Brazilian Fabiana de Almeida Murer descends in triumph in Belem (© Wander Roberto Oliveira/CBAt)
Brazilian Fabiana de Almeida Murer produced the most significant result of the 22nd edition of the “Grande Prêmio Brasil/Caixa de Atletismo”, held this Sunday 21 May at the “Estádio Mangueirão” of Belém.
The 25-year-old athlete from São Paulo vaulted 4.55m, a South American record, in front of 32,569 spectators at this South American leg of the IAAF World Athletics Tour, to claim victory.
She entered the contest with a 4.40m outdoor personal best and a 4.41m indoors, both national records, but on a perfect day she was able to make a great improvement to those marks and the previous 4.43m South American record that Argentinean Alejandra García had set in Santa Fe on 3 April 2004.
“It was a very emotional day” said Murer. “I had my coach’s instructions (Élson Miranda de Souza, a former pole-vaulter himself with a PB of 5.02m) in my mind, and I was able to execute them perfectly. The people were also awesome with their great support”.
Murer, whose season’s best of 4.35m had been set last Wednesday in Fortaleza (17 May), began her day at 4.10m, with a first attempt clearance, which was followed by 4.20m, also in her first attempt. Then she cleared 4.30 in her second try. Later, she equalled her national record with her first attempt at 4.40m.
Her first South American record of the day came at her second attempt at 4.45m, which was improved shortly after with her second vault at 4.50m. That record also had a short life, since Murer was able to go over 4.55m in her third attempt. That mark gave her the victory over USA’s Mary Sauer, who had cleared 4.50m. Maurer had 3 fouls at 4.60m.
Another American, Jillian Schwartz was third with 4.30m, the same height at fourth placed Krisztina Molnár of Hungary.
Another exhibition by Saladino
Panamanian Irving Saladino continues to Long Jump well, and Belém saw another great performance from him. The 23-year-old won on Sunday with 8.47m, the same mark he had obtained on Wednesday in Fortaleza at the Area permit meeting (17 May).
It has been a wonderful week for Saladino, who produced the three furthest legal jumps of his life in Rio, Fortaleza and Belém. The South American record of 8.56m on 14 May, and this two 8.47m marks.
“This is my goal for the rest of the season. I want to stay regularly over 8.40m for the remainder of the year”, added Saladino.
The man who occupies the number one spot in the 2006 world lists opened in Belém with 8.14m (0.5 m/s wind), followed with 8.47m (-0.7 m/s), passed his third, jumped 8.19m (0.2 m/s) in his fourth, and passed his last 2 attempts.
France’s Salim Sdiri jumped 7.94m to take second place, while the Brazilian athletes didn’t perform very well. Rogério Bispo, who had jumped 8.21m in Rio, took third place in Belém with 7.82m.
Season’s best for Gregório
Giant Brazilian Jadel Gregório grabbed the Triple Jump victory with his best result of the season: 17.45m (0.2 m/s wind).
The 25-year-old from Jandaia do Sul didn’t have a brilliant competition, but was able to jump the furthest. The winning mark came in his third attempt. Gregório had another valid jump (16.53m), 2 fouls and 2 passed jumps.
Gregório’s compatriot, Jefferson Dias Sabino took second place with a personal best of 17.22m (0.2 m/s), performance that will move him to the 5th spot of the South American all-time lists. Cuba Yoandri Betanzos was third with his best jump in Brazil this week: 17.19m (-0.3 m/s), and Portuguese Nélson Évora set a new national outdoor record with 17.10m (-0.6 m/s). Évora has an indoors personal best and national record of 17.19m.
Menéndez wins with 62.33m
Cuban Osleidys Menéndez, the women’s World and Olympic Javelin champion, and World record holder, and 2006 world leader, took the victory in Belém, with her shortest winning throw of her Brazilian trip: 62.33m.
Compatriot Sonia Bisset followed with 61.27m, while Italy’s Zahra Bani was third with her season’s best of 61.23m, which represents the 6th time that the 26 year-old goes over the 60m barrier in her life. Her personal best is 62.75m. USA’s Kim Kreiner was also above 60m (60.20m) to take fourth place.
Good 400m races
26 year-old Gary Kikaya, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, won the 400m with a 44.85 clocking. Kikaya who ran 44.72 in the altitude of Xalapa, México, last weekend, is a former NCAA champion with a personal best of 44.53.
Americans Derrick Brew and Leonard Byrd followed him home with 45.31 and 45.42 respectively.
In the women’s 400m, 2001 World champion, the Senegalese Amy Mbacké Thiam produced a season’s best with her victory in 50.86. The 29-year-old Thiam seems to be finding her rhythm again and an indication of that is this sort of quality time obtained early in the season. Her personal best is 49.86, her winning time in Edmonton 2001.
Jamaican Lorraine Fenton set a season’s best with her second place in 51.09, while Ireland’s Karen Shinkins was third in another season’s best of 51.93.
Messner takes fine 3000m Steeplechase
American Carrie Messner set a meet record in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase with her winning time of 9:41.55, a season’s best, and also the fastest by an American in 2006. Her compatriot Lisa Galaviz was second in 9:48.96, while Brazilian Michelle Costa was third in a personal best of 9:54.00. Costa finished 60/100 short of the South American and Brazilian record of Zenaide Vieira, who was 4th in Belém with 9:54.12.
American Jason Smoots won the 100m in 10.24, while Jamaican Ainsley Waugh took the 200m in a season’s best of 20.49. Kenyan Justus set a personal best with his 1000m victory (2:18.70), while Jamaican Maurice Wignall won the 110m Hurdles in 13.43, Brazilian Raphael Fernandes took the 400m Hurdles (50.71) and Cuban Guillermo Martínez won the Javelin (81.01m).
Jamaican Sheri-Ann Brooks was victorious in the 200m setting a season’s best of 22.81, same feat as American Tiffany Ross-Williams at 400mh (54.69), while Ukrainian Olha Saladuha won the TJ with 14.31m.
Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF
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