4 Mancini Marcella ITA 2:34.02; 5 Meseret Kotu ETI 2:34.16;
6 Zinashe Alemu ETI 2:39.09; 7 Malkova Zhana RUS 2:41.34; 8 Glasnowitsch
Pia GER 2:47.38; 9 Radka Churanova REP 2:49.34; 10 Casiraghi Monica ITA
2:50.45
Kenenisa Bekele makes
the double
Mar
21. Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele dominated the men's long race
on the second day of the World
Cross Country Championships. Bekele, who also won the short race yesterday,
clocked to defeat on the last two laps his compatriots Gebremariam
and Sileshi who placed second and third respectively.
Kenya's Edit Masai was the
expected winner of the women's short race, ahead of the Ethiopians. Tirunesh
Didaba was second, while Werknesh Kidane was again third, as she did yesterday
in the long race. Finally, Ethiopia's Meba Tadesse dominated the men's
juniors race.
Kenenisa Bekele and Anita
Johnson winners of the XC championships
Mar
20. With impressing performances by the Ethiopian runners the
IAAF
World Cross Country Championships opened today in Brussels. Kenenisa
Bekele, who had also won the championships last year, repeated his win
in the men's short race with 11.31, ahead of his two compatriots Gebremariam
and Zewdie.
After the withdrawal of
Paula Radcliffe, Australian Benita Johnson found the way to win the world
title in the women's long race, defeating the favourite Ethiopia's Werknesh
Kidane who placed third, while one more Ethiopian, Ejegayehy Dibaba, was
second.
Finally, in the juniors
women's short race, where the Ethiopian team won the first seven positions,
Meseleh Melkamu was the world champion with 20.48.
Third place for Papadimitriou
in Malta
Mar
15. Alexandros Papathimitriou had a hammer throw at 77.13m to
take the 3rd place on the second day of the European
Throwing Challenge.
Nagoya Womens Marathon
Mar
15. Japan's Reiko Tosa won the Nagoya
Women's Marathon with 2:23.57 and claims a ticket for the Olympics. The
results are:
1 TOSA, Reiko 2:23:57; 2
TANAKA, Megumi 2:24:47; 3 FUJIKAWA, Aki 2:27:06; 4 OYAMA, Miki 2:27:58;
5 MURATA, Fumi 2:30:11; 6 OMINAMI, Takami 2:30:15; 7 NISHIO, Maya 2:30:16;
8 HAYAKAWA, Eri 2:30:47; 9 GALLAGHER, Jackie 2:32:40; 10 HLADYR, Tatyana
2:32:55 Full
results
European Throwing Challenge
Mar
14. The 4th edition of the European
Throwing Challenge started today in Malta, with Franka Dietzsch to
win the discus throw with 60.32m., while Vita Pavlysh was the winner in
the shot put with 19.39. In the men's events Latvia's Vadim Vasileysius
dominated the javelin throw with 82.44m and Estonia's Gerd Kanter the discus
throw, with 63.21m., the better performance of the first day.
Tomorrow, Alexandros Papadimitriou
participates in the hammer throw. He is the only Greek in this competition,
while Michalis Stamatogiannis who was going to compete in the shot put,
cancelled his entry because of an injury problem. Results from the Balkan
XC Championships
The Balkan Cross Country
Championships
Mar
11. The Balkan XC championships will take place on Friday 13
March in Belgrade, Yugoslavia with the participation of a numerous Greek
Team. Among the Greek athletes are Michalis Yelasakis and Pagona Nika,
the winners of the Greek XC Championships last month. On the meanwhile
the World Masters' Championships started yeasterday in Sindelfingen.
Lebedeva makes the double,
while Felicien destroys Devers dreams for a second gold
Mar
07. Paris'
world champion Perdita Felicien won the 60m hurdles on the 3rd
day of the World Indoor Championships with 7.75 to beat Gail Devers,
the winner of the 60m, who placed second with 7.78. The Greek Champion
Flora Redoumi, who set a national record 7.91 in the semifinal placed 7th
in the final.
Tatyana Lebedeva achieved
what Devers lost today in Budapest, the long jump gold medal with a seson's
leading mark at 6.98m, while Tatyana Kotova jumped 6.93, and Carolina Kluft
6.92m.
The winners of the other
events are Bahama's Dominique Demeritte with 20.66 and Russia's Anastasiya
Kapachinskaya with 22.78 in the 200m finals, Maria Mutola with 1.58.50
and Southafrican Mbulaeni Mulaudzi with 1.45.71 in the 800 m. and Igor
Pavlov in the pole vault with 5.80m.
Christian Olsson equals
the triple jump world record. Russian women's relay team set also new record
Mar
07. Christian
Olsson finally equalled the triple jump record, winning the world title
with a jump at 17.83m. Gregorio Jadel was second with 17.43m and Yoandri
Betanzos third with 17.36m
The Russian 4X400m team
set the second world record for the last night of the championships with
an impressing 3.23.88. The Greek team was 6th in this race.
Paul Korir was the winner
in the 1500m with 3.52.31, while Cristian Cantwell won the shot put with
21.49 and Ethiopia's Meset Defar dominated the women's 3000m in 9.11.22.
Yelena Slesarenko was the surprising winner in women's high jump with a
world leading 2.04m leaving Chickerova second with 2.00m and Vlacic third
with 1.97m
Magic Lebedeva! Bronze
for Devetzi
Mar
06. Tatyana
Lebedeva jumped 15.16m in her first attempt to equal the triple jump world
record. Few minutes later she improved the record to 15.25, two attempts
- two world records by the world champion! But Tatyana could not stop.
In her last attempt she jumped 15.36m, the third world record in the competition.
Yamile Aldama, representing Sudan, was second with an African record of
14.90m, while the Greek Champion, Chrisopigi Devetzi, is the third athlete
on the podium with 14.73m, in a competition which may be the best ever
we have watched in the triple jump.
Natalya Nazarova was the
expected winner of the 400m with 50.19 where Fani Chalkia was 6th and Alleyne
Francique got the title in men with 45.88. It's the first gold of Grenada
in the the world championships.
Isinbayeva gets the record
back. Third consecutive world title for Holm
Mar
06. Yelena Isinbayeva got the world title in the 2nd
day of the World Championships with 4.86m, breaking Feofanova's world
record. Feofanova defeated also by the Stacy Dragila who made an impressing
come-back, with an American record at 4.81m.
Kutre Dulecha won easily
the 1500m with 4.06.40, while unlucky Holmes had a fall in the middle of
the race and wasn't able to claim a medal. Allen Johnson, after a difficult
semifinal he had, clocked 7.36 in the final to equal the American record
and take the gold, leaving the Chinese Xiang Liu second with an Asian record
7.43.
One more title for the American
team won by Savante Stringfellow, the winner of the long jump with 8.40m.
James Beckford took the silver medal with 8.31m and Vitaliy Shkurlatov
the bronze with 8.28m. All the finalists in this event had to improve their
season's best and exceed the 8.00 m.
Stefan Holm made his third
consecutive win in the indoor championships with 2.35m., followed by Jaroslav
Rybakov at 2.32m and the new blood of the european high jump, Czech Baba,
who shared the bronze medal with Romania's Stefan Vasilace and Jamaica's
Germaine Mason at 2.25m.
Finally, Bernard Lagat won
for Kenya the 3000m in 7.65.34, followed by Portugal's Rui Silva and Ethiopia's
Geneti Markos.
Fani Chalkia goes on
Mar
06. Fani
Chalkia continues the impressing races in the 2nd
day of the World Championships. In the morning semifinal she broke
once more the 400m national record for Greece with 51.68 and qualified
for the final. Chrisa Goudenoudi placed 6th in the first semifinal with
52.84 and disqualified. Niki Xanthou jumped 6.43m in the first qualification
group and Stella Pilatou 6.53 in the second group of the long jump; both
lost the chance to participate in the final.
In the morning qualifications
Marcin Urbas with 20.98 and Natalya Safronnikova with 23.08 were the faster
200m runners, while Natalya Nazarova (50.91) and Alleyne Francique (46.32)
were the best in the 400m semifinals. Guan Yingnan jumped 6.80m and Tatyana
Lebedeva 6.78m in the long jump selection round and Roman Sebrle dominates
the heptathlon competition, after three events, with 2812 points.
Bronze medal for Giorgos
Theodoridis. Unlucky Meletoglou
Mar
05. The good performance of the Greek team, during the first
day of the World Championships, marked by the bronze medal won by Giorgos
Theodoridis in the 60m. Theodoridis, who had clocked 6.55 in the semifinal,
was third in the final race with 6.54, following Jason Gardener and Shawn
Crawford.
Gail Devers is the 60m world
champion in women, with 7.08, followed by Belgium's Kim Gavaert and Belarus'
Yulia Nesterenko. The Greek participant Georgia Kokloni was 5th in the
semifinal with 7.33 and disqualified from the final race.
In the women's shot put,
Vita Pavlysh gor the title, while Russia's Svetlana Krivelyova got the
silver medal and Cuba's Yumileidi Cumba was third with 19.31
After the impressing national
record set in the morning by Fani Chalkia, Christos Meletoglou broke the
triple jump record for Greece with 16.79m, but he was unlucky as he placed
9th and disqualified, although he had the same mark with the last qualified
athlete.
In the other events, Georgia
Tsiligiri cleared 4.30m and disqualified for the pole vault final, although
she also set the same mark with the last qualified and Konstantina Efentaki
placed 10th in the first race of the 1500m with 4.18.58 LIVE
RESULTS FROM THE IAAF
Chalkia smashed the 400m
record for Greece. Devetzi in the triple jump final
Mar
05. Fani Chalkia clocked 51.77 in the 400m qualification round
to smash the national record for Greece. Chrisa Goudenoudi also qualified
for the semifinal with 53.09. Easy qualifications for Georgios Theodoridis
and Georgia Kokloni in the 60m. Chrisopigi Devetzi jumped 14.48m to qualify
in the triple jump final. Disappointing performance by Louis Tsatoumas
who jumped only 7.34m in the long jump., while Dimitris Serelis (7.62m
in the long jump) Olga Vasdeki (14.25m) and Irene Terzoglou (17.04 in the
shot put) also disqualified.
Two positives in "Athina
2004" IAAF permit meeting
Mar
05. The
Greek Federation have announced that two athletes found positive of Stenozolol
in the meeting "Athina 2004": Romanian Ioan Vieru and Russian Natalya Shekhodanova.
The World Championships
open in Budapest
March
05.
The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships open in the morning in Budapest.
Georgia Kokloni will be the first Greek competitor in the women's 60m,
while few minutes later the long jumpers Louis Tsatoumas and Dimitrios
Serelis start their attempts for the final. Georgios Theodoridis and Angelos
Pavlakakis are competing in the 60m heats while Chrisopigi Devetzi and
Olga Vasdeki start their effort in the triple jump qualification round
at 1.15 am. Irene Terzoglou needs a shot around her season's best to qualify
for the final. Christos Meletoglou will also participate in the men's triple
jump qualification round, Georgia Tsiligiri in the pole vault, Chrisa Goudenoudi
and Fani Chalkia in the 400m heats and Konstantina Efentaki in the 1500m
semifinal.
According to the Greek Federation
the greek team target at least one medal and enough participations in the
finals. Among the athletes of the greek squad Chrisopigi Devetzi seems
to be enough close to a medal in the women's triple jump, while many athletes
are able to qualify for the final of their events. Among them the long
jumpers in both men's (Tsatoumas, Serelis) and women's (Xanthou, Pilatou)
events, but also Olga Vasdeki and Christos Meletoglou in the triple jump,
Georgios Theodoridis and Georgia Kokloni in the 60m, Flora Redoumi in the
60m hurdles and the women's relay team. Clearly, Theodoridis and Tsatoumas
are in good form and able to play an important role in the finals.
Kenteris'
candidature for the IOC Athletes' Commission
Mar
02. The Athletes Commission of the Greek
Olympic Committee decided to submit the candidature of Kostantinos Kenteris
for the IOC Athletes' Commission. The election will take place in Athens,
during the Olympic Games, among the athletes competing in them.
The
Greek team for Budapest
Mar
02. After
the Balkan Championships, some modifications occured to the Greek team
for the World Indoor Championships, starting in Budapest on Friday. The
19-member squad is the following:
MEN: Angelos Pavlakakis
and Georgios Theodoridis (60m), Louis Tsatoumas and Dimitrios Serelis (long
jump), Christos Meletoglou (triple jump)
WOMEN: Georgia Kokloni
(60m), Chrisa Goudenoudi and Fani Chalkia (400m), Konstantina Efentaki
(1500m), Flora Redoumi and Evagelia Nesoudi (60mh), Georgia Tsiliggiri
(pole vault), Stella Pilatou and Niki Xanthou (long jump), Chrisopigi Devetzi
and Olga Vasdeki (triple jump), Irene Terzoglou (shot put), Chrisa Goudenoudi,
Fani Chalkia, Georgia Koumnaki and Eleutheria Papadopoulou (4X400m)
February 2004
Double
win for Gail Devers
Feb
29. Gail Devers set a double win in the USA
Indoor Championships, dominating both the 60m in 7.12 and less than
an hour later the 60m. hurdles in 7.81. Shawn Crawford was the winner of
the men's 60m. with 6.47, while John Capel placed second with 6.52.
In the meeting of Leipzig
Manuel Martinez won the shot put with 20.62m and Germany's Bjorn Otto cleared
5.81m in the pole vault.
11th
Balkan Indoor Championships
Feb
28. Romania
dominated the 11th
Balkan Championships held today in Peania and
marked by the absence of many top athletes from the stronger Balkan countries.
Among the highlights of games are the good marks in the women's triple
jump by Adelina Gavrila who won with 14.45m, but also Tereza Marinova who
was second with 14.43m. Monica Iagar cleared 1.95m in the high jump and
her compatriot Daniel Donovici won the triple jump with 16.82 m. Georgia
Kokloni, bronze medalist in the European Indoor Championships last year,
ran her first race of the season in 7.26, and Evthimios Stergioulis clocked
6.66 in the 60m to break the juniors' record for Greece. One more juniors
record set by Konstantinos Filippidis who cleared 5.40m to dominate the
pole vault. Stella Pilatou set a long jump personal best of 6.66m, while
Niki Xanthou participated out of competition and improved her season's
best to 6.54m.
Polnova
cleared 4.71 to defeat Feofanova in Lievin. Arron clocked 7.10 in the 60m
Feb
28. Tatyana
Polnova won the pole vault in Lievin
with 4.71 m., leaving enough behind the world record holder Svetlana Feofanova
who was secon with 4.46 m. Felicien was the winner of the 60m hurdles with
7.96, Hicham El Guerrouj clocked 7.34.71 in the 3000m and Christine Arron
set a 7.10 in the 60m. Mehdi Baala set a 1000m French record with 2.17.06
Greek
athlete found positive
Feb
28. The Greek Federation (SEGAS) have announced that the pole
vaulter Stavros Kouroupakis found positive of the anabolic agent Clenbuterol,
in the Greek Indoor Championships. The athlete, who banned for the Balkan
Championships to be held today, can apply for testing of the second sample.
SEGAS will follow the procedures prescribed by the IAAF's Regulations.
Stamatopoulos
won the Greek walk championship
Feb
28. Theodoros Stamatopoulos won the Greek 50000m walk championships,
held today in Aspropyrgos. Stamatopoulos clocked 3:59.38 and met the standard
for the Olympic Games. Nikolaos Katsilas placed second with 4:07.15 and
Georgios Argyropoulos third with 4:10.23
Nigerian Olusoji Fasuba
set a 60m 6.50 in Chemnitz
Feb
27. The 20-year-old Nigerian Olusoji Fasuba won the 60m final
in the international meeting of Chemnitz
with 6.53, but he set a 6.50 in the qualification round, the second world's
best for this season. Shawn Bownes won the 60m hurdles with 7.65 while
Delloreen Ennis-London dominated the women's event with 7.92. Monica Pyrek
cleared 4.60m to win the pole vault. Okkert Brits cleared 5.75m, Wilfred
Bungei clocked 1.45.61 in the 800m. and James Beckford jumped 8.09 in the
long jump.
The Greek team for the
World Indoor Championships
Feb
25. The Greek Federation announced a 23-member team for the
world indoor championships:
MEN: Angelos Pavlakakis
and Georgios Theodoridis (60m), Louis Tsatoumas, Dimitrios Serelis and
Dimitrios Filindras (long jump), Christos Meletoglou (triple jump), Anastassios
Goussis, Georgios Doupis, Georgios Economidis and Dimitrios Tsiomos (4X400m)
WOMEN: Georgia Kokloni
(60m), Chrisa Goudenoudi and Fani Chalkia (400m), Konstantina Efentaki
(1500m), Flora Redoumi and Evagelia Nesoudi (60mh), Georgia Tsiliggiri
(pole vault), Stella Pilatou and Niki Xanthou (long jump), Chrisopigi Devetzi
and Olga Vaskedi (triple jump), Irene Terzoglou (shot put), Chrisa Goudenoudi,
Fani Chalkia, Georgia Koumnaki and Eleutheria Papadopoulou (4X400m)
Results from Tallinn,
Results from Australian
Open Championships
Chambers banned
Feb
24. The European 100m Champion Dwain Chambers has been banned
from competition for two years, after being found guilty of taking the
anabolic steroid THG.The 25-year-old tested positive last August, but continues
to maintain his innocence and may appeal. Full coverage of the drug crisis,
along with in depth analysis of the sport, at TrackProfile.com
Devetzi
to compete in the Balkan Champs. The Greek team
Feb
24. Chrisopigi Devetzi, who jumped
14.81m in "Athina 2004" will compete in the Balkan Championships, scheduled
for Saturday 28, in Peania. Devetzi is already 2nd world performer for
this season and one of the memebrs of the Greek team for the world indoor
championships to be held in Budapest. Niki Bakogianni, who returns to competition
this year, will also participate in the Balkan Games. The Greek team is
the following:
60m: Angelos Pavlakakis,
Georgia Kokloni, 200m: Georgios Vasou, Eleutheria Papadopoulou,
400m:
Anastasios Goussis, Maria Ouranidou, 800m: Andreas Georgiou, Eleni
Filandra, 1500m: Konstantinos Tsiokos, Angeliki Raftaki, 3000m.Dimos
Maginas, Maria Pardalou, 60mh: Alexandros Theofanov, Alexandra Komnou,
long
jump: Louis Tsatoumas, Stella Pilatou, triple jump: Christos
Meletoglou, Chrisopigi Devetzi, pole vault: Stavros Kouroupakis,
Georgia Tsiligiri, high jump: Michalis Tomaras, Niki Bakogianni,
shot
put: Ioannis Vassilopoulos, Irene Terzoglou.
On the meanwhile, Argyro
Strataki, who broke the heptathlon national record on Sunday with 4.347
p. will compete in the Czech combined events championships on Friday, attempting
to set the standard for Budapest.
4.85m: World Record by
Svetlana Feofanova in "Athina 2004"
Feb
22. Svetlana Feofanova broke the
pole vault world indoor record, clearing 4.85 m. in her first attempt in
"Athina 2004".
George Theodoridis dominated the 60m in 6.54, 3rd world mark for this season,
in front of Francis Obikwelu who clocked 6.56, while Zhanna Block defeated
by Safronikova and Benavides.
Romania’s Ionela Tirlea
was by the far the best in the second heat of the 400m race. She improved
her season’s best to 51.59 to defeat Catherine Murphy who clocked 52.29
and Greece’s Chrysa Goudenoudi, who improved again her own national record
to 52.65
Chrysopigi Devetzi won the
triple jumpe with 14.81 m., the 2nd world mark for this season, while Kenya’s
Bernard Lagat won the 3000m in 7.34.96, third world season’s mark.
Tatyana Kotova dominated
the long jump with 6.81, followed by Italian Fiona May who jumped 6.69m.
Stefan Vasilache of Romania
cleared 2.30m to win the high jump, the same height with Russia’s Aleksy
Dmitrik who placed second. In the men’s 60m hurdles, Cuba’s Yoel Hernandez
was the winner with 7.60, while Nadine Faustin won the women’s race in
8.00
Louis Tsatoumas, twice European
U23 Champion, won the long jump in the last round with 8.00 m., after 5
fault attempts.
Lobinger jumps 5.75 m.
in the German Championships. Results from Swedish Champs
Feb
22. Tim Lobinger cleared 5.75 m, during the second day of the
German
Championships while Tobias Unger clocked 20.59 in the 200m.Stefan
Holm cleared 2.31 in the Swedish
Championships, where Christian Olsson jumped 17.25 m. and Carolina
Kluft won the long jump with 6.40 m.
Greek Juniors Championships.
German, French and Polish Championships.
Feb
21. During the second day of the Greek Juniors Championships,
Ioannis Pouloupatis equalled the U18 high jump national record with 2.10
m.
Konstantinos Karamousalis
won the heptathlon national championships with 4.787 p., while Andreas
Perivolaris was the winner in the juniors category with 4.176 p.
On the meanwhile, Monica
Pyrek broke the national record for Poland on the 1st day of the Polish
Indoor Championships, with a clearance of 4.65 m. and Christine Arron
sets a French record 7.08 in the 60m. in the first day of French
Championships. Results from German
Championships.
Bekele broke the 5000
m. world record. Jones defeated by Geveart in 60m but won the long jump
with 6.75 m.
Feb
20. Kenenisa Bekele broke the 5000m world record with 12.49.60
in Birmingham
The previous record was 12.50.38, set by Haile Gebreselasie, also in Birmingham,
in 1999. Kim Geveart broke the Belgian 60m record with 7.13 to beat Marion
Jones who clocked 7.16 in her first race after returning to the track.
Later Jones won the long jump with an impressing 6.75 m.
Ivan Hesko dominated the
1500 m. in 3.35.40 and Kelly Holmes the women's 1000 m. in a national record
2.32.96. Although Mark Lewis - Francis was the faster qualifier in the
60 m. with 6.53, Brian Lewis won the final with 6.58.
Finally, in the men's 2
miles race a 20-year-old Ethiopian Markos Geneti was the winner with 8.08.39
in front of Haile Gebreselasie who clocked 8.08.65. Geneti started competing
in international meetings last year, especially in the 5000 m., where he
was 24th performer in the season's world list.
Greek National Juniors
Championships
Feb
20. The National Juniors Championships started today in Peania,
with two U18 national records. Stefanos Baroutsas (87) equalled the 60
m. record with 6.91, while Dimitrios Patsoukakis (87) cleared 5.02 m. to
break the pole vault record. Euthimios Stergioulis was the winner of the
60 m. with 6.75, just one hundredth off his own juniors' record for Greece
and Konstantinos Filippidis won the pole vault with 5.32 m.
Lebedeva and Simagina
at 6.95 m.
Feb
19. Tatyana Lebedeva and Irina Simagina jumped 6.95 m. in the
3rd day of Russian
Indoor Championships. Both athletes will compete in Athina 2004 IAAF
permit meeting on Sunday. Yaroslav Rybakov cleared 2.30 m. and Tatyana
Polnova won the pole vault at 4.60 m.
Nazarova clocked 49.68
in Moscow. Slesarenko clears 2.01 m.
Feb
18. Natalia Nazarova set a new Russian
indoor record of 49.68 in the women's 400 m. breaking Irina Privalova's
record of 50.23, during the Russian
Indoor Championships. In the women's high jump,
Yelena Slesarenko set a new personal best of 2.01 m.
The indoor season reaches
a pick in the next days, with important international meetings to be held
in Europe. "Athina 2004" IAAF Permit Meeting hosts many of the top world
athletes on Sunday, in Peania. On Saturday, Marion Jones plans to compete
in the long jump in Birmingham, where Niki Xanthou is also expected to
open the season.
The Greek scene also includes
the Juniors Indoor Champs and the national combined events champs this
weekend in Peania, but also the Balkan Indoor Championships scheduled for
February 28th.
Yelena Isinbayeva sets
World Record
Feb.
15 Yelena Isinbayeva broke the pole vault World indoor Record
in Donetsk, with a clearance of 4.83 m. Isinbayeva's record is now better
than the outdoor World record (4.82m) which she set in Gateshead, England,
on 13 July last year.
Jason Gardener equals
European Record in Karlsruhe
Feb
14. Jason
Gardener, just one day after his victorious race in the European Cup, won
today in Karlsruhe
with 6.46, to equal his own European Record. Kutre Dulecha won impressingly
the 1500 m. in a world leading 4.01.90, a new African record, while Konsantina
Efentaki was 5th, breaking again the national record for Greece with 4.09.88.
Yamile Aldama, representing
Sudan, opened the season with a jump of 14.65 m., leaving Italy's Martinez
on second position with 15.62 m. Ivan Hesko was the winner of the 1500
m. in a world leading 3.35.15, leaving behind Ali Saidi Sief who clocked
3.36.02. One more world leading performance came by Maria Mutola who won
the 800 m. in 1.57.48. Kim Gevaert clocked 7.14 in the 60 m. (7.13 in the
heats), where Ottey was 6th. Lacena Golding - Clarke was the winner of
the 60 m. hurldes with 7.89, while Evagelia Nesoudi placed 7th in the qualification
round with 8.17. Maurice Wignall dominated the men's race in 7.51 and Haile
Gebreselasie ran the 3000 m. in 7.29.34. Olga Vasdeki was 5th in the triple
jump with 13.81 m.
France and Russia won
the European Indoor Cup
Feb
14. Flora
Redoumi broke the 60 m. hurdles national record for Greece with 7.97 to
win the event in the European
Indoor Cup, beating the Olympic silver medalist Glory Alozie who was
second with 7.99. Jason Gardener han no difficulties in the 60 m., he won
easily with 6.51., having a reaction time of 0.459!, while Christian Olsson
was the expected winner of the triple jump with 17.31 m. Olga Rasposova
set a 800 m. personal best of 2.00.41 to win the event.
Russian Irina Symagina won
the long jump with 6.72 m. and Olesya Krasnomovets won the 400 m. race
in a personal best 51.32, where Chryssa Goudenoudi placed 5th, improving
her own national record with 52.82. Larisa Klugova clocked 7.27 to win
the 60 m. in front of Rockmeier and Nesoudi.
The winners of the other
events are Bram Som in the 800 m. with 1.48.79, Mounir Yemunni in the 1500
m. with 3.49.82, Andrea Giaconi in the 60 m. hurdles with 7.73, Dmitry
Forshev in the 400 m. with 46.46, Bjorn Otto in the pole vault with 5.70
m., Iryna Lishchynska in the women's 1500 m. with 4.09.82 and Iryna Khudorshkina
the shot put with 18.75 m.
Men of France and women
of Russia won the European Cup. The women of Greece placed 7th, leaving
the French team at the last place.
Dragila jumps 4.71 in
Fayetteville
Feb
14. Stacey Dragila cleared 4.71 in Fayettville,
where Darren Brown won the 60 m. in 6.59 and Gail Devers clocked 7.10 in
the women's race and 7.87 in the 60 m. hurdles.
Christian Olsson jumps
17.64 m. in Stockholm. Holm 2.37 m., Borzakovskyi 1.44.52
Feb
12. Christian Olsson jumped a world leading 17.63 tonight in
the IAAF permit meeting in Stockholm.
Yuriy Borzakovskiy ran the 800 m. in 1.44.52, the best mark for this
season. Another world leading mark by Stefan Holm at 2.37 m. while Kajsa
Berqvist cleared 2.00 m. to won the women's event. In other events Ionela
Tirlea set a 51.71 in the 400 m., Yoel Hernandez clocked 7.64 in the 60
m.hurdles, Davian Clarke won the 400 m. with 46.21 and Fiona May jumped
6.61 m. to dominate the long jump.
Results from Melbourne
GPII
Lebedeva in "Athina 2004"
IAAF Permit meeting
Feb
11. Tatyana Lebedeva tops the new entries of the "Athina 2004"
announced today by the Greek Federation. The World Champion, who is in
supreme form this period, comes to Athens to compete with other world top
names of the triple jump, among them the Sydney's silver medalist Francoise
Bango Etonne, but also two more Russians, Anna Pyatykh and Yelena Oleynikova.
The men's long jump includes
the Cuba's stars Ivan Pedroso and Luis Meliz, as well as James Beckford.
Finally, Marion Jones who was expected to run won't come to the meeting.
Efentaki doubles the records.
Niki Bakogianni back on the field
Feb
08. Konstantina Efentaki, after breaking the 1500 m. national
record during the 1st day of the Greek
National Indoor Championships, ran the 800 m. in 2.03.60 to smash the
record for Greece, in the the opening of the second day of the champs.
Kostas Filippidis, 18, broke the pole vault juniors record with 5.37 m.
Niki Bakogianni, Atlanta's high jump silver medalist, returned to the field
after four years and won the event with 1.87 m. Olga Vasdeki jumped 14.22
m., followed by Irene Dimitraki who set a personal best at 14.03 m., and
made the standard for the world championships. Stavros Kouroupakis was
the winner of the pole vault with 5.42 m. Results from Ghent
Tokyo Marathon results
Feb
08. 1. Daniel Njenga KEN 2:08:43, 2. Satoshi Osaki 2:08:46,
3. Ben Kimondiu KEN 2:09:27, 4. Yukinobu Nakazaki 2:09:28, 5. Tomoyuki
Sato 2:09:43, 6. Michitaka Hosokawa 2:10:38, 7. James Wainaina KEN 2:11:00,
8. Eric Wainaina KEN 2:11:03, 9. Toshiya Katayama 2:11:05
Five women records on
the first day of the Greek Champs
Feb
07. The Greek
National Indoor Championships started in the morning in Peania, with
two national records set in the women's 400 m. qualification round. Cypriot
Androula Sialou was the faster with a national record 52.91, while Fani
Chalkia placed second with 53.02, a new indoor record for Greece.
In the afternoon events
Flora Redoumi equalled her own 60 m. hurdles record for Greece at 8.01,
while Chryssa Goudenoudi, who had broken the 400 m. record one week ago
(53.16), got it back running the final in 52.88. Konstantina Efentaki,
broke the 1500 m. national record, the 5th on the first day of the championships,
with 4.11.55
Holm 2.36 m., Chicherova
2.04 m. in Arnstadt
Feb
07. In the international high jump meeting in Arnstadt
Stefan Holm cleared 2.36 m., the best world mark in this season, while
Anna Chicherova dominated the women's event with 2.04. Kajsa Bergqvist
placed second with 2.02 m.
Jones returns to track,
Devers in supreme form.
Feb
07. Marion
Jones won her first race since the 2002 World Cup with a 7.21 second, at
the Verizon
Millrose Games last night. Gail Devers dominated the 60 m.h in a new
meet record in 7.76, improving on her previous world season’s lead (7.85).
Christian Cantwell sent the shot to 21.03m, a world leading mark, while
Stacey Dragila cleared 4.64 m. and Asafa Powel ran the 60 m. in 6.56.
Marion Jones confirmed her
participation in "Athina 2004" IAAF permit meeting on February 22, in Peania,
Athens.
Dortmund indoor meeting
results
Feb
04. Berhane
Adere was one of the shining stars in Dortmund,
few days after her world record set in the 5000 m. The Ethiopian runner
won the 3000 m. race in 8.33.05, a world leading performance for this season.
Yuriy Borzakovskiy was the winner of the 800 m. in 1.45.92, while Svetlana
Feofanova cleared 4.75 m.Yolanda Ceplak won the 800 m. in 2.00.65 and Fredy
Mayola the 60 m. in 6.59. The pole vault world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco
cleared 5.71 m. to dominate the men's pole vault.
"Athina 2004" IAAF permit
meeting. New names announced
Feb
03. Sydney's
Olympic Champion Anier Garcia, confirmed his participation in "Athina 2004"
indoor meeting, according to the announcement of the Greek Athletics Federation.
Garcia's name is added to the top stars announced last week, among them
are Svetlana Feofanova, Yelena Isinbayeva, Winfred Bungei and Tatyana Kotova.
Today, besides Garcia some
more top world athletes are also announced. Among them the European high
jump champion Yaroslav Rybakov and Sweden's Staffan Strand, bronze medalist
in Munich 2002. Andrei Sokolovskiy, silver medalist in the world indoor
championships last year will also be in Athens on February 22.
Edmonton's world champion
Avard Moncur is going to run in the 400 m., while European Champion Ionella
Tirlea is running in the women's race.
The entry list of the 800
m. is now expanded, as more Kenyans, Justus Coech and Michael Korrir, added
to the already announced entries.
Finally,
Ramon Clay from the USA will participate in the 200 m. race.
EuroJump
Meeting results
Feb
03. Cristian Olsson jumped 17.16 m. in
the EuroJump
meeting held in Gothenburg, where Stefan Holm cleared 2.34 m. Averbukh
dominated the pole vault at 5.71 m.
Kotlyarova sets 600 m.
all time best in Moscow. Lebedeva equals season's best at 14.97 m.
Feb
01. Tatyana
Lebedeva jumped 14.97 m., the same mark she had achieved 3 days ago, to
equal her world season's best, today in the IAAF Permit meeting "Russian
Winter" in Moscow. Olga Kotlyarova ran the 600 m. in an all
time best of 1:23.44. Sergey Klyugin cleared 2.28 and Vitaliy Skhurlatov
won the long jump with 8.13 m. Natalya Kresova was the faster in the 60
m. hurdles, winning the heat in 8.00, Igor Pavlov dominated the pole vault
with 5.80 m. the same mark with Aleksandr Averbukh, while Yulia Tabakova
clocked 7.13 in the 60 m. Anna Chicherova cleared 1.99 m., the same height
with Vita Palamar, who was second.
January 2004
Berhane Adere breaks the
5000 m. world record in Stuttgart
Jan
31.
Ethiopian Berhane Adere clocked 14:39.29
in Stuttgart
to break the world indoor record of the distance. The previous record was
14.47.35, set by Gabriela Szabo in 1999. Excellent marks by Kenenisa Bekele
who ran the 3000 m. in 7.30.77, Yuniel Hernandez (7.57) and Lacena Golding
(7.94) in the 60 m. hurdles, Jason Gardener who clocked again 6.53 in the
60 m. and Josef Mutua the winner of the 800 m. with 1.44.71. Yelena Isinbayeva
won the competition at 4.68 m., while Polnova was second with 4.60 m. and
Feofanova third with 4.50 m.
In Boston
Haile Gebreselasie ran the 3000 m.in 7.35.24, Gail Devers dominated the
60 m. hurdles in 7.85 and Jon Drummond the 60 m. with 6.61.Bahamas' Tonique
Williams won the 400 m. in 51.98, the second world mark for this season.
National
record by Chrysa Goudenoudi in the 400 m.
Jan
31. Chrysa Goudenoudi broke the 400 m.
national indoor record for Greece with 53.16. today in Peania.
Marilia Gregoriou broke the Cypriot 60 m. record with 7.37, while personal
bests set by Marios Evagelou in the pole vault (5.32 m.) and Marina Vassarmidou
in the 60 m. (7.39)
Results from Canberra
Lebedeva
at 14,97 m. in Samara. Gardener clocked 6.53 in Erfurt
Jan
29. It was a night for triple jumpers
today in Samara,
Russia, where Tatyana Lebedeva landed at 14.97 m., proving that a world
record is possible for this season. Another Russian, Danila Burkenya, dominated
the close men's competition with 17.41 m., in front of Cuban Betanzos (17.39
m.) and Belarus' Dmitriy Valyukevich (17.31 m.). In the other events Vitaliy
Shurlatov jumped 8.06, Yuliya Kosenkova clocked 4.12.38 in the 1500 m.,
Natalya Kresova won the 60 m. hurdles in 8.03, Yelena Slesarenko cleared
1.96 m. Irene Dimitraki was 7th in the triple jump with 13.63 m.
In
the meeting of Erfurt
Jason Gardener won the 60 m. in 6.53, the best world mark for this season.
William Yiampoy clocked 1:47.79 in the 800 m. and Maurice Wignall of Jamaica
won the 60 m. hurdles with 7.56. Tatyana Polnova cleared 4.66 m., while
Karin Mayr dominated the 60 m. race in 7.22. Juliane Sprenger won the 60
m. hurdles in 8.01, where Golding-Clarke clocked 7.99 in the semifinal.
Ceplak won clearly the 800 m. in 1:59.25\
Isinbayeva
and Feofanova in "Athina 2004" indoor meeting
Jan
29. More participants in the "Athina 2004"
IAAF Permit meeting announced today by the Greek Federation. Pole vault
stars Yelena Isinbayeva and Svetlana Feofanova are coming to Athens, targetting
even a new world record. Poland's Monica Pyrek and one more Russian, Elena
Belyakova, will be also in Athens, for this meeting.
Among
the other entries announced, there are some other world stars, as Nicolas
Makrozonaris for the 60 m. race, as well as the 800 m. runners Winfred
Bungei (faster 800 m. runner in 2003) and William Yiampoy from Kenya and
Abdulaye Wagne from Senegal.
Otto
and Ksok win in Cottbus
Jan
29. Björn Otto with 5.70 m. and Anna
Ksok with 1.91 m. won in the meeting of Cottbus.The results:
Pole
Vault: 1. Björn Otto D 5,70, 2. Tye Harvey USA 5,50; 3. Spas Buchalow
BUL 5,40; 4. Ruslan Yeremenko UKR 5,40; 5. Vassily Gorshkov RUS 5,30; 6.
Pavel Gerasimov RUS 5,30; 7. Ron Schiewkow D 5,00; 8. Björn Venghaus
D 5,00; Lars Börgeling D NH
High
Jump: 1. Anna Ksok POL 1,91; 2. Zuzana Hlavonova CZE 1,91; 3. Corinne
Müller SUI 1,88; 4. Tatiana Grigorieva RUS 1,84; 4. Katja Schötz
D 1,84; 6. Maresa Cadienhead CAN 1,84; 7. Aileen Herrmann D 1,84; 8. Inga
Janku CZE 1,80
Zhana
Block and Tatyana Kotova in "Atnina 2004" indoor meeting
Jan
28. Zhana Block returns to Athens in order
to run in the 60 m. race in "Athina 2004" IAAF Permit meeting, to be held
on February 22. The Greek Federation announced that besides Block, Muriel
Hurtis has also verified her participation, while negotiations with
other top world sprinters are currently in progress. Tatyana Kotova tops
the Russian "delegation" for the same meeting. The former world champion
will be accompanied by Olga Rubliova and Natasha Shimagina.
On
the meanwhile the indoor action is being accelerated in the coming days,
with the Cubernator Cup tomorrow in Samara and the meetings in Erfurt,
Stuttgard and Boston.
The
Athletics world mourns for Fanny Blankers Koen
Jan
25. The greatest ever female athlete,
Fanny Blankers Koen of Netherlands passed away at the age of 85. Blankers-Koen
was born in Amsterdam in 1918 and made her first appearance in the Olympics
in 1936, aged 18, finishing fifth equal in the High Jump and outright fifth
in the 4x100m relay. She was then deprived of two Olympic chances as World
War II wiped out the 1940 and 1944 Games. However, she made up for that
in the 1948 Games in London, winning four gold medals: 100 and 200m, 80m
Hurdles and 4x100m relay. By then 30 and a mother of two, Fanny competed
eleven times (heats and finals) in eight days and never lost. Blankers
Koen is the woman athlete with the most medal in the European Championships.
Silver medallist in the high jump in 1938, she won two golds in Oslo 1946
(80 m. hurdles and 4X100). She finished her glorious career in Brussels
1950 with three more gold medals (100 m., 200 m. and 80 m. hurldes), while
she took the silver medal with the Netherland's team in the 4X100 m. relay
Osaka
International Women's Marathon
Jan
25. Japan’s
Naoko Sakamoto, fourth at last year's World Championships, won the Osaka
Ladies Marathon today in 2:25:29, perhaps the most important race of her
career so far, as it establishes her as a favourite for Olympic selection.
1
SAKAMOTO Naoko 2:25:29, 2 CHIBA Masako 2:27:38, 3 OMINAMI Hiromi 2:27:40,
4 NASUKAWA Mizuho 2:29:49, 5 HIROYAMA Harumi 2:31:07, 6 KITAJIMA Ryoko
2:31:18, 7 PARADOWSKA Renata POL 2:31:47, 8 KOTORIDA Takako 2:32:15, 9
SHIBUI Yoko 2:33:02, 10 GIGI Asha ETH 2:34:58, 11 KITAYAMA Yumiko 2:35:28,
12 TALPOS Luminita ROM 2:35:59, 13 OGOSHI Kazue 2:36:27, 14 STAICU Simona
HUN 2:36:46, 15 OBI Asami 2:36:56, 16 SUGIHARA Ai 2:38:12, 17 OBATA Kayoko
2:39:11,18 NAKAYAMA Hiromi 2:39:36, 19 OBEREM Sonja GER 2:42:56, 20 HOTTA
Makiko 2:45:26 Full
Results
Isinbayeva
clears 4.76 m. in Glascow. Mutola impresses
Jan
24. Yelena
Isinbayeva shone in Glascow
today, winning the pole vault at 4.76 m. and leaving the world record holder
Svetlana Feofanova second with 4.66 m. Isinbayeva attempted unsuccessfully
to break the world record. Anna Chicherova was once more over the 2.00
m., while Sweden's Suzanna Kallur clocked 8.08 in the 60 m. hurdles. His
compatriot Stefan Holm won the men's high jump with 2.31 m. and Juliet
Campbell dominated the 200 m. with 23.42.
Jason
Gardener won the 60 m. with 6.54 and Maria Mutola impressed with her 1.58.46
race, the first for this season. A Greek participant, Stavros Vathistas,
was 3rd in the 400 m. with 49.13 running in the slow out of competition
heat.
Kafetzi
jumps 6.57 m. in Peania. Filindras at 7.94 m.
Jan
24. Yannoula Kafetzi improved her long
jump personal best to 6.57 m. today in the indoor meeting in Peania.
Pavlakakis started the season with 6.71 in the 60 m. Personal bests by
Nikos Giossis in the high jump (2.20), Afroditi Skafida in the pole vault
(4.25), Chrysa Goudenoudi in the 200 m. (24.24) and Olga Kaidatzi in the
60 m. (7.43). Dimitris Filindras won the long jump with 7.94 m. approaching
his personal best (7.96 m. from 2000). Emmanuel Moustakas set a national
U18 record in the 800 m. with 1.52.43
Good
throws in Brisbane
Jan
23. The
throwers set the better marks in the second meeting of TELSTRA series held
in Brisbane,
Australia today. Beatrice Faumuina won the discus throw with 62.93 m. while
Eagles Bronwyn sent the hammer ti 66.58 m. Matt Shirvington was the winner
of the the 100 m. in 10.39 and Tatiana Grigorieva dominated the pole vault
with 4.20 m. In
Wuppertal,
Germany's Daniela Rath cleared 2.00 m., while Jamie Nieto of the US won
the men's high jump with 2.28 m. Annica Becker dominated the pole vault
with 4.55 m.
Lebedeva
jumps 14.94 in Volgograd. Polnova clears 4.60 m. in Moscow.
Jan
19. Tatyana
Polnova cleared 4.60 m. in Moscow
Championship 2004, while Sergey Klyugin dominated the high jump with
2.24 m. Good start for Dalina Burkenya, the winner of the triple jump with
17.25 m. and Igor Pavlov who won the men's pole vault with 5.75 m. Natalya
Nazarova clocked 50.75 in the 400 m.
In
Volgograd
Vitaliy Shkurlatov jumped 8.24 m., while Tatyana Lebedeva had an impressing
jump at 14.94 m.
In
Valencia, Glory Alozie ran the 60 m. hurdles in 8.08 the second world mark
for this season.
Katerina
Sefanidou, the younger talented rising star of Greek Athletics
Jan
19. The
14-year-old pole vaulter Katerina Stefanidou, set a personal best of 3.95
m. last weekend, Thus, Stefanidou is now 3rd all time vaulter among 14-year-olds
in the world. The athletes who had better marks than her when they were
14 are Germany's Lisa Ryshich (4.10 m.) and China's Wu Sha (4.00 m.). Worth
to mention that Stefanidou shares the top of 13-year-olds world list setting
a 3.90 m. last summer in the meeting of Chania. The all time lists*:
13-year-old
3.90
Annu Mäkelä, FIN (20.9.82), 10 Jul 96, Somero
3.90
Ekateríni Stefanídou, GRE (4.2.90), 09 Jun 03, Chania
3.70
Natascha Brenner, GER, (90), 21 Sep 03, Homburg
3.65
Samantha Shepard, USA (11.11.83) 14 Jun 97, Raleigh
3.61
Minna Nikkanen, FIN, 29 Jul 01, Turku
14-year-old
4.10
Lisa Ryshich, GER (27.9.88), 21 Jun 03, Mannheim
4.00
Wu Sha, CHN (21.10.87), 17 Aug 02, Jinan
3.95i
Ekateríni Stefanídou (4.2.90), 17 Jan 03, Peania.
3.80
Hannah Olson, GBR (29.1.88), 08 Jun 02, Ashford
3.76
Vanessa Boslak, FRA (11.6.82), 29 Sep 96, Saint-Quentin
3.75
Silke Spiegelburg, GER (17.3.86), 26 Aug 00, Zweibrücken
3.73
Floé Kühnert, GER (6.3.84), 04 Sep 98, Bad Sooden
3.71
Henrietta French, FIN (13.3.87), 22 Jul 01, Mariehamn
3.71
Kim Kühnert, GER (9.5.88), 25 Aug 02, Beckum
*
Data provided by Roger Ruth
Kouroupakis
starts with 5.30 m. National U18 record for Kostas Douvalidis
Jan
17. Kostas
Douvalidis broke the U18 60 m. hurdle for Greece with 7.89 today in the
meeting of Thessaloniki.
Good start for Evi Nesoudi in Peania, who clocked 8.12 in the women's high
hurdles event, the 3rd all time performance for Greece. Stavros Kouroupakis
cleared 5.30 in his first appearance of the season and Kostas Vogiatzakis
won the 60 m. in 6.79. Katerina Stefanidou, born in 1990, improved her
pole vault personal best to 3.95 m.
Dragila
clears 4.70 m. Early results from Greek meetings
Jan
10. Stacey
Dragila cleared 4.70 in her first appearence in the new season in Reno,
Nevada.
The
first indoor meetings of the season held today in Greece, although without
the participation of the best greek athletes. In Peania, Manolis Moustakas
broke the U18 1500 m. national record for Greece with 3:53.65, while 14-year-old
Katerina Stefanidou cleared 3.80 in the pole vault. In Thessaloniki Persefoni
Hatzinakou set the best mark, dominating the high jump with 1.80
Results
from early indoor
meetings in Greece.
The indoor season opens
Jan
10. This weekend we have the start of the indoor season, with
a number of meetings to be held in Europe and in the US. Also, in Greece,
four indoor meetings are scheduled, although the more known Greek athletes
plan to start the season at the end of January.
The early indoor results
so far, include the 500 m. world record, set by Natalya Nazarova on January
8th with 1.07' 36", as well as a 60 m. 6" 50. set by Anwar Moore of US
on December 28th. and the 2-meter clearance of Chickerova in Yekaterininburg
Telstra
A-Series, results from Perth
Jan
10. Matt Shirvington ran a wind assisted
10.27 in the opening meeting of Telstra Series, held in Perth. Dmitry Markov
won the pole vault with 5.65 m. and Nicole Mladenis the women's triple
jump with 14.13 m. Full results.
Dubai
Marathon results
Jan
9. 1 Gashaw Melese Asfaw 2:12:49, 2 David Kiplagat Kuino 2:14:11,
3 Malefon Abebe Tsegaye 2:14:34, 4 Eric Kiprono Kimaiyo 2:14:53, 5. Nicholas
Mutuku Muindi 2:15:59, 6. Meshak Mutungi Maweu 2:17:16, 7 Bedaso Turbe
Gobena 2:18:06, 8 Gidem Amaha Gebrekidan 2:18:52, 9 David Kipkorir Koech
2:20:33, 10 Tamrat Ayalew Kebede 2:21:36, 11 Habte Jifar Regasa 2:22:53,
12 Luka Kipkulei Cherono 2:23:42, 13 Dube Jillo Medagdu 2:30:18, 14 Liela
Aman Tola 2:42:36, 15 Sissay Measso Ardese 2:42:46, 16 Alena Makolava 2:43:20,
17 Jiringo Getachew Shiferaw 2:43:41, 18 Hirut Abera Legesse 2:45:45, 19
Asegdech Gizaw Bededa 2:48:01, 20 Seppo Rosnell 3:04:45
Road
events World Records recognised
Jan
1. (From the IAAF) As approved by the
44th IAAF Congress in Paris, as of today official IAAF Road World Records
are recognised:
MEN
10km:
27:02 Haile Gebrselassie ETH, Doha, 11 Dec 02
15km:
41:29 Felix Limo KEN, Nijmegen, 11 Nov 01
20km:
56:18 Paul Tergat KEN, Milan, 4 Apr 98
Half
Marathon: 59:17 Paul Tergat, KEN, Milan, 4 Apr 98
25km:
1:13:14 Rodgers Rop KEN, Berlin, 6 May 01
30km:
1:28.36 Takayuki Matsumiya JPN, Kumamoto, 16 Feb 03
Marathon:
2:04.55 Paul Tergat KEN, Berlin, 28 Sep 03
100km:
6:13:33 Takahiro Sunada JPN Lake, Saroma, 21 Jun 98
20km
Walk: 1:17:21 Jefferson Perez ECU, Paris, 23 Aug 03
50km
Walk: 3:36:03 Robert Korzeniowski POL, Paris, 27 Aug 03
Road
Relay 42.195km: 1:57:56 Jabbour, Khattabi, El Guerrouj, Hissou, Boutayeb,
Skah MAR, Litochoro, 17 Apr 94
WOMEN
10km:
30:21 Paula Radcliffe GBR, San Juan, 23 Feb 03
15km:
46:57 Elena Meyer RSA, Cape Town, 2 Nov 91
20km:
1:03:26 Paula Radcliffe GBR, Bristol, 6 Oct 01
Half
Marathon: 66:44 Elena Meyer RSA, Tokyo, 15 Jan 99
25km:
1:22:31 Naoko Takahashi JPN, Berlin, 30 Sep 01
30km:
1:39:02 Naoko Takahashi JPN, Berlin, 30 Sep 01
Marathon:
2:15:25 Paula Radcliffe GBR, London, 13 Apr 03
100km:
6:33:11 Tomoe Abe JPN, Lake Saroma, 25 Jun 00
20km
Walk: 1:26:22 Yan Wang CHN, Guangzhou, 19 Nov 01
Road
Relay 42.195km: 2:11:41 Jiang, Dong, Zhao, Ma, Lan, Lin CHN, Beijing,
28 Feb 98
Jr
MEN 10km Walk To be confirmed at a later date.
Jr
WOMEN 10km Walk: 41.57 Hongmiao Gao 74, CHN, Beijing,
8 Sep 93