Canada top China in the rain in Vancouver

The 23rd annual Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic last night (8) was supposed to be all about the match between Canada and The People’s Republic of China but it was Mother Nature who proved the toughest opponent for all athletes at Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium.

Rain and cold temperatures slowed times and hampered jump performances but, despite the wet conditions, athletes from both teams kept their focus, their determination and, at times, a sense of humour.

“Sunglasses? They keep the rain out of my eyes,” quipped Canadian 400m record holder Tyler Christopher, the 2005 World Championships bronze medallist, who wore his trademark shades in the gloomy night en route to victory in the men’s one-lap sprint.

Canada prevailed over China 96-75 to win the international dual meet.

Conditions not conducive to sub-45

Christopher came into the meet hoping to run under 45 seconds but the chilly conditions ended that notion and he cruised to win in 45.30 seconds, followed by Canadian teammate Adam Kunkel in 46.60. China’s Wang Xiaoxu was third at 46.81. Christopher had also planned to run the men’s 4x400m relay but opted out of the line-up as drizzle turned to steady rain.

“It’s a little too wet and a little too cold,” he said. “I just didn’t want to push it. I was looking for a 44- point-something, I was really hoping to show the home crowd a 44. But I was making those plans yesterday when it was nice and hot – today, it’s a little colder. But this meet is very important – I grew up running on this track, I started running on this track when I was nine years old, so it’s important for me to run here.”

In memory of Harry Jerome

The annual meet is held in honour of the late Harry Jerome, a former World record holder and bronze medallist in the 100 metres at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In 2005 organisers held a limited dual meet, featuring Canada and China, as part of the larger Jerome meet programme. The concept was so successful that the format was expanded to an 18-event dual meet in 2006 with both countries fielding national teams.

Straightforward win for 'inspired' Shi Dongpeng

Hurdler Shi Dongpeng is clearly an athlete on a mission this season and it showed as he sped to victory in the men’s 110m Hurdles, finishing in 13.67 seconds with Canada’s Karl Jennings, winner of the race at the 2005 Jerome meet, following in 13.91. Shi is China’s second ranked hurdler in the event, behind Olympic champion and co-World record holder Liu Xiang.

“The weather wasn’t so great but I’m just happy I came in first,” said Shi through an interpreter. “My goal this year is to finish first in the Asian Games. Yes, it’s inspiring to have Liu Xiang as a leader. I hope later in the year I can surpass him.”

Canada’s Angela Whyte won the women’s 100m Hurdles despite hammering her right knee on a hurdle late in the race, winning in 13.18 to prevail over China’s Zhang Rong at 13.63.

Cummins heads Liu Qing

As expected, the women’s 800m proved to be a meet highlight as Canadian record holder Diane Cummins out-sprinted China’s Liu Qing to win in 2:04.23. Liu followed in 2:04.60 with Canada’s Aimee Teteris winning a battle for third in 2:05.57 with China’s Huang Jing fourth at 2:05.84.

“I’m happy with that,” said Cummins. “I think this is a fabulous event and I was particularly nervous for today because Aimee trains in Victoria, she’s a huge talent and the Chinese lady (Liu Qing) beat me at the Prefontaine and she’s been running extremely well on the North American circuit so I wasn’t sure what to expect today – a really fast race or a tactical race. It benefited me today that it was tactical. This was good for my confidence, to finish strongly over the last 50 metres.”

Liu came to the meet off a fine 2005 campaign where she closed out the season as the world’s top-ranked junior woman over 800 metres, having also won the 800m and 1500m senior double at the Chinese National Games..

“I felt I had a good race but I didn’t feel as smooth as I normally am,” Liu said. “But I am glad to race here and to come to this meet and compete in friendship with the Canadians. Racing here is a very good experience and I will know these runners better now when I run against them later on.”

Achraf Tadili, Canadian men’s team captain, took the men’s 800 metres in 1:46.87 with China’s Li Xingyu second at 1:47.95.

Drenched jumps below-par

The weather hampered two events that should have been meet highlights. China’s Wang Hao won the men’s High Jump on attempts as all four entrants jumped 2.15 metres. Meantime, the women’s pole vault was also a truncated affair as several competitors, including meet record holder Gao Shuying of China and Canadian women’s team captain Stephanie McCann, took no height while Saskatoon’s Adrianne Vangool won the event at 3.90.

Late in the evening, Canadians Megan Metcalfe and Malindi Elmore, respectively 4:13.22 and 4:14.50 respectively, secured their team’s overall victory finishing one-two in the women’s 1500 metres – a race which featured 2004 Olympic 10,000-metre champion Xing Huina. Xing, who has also won two Chinese national championships over 1500 metres, not in the best health, finished fourth in 4:16.94.

Canada’s Ryan McKenzie won the men’s 1500 metres in 3:43.88, buoyed by national pride and a positive attitude.

As expected, Asian record holder Huang Xiaoxiao won the women’s 400m Hurdles in 56.80. Local runner Cori Fell finished fourth in 59.98, a personal best for the 18-year-old runner and a qualifying standard for this year’s World Junior Championships in Beijing, China (15-20 August).

RESULTS

MEN

100m
1. Neville Wright, Canada - 10.54
2. Emanuel Parris, Canada - 10.59
3. Yin Hualong, China - 10.84
4. Brian Barnett, Alberta - 10.85
5. Justin Kripps, BC team. 10.92
6. Zhao Haohuan, China - 11.11
7. Daniel Rawson, Alberta - 11.17
8. Mike Giuffre - BC team - 11.27

400m
1. Tyler Christopher, CANADA, 45.30
2. Adam Kunkel, CANADA, 46.60
3. Wang Xiaoxu, CHINA, 46.81
4. Tan Biao, CHINA, 46.94
5. Andrew Dargie, ALBERTA, 47.99
6. Ira Thomson, BC, 49.98
7. Joel Halcro, BC, 50.44
8. Jason Carver, Alberta, 53.23

800m
1. Achraf Tadili, CAN, 1:46.87
2. Li Xingyu, CHINA, 1:47.95
3. Tang Baojun, CHINA, 1:49.61
4. David Gill, CANADA, 1:49.75
5. Brian Roppelt, CANADA, 1:51.11.
6. Daniel Mallie, BC, 1:53.48
7. David Shanks, Alberta, 1:53.69
8. Seth Fraser, BC, 1:55.59

1500m
1. Ryan McKenzie, Canada - 3:43.88
2. Matt Kerr, Kitchener - 3:45.95
3. Paul Hoffman, Australia - 3:46.30
4. Dou Zhaobo, China - 3:46.77
5. Scott Arnald, London - 3:46.88
6. Geoff Kerr, Calgary - 3:47.87
7. Justin Marpole-Bird, BC team - 3:48.32
8. Trevor O'Brien, Canada - 3:48.91

110m Hurdles
1. Shi Dongeng, China, 13.67
2. Karl Jennings, Canada, 13.91
3. Liu Lilu, China, 14.28
4. Jared MacLeod, Canada, 15.48
5. Nigel Joseph, Alberta, 15.80

High Jump
1. Wang Hao, China, 2.15
2. Michael Mason, Canada,J2.15
3. Kwaku Boateng, Canada,J2.15
4. Zhang Shufeng, China, J2.15

Javelin Throw
1. Li Rongxiang, China - 79.96m
2. Scott Russell, Canada - 75.60m
3. Trevor Snyder, Canada - 68.30m
4. Qin Qiang, China - 66.88m
5. Curtis Moss, BC team - 59.53m
6. Blair Millne, Alberta - 35.25m 

4x100m
1. Canada A (Grenier, Taylor, Wright, Parris) 40.66
2. China A (Zhang Peimeng, Yin Hualong, Cao Jian, Zhao Haohouan) 40.91
3. BC A (Giuffre, Vaughn, Halcro, Lim) 42.51
4. Alberta A (Joseph, Wild, Barnett, Rawson), 42.70

4x400m
1. China A (Wang, Tan, Wang, Cao) 3:10.55
2. Canada A (Gill, Kunkel, Hurtubise, Tadili) 3:10.68
3. Alberta (Ratzlaff, Shanks, Barnett, Dargie) 3:11.52
4. BC (Thomson, Lim, Mallie, Cook) 3:23.73

WOMEN

100m
1. Erica Broomfield, Canada - 11.93
2. Toyin Olupona, Canada - 11.95
3. Yaqi Wang, China - 11.97
4. Liang Qiuping, China - 12.11
5. Billie Whitegibson, BC team - 12.31
6. Liza Whitehead, BC team - 12.48
7. Elizabeth Iginla, Alberta - 12.55
8. Elaine Hua, Alberta - J12.55

400m
1. Sheena Johnson, USA - 52.85
2. Adrienne Power, Canada - 52.90
3. Tang Xiaoyin, China - 53.70
4. Li Xueji, China - 54.39
5. Ruky Abdulai, BC team - 54.45
6. Lauren Seibel, BC team - 55.17
7. Esther Akinsulie, Canada - 56.15
8. Deanna Sullivan, Alberta - 58.05

800m
1. Diane Cummins, Canada - 2:04.23
2. Lui Qing, China - 2:04.60
3. Aimee Teteris, Canada - 2.05.57
4. Huang Jing, China - 2.05.84
5. Allison Hudson, BC - 2.15.45
6. Carrah Bouma, Alberta - 2.16.29
7. Carly Holman, Alberta - 2.17.15
8. Heather Mancell, BC – DNS

1500m
1. Megan Metcalfe, CANADA, 4:13.22
2. Malindi Elmore, CANADA, 4:14.50
3. Shannon Rowbury, USA, 4:16.50
4. Xing Huina, CHINA, 4:16.94
5. Jin Yuan, CHINA, 4:18.68
6. Darolyn Trembath, Winnipeg, 4:.20.51
7. Stephanie Pezzullo, USA,  4:23.37
8. Megan Brown, Toronto, 4:28.36

100m Hurdles
1. Angela Whyte, Canada,  13.18
2. Zhang Rong, China, 13.63
3. He Liyuan, China, 13.88
4. Heather Bergland, Alberta,14.78
5. Jessica Olfert, Canada, 14.79
6. Zaria Stoffman, BC, 14.91
7. Adelle Johns, BC, 15.05

400m Hurdles
1. Huang Xiaoxiao, China - 56.80
2. Tawa Dortch, Canada - 58.59
3. Wang Xing, China - 59.55
4. Corri-Ann Fell, Canada - 59.98
5. Tessa Gray, Alberta - 1.01.14
6. Lauren Welch, BC team - 1.01.81

Pole Vault
1. Adrienne Vangool, CANADA, 3.90
2. Sue Kupper, CANADA, 3.80
NO HEIGHT:
Leanna Carriere, CAN
Heather Zavaduk, BC
Kelsie Hendry, CANADA
Leah Vause, SASK
Stephanie McCann, CANADA
Gao Shuying, CHINA

4x100m
1. Canada A (Thibault, Broomfield, Olupona, Power) 45.63
2. China A (Ma,Liang, Yaqi, Chen) 46.21
3. BC Team A (Whitegibson, Whitehead, Wellington, Stewart) 48.13
4. Alberta A (Hua, Iginla, Sullivan, Bouma) 49.23

4x400m
1.  China A (Tang, Li, Huang, Wang) 3:40.03.
2. Canada A (Akinsulie, Cummins, Teteris, Power) 3:41.14
3. BC A  (Welch, Seibel, Adulai, Johnstone) 3:51.56.
4. Alberta A (Sieminska, Gray, Sullivan, Bouma) 3:54.78