Marie Collonville in action in Desenzano's Multistars (© Lorenzo Sanpaolo)
Marie Collonville of France (6228 points) and Claston Bernard of Jamaica (8050 points) took the honours at the Desenzano Multistars meeting, the first leg of the IAAF Combined Events Challenge.
The French eptathlete, who was fourth after day one, improved to third after a solid 6.28m in the Long Jump (937 points), a score which was ranked third behind Naide Gomes, first in this event with 6.32m.
The reigning World Indoor champion led by 102 points over the USA’s Gigi Miller, second after leaping to 6.16m (899 points) in the Long Jump and seemed to have the win within reach.
But the javelin competition shook up the overall ranking. Collonville, World Indoor bronze medallist in Birmingham 2003 in the pentathlon, threw 47.82m (818 points) and sensationally climbed to the lead with 5309 points with just the 800 metres to be contested.
Gomes could not respond to Colonville and faded to second place after her 39.96m. Margaret Simpson, winner last year in Desenzano, moved from seventh to third after throwing 52.65m in the javelin, her favourite event.
A very determined Collonville finished second in the final event of the day, the 800 metres in 2:13.15 (919 points) after running close on the heels of Irina Naumenko from Kazakhstan, winner in 2:12.79.
Overall Naide Gomes finished runner-up with 6125 points, the second best score of her career, while US Gigi Miller who had faded from second to fifth after throwing 39.46m in the javelin stripped Margaret Simpson of the third place after running the 800 metres in 2:14.37 (902 points).
Collonville scored 6228 points and achieved a well-deserved Olympic berth for Athens.
“I did not really expect to win today. I came here to reach the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games. I totalled 6228 points, so I am very delighted. With the Olympic qualification in the bag I can try to improve this result in my next competitions in Arles and the European Cup in Tallin. I am working very hard to finish in the top five in Athens,” Collonville said.
8050 points for Bernard
Jamaica’s Claston Bernard maintained his first day lead in the final five events of the Desenzano Multistars decathlon and finished first with 8050 points ahead of France’s Romain Barras who bounced back from day one’s sixth place to climb to second with 7903 points and repeated the same result achieved last year in the Italian meeting. Multistars meeting record holder Jiri Ryba from Czech Republic was third with 7784 points.
The second day began promisingly for the Italian Paolo Casarsa who won the 110 Hurdles in 14.25 (942 points) which enabled him to maintain the second place behind Bernard. However, disaster struck Casarsa who failed his three attempts in the Discus Throw and was forced to drop out.
Bernard won the discus with 47.19m (812 points) while Barras moved from fourth to second place after throwing 43.89m (744 points).
The Pole Vault and the javelin did not produce significant changes in the overall ranking but strengthened the first two places of Bernard and Barras. The French decathlete won the javelin with 65.28m (818 points) with the Jamaican consolidating his first place with 57.74 (704 points). By then he led with a 302 points margin over Barras before the 1500 metres.
In the fight for the third spot on the podium Jiri Ryba closed the gap on Andy Giesler from the United States after throwing 58.62 in the javelin (717 points). With a score of 7018 points Ryba was just two points adrift Giesler with one event remaining.
Bernard struggled in the 1500 metres and finished an agonizing 4:53.57 but this was enough to clinch the final victory ahead of Barras. Ryba won the event in 4:26.81 (766 points) and overhauled Andy Giesler (4:41.87) for third place.
“I ran the worst 1500 metres of my career. I was very tired after suffering from cramps in the final stages of the 400 metres. I recovered from the first day’s effort thanks to good stretching exercises. I hope to run the 1500 metres much faster at the end of the month in Götzis. I achieved the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games where I will try to finish in the top five,” said the 25-year-old athlete based in Baton Rouge (Louisiana), who finished ninth at the World Championships in Paris last summer.
Barras commented after his second place: “I am a bit disappointed today because I wanted to secure a berth for the Olympic Games. I will try to score more than 8000 points and qualify for Athens in Arles or in the European Cup. This meeting was a learning experience for me and I will benefit it in the future. It is nice to compete in Desenzano where I really feel at home. It is like a big family which meets here once a year. It was a happy day for the French team today and I am delighted with Collonville’s victory. She was great and really deserved the win today.”
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Selected results
Men
1. Bernard Claston (Jamaica) 8050 points (10.99 – 7.21 – 15.23 -2.12 -50.17 -14.40 -47.19 -4.50 -57.74 -4:53.57)
2. Romain Barras (France) 7903 points (11.46 – 6.97 -14.60 -1.94 – 50.19 -14.73 -43.89 -4.70 -65.28 -4:28.87)
3. Jiri Ryba (Czech Republic) 7784 points (11.47 -6.84 – 14.13 -2.00 - 50.04 – 14.86 – 43.10 – 4.70 -58.62 -4:26.81)
4. Andy Giesler (Usa) 7689 points (11.35 -6.96 -15.68 -1.94 – 51.42 -15.45 -44.63 -4.80 -57.26 – 4:41.87)
5. Jari Olli (Finland) 7602 points (11.51 -7.29 – 14.07 -1.97 -51.88 -15.14 – 41.86 -4.90 - 57.68 -4 :51.08)
6. Luca Ceglie (Italy) 7503 points (11.08 – 7.05 -13.48 – 1.94 -50.28 -14.60 - 41.13 – 4.50 – 54.59 -4 :56.21)
7. Bevan Hart (Usa) 7409 points (11.27 -6.62 – 13.21 – 1.79 – 49.89 – 15.00 -42.67 – 5.00 -51.10 -4:40.00)
8. Paolo Mottadelli (Italy) 7402 points (11.19 – 6.91 – 14.41 -1.82 -50.41 -15.08 – 43.39 -4.60 – 51.18 -4:48.48)
Women
1. Marie Collonville (France) 6228 points (13.81- 1.82 – 12.39 – 25.31- 6.28 – 47.82 -2:13.15)
2. Naide Gomes (Portugal) 6125 points (13.78 – 1.82 -14.18 – 25.54 -6.32 -39.96 -2:17.89)
3. Gigi Miller (Usa) 6063 points (13.14 – 1.67 – 12.48 -23.89 – 6.16 – 39.46 -2 :14.37)
4. Margaret Simpson (Ghana) 6061 points (13.74 -1.73 – 12.37 – 25.01 – 5.98 – 52.65 -2 :19.64)
5. Irina Naumenko (Kazakistan) 5946 points (14.19 – 1.79 -12. 97 – 25.10 -6.03 -38. 67 – 2:12.79)
6. Tia Hellebaut (Belgium) 5889 points (14.21 -1. 85 -12. 83 – 25.64 -5.95 -40.55 – 2:18.61)
7. Kim Schiemenz (Usa) 5730 points (14.24 – 1.73 -13.33 – 24.87 – 5.55 – 42.61 – 2:20.68)
8. Silvia Dalla Piana (Italy) 5715 points (14.50 -1.76 – 12.27 -25.82 -5.84 -45.03 -2:20.19)
