Wednesday, 16 May 2012 14:30
DAEGU (KOR): Kirani James opens the summer season with meet record 44.72 at 400 m at Colorful Daegu Meeting on May 16 (IAAF World Challenge), the stadium where he won the gold last year. Ethiopian and world indoor champion Mohamed Aman came in top shape winning in 1:43.51 at 800m. Second was Kosencha 1:44.74, third Danish Bube 1:45.27.
OSTRAVA (CZE): New top name for 51st Ostrava Golden Spike meet (IAAF World Challenge, May 25) will be British 400 m olympic winner Christine Ohuruogu in race against 2009 World Champion Sanya Richards-Ross. In the field also solid European opposition with Czech European Indoor Champion 2011 Denisa Rosolova (50.84), Italian record holder Libania Grenot (50.30), former European sprint champion Muriel Hurtis of France who switched to the 400 m (51.41), another Briton Shana Cox (50.84) and Ukrainian Barcelona 6th placer Antonina Yefremova (50.69).
DAEGU (KOR): The Colorful Daegu Meeting on May 16 (IAAF World Challenge) offers good quality competition not only in sprints (as informed already Walter Dix in the 100 m, Kirani James opener in the 400 m, Merritt-Richardson-Oliver at 110 m hurdles, Carmelita Jeter in the 100 m) but also in technical events. Hammer will be first meet of the IAAF HT Challenge for women with world champion Tatyana Lysenko, world medalist Zhang Wenxiu and mainly world record holder Betty Heidler.
PONCE (PUR, May 12): The 6th Ponce Grand Prix debuted as first ever one day meet from Puerto-Rico as part of IAAF World Challenge. Full Paquito Montaner Stadium with 15 000 spectators celebrated win for home star Javier Culson in world leading 48.00 at the 400 m hurdles. He beat Jehue Gordon 48.89 and Bershawn Jackson 48.96 (lost unbeaten streak of 2012).
HENGELO (NED): The jubilee 30th FBK Games of Hengelo (May 27, IAAF World Challenge) will have as one of the top races the men´s 10 000 m with Haile Gebrselassie billed as Ethiopian Olympic Trials at the distance. Also running Imane Merga, Sileshi Sihine and Gebre Gebremariam.
PONCE (PUR): The IAAF World Challenge meeting in Ponce, Puerto Rico will be held for the first time next Saturday. One of the biggest names will be Javier Culson at 400m hurdles and Dayron Robles at 110 m hurdles.
OSTRAVA (CZE): 2009 World champion at 400 m hurdles Lashina Demus will start the season in her event at the 51st Ostrava Golden Spike Meeting (IAAF World Challenge). It will be her second time at the Czech event, she won here back in 2006. Demus will face mainly local star and national record holder Zuzana Hejnova.
KAWASAKI (JAP): In very testing weather conditions the IAAF World Challenge Meet was held in Japan on Sunday. It started at Golden Grand Prix in Kawasaki with some sun and a big headwind, then rain, thunder and lightning, then sunny with tailwind, then rain again with big cross/tail wind. That all happened in two and half hours.
KAWASAKI (JAP): Golden Grand Prix meeting in Kawasaki had to face difficult weather conditions. Starting with the sun, big headwind, then rain, thunder and lightning, sunny tailwind, rain big cross/tail wind in cca 2.5 hours time. Liu Xiang opens the season with fast 13.09 at 110m hurdles, second best of 2012.
KINSTON (JAM): Super star Usain Bolt started into his olympic season with easy 9.82 (+1.8) 100 m win at the 9th Jamaica Invitational (IAAF World Challenge). "Felt good out there..Its a good look," Bolt posted afterwards on his twitter. It was his fastest season debut ever, world lead and his 27th legal sub 10 time since 2008 when he started to compete at this distance. Behind him in a race with two false starts (but no one disqualified) Michael Frater 10.00 and Lerone Clarke 10.01 with Nesta Carter beeing a non-starter.