Muriel Hurtis of France winning her 60m heat (© Getty Images)
A national Shot Put record, a quickening Hurtis, and a surprise defeat for Lobinger in the vault were the headlines from the meeting in Mondeville (27).
Shot Putter Gaëtan Bucki broke his national record on his first attempt with a heave of 20.01m, adding 1 centimetre to his former mark set on 14 January in Lille - Click here to read previous story
Bucki matches the recent European leading mark by Germany’s Ralf Bartels, the European champion who will also be the favourite for European Indoor Championships in Birmingham (2-4 March 2007).
A surprise Pole Vault victory went to Jerome Clavier (5.50m) from German favourite Tim Lobinger, the former World and European Indoor champion (same height). Cédric Lavanne set the European Indoor qualifying standard in the men’s 60m Hurdles with 7.68, beating 2006 World Junior silver medallist Samuel Coco-Villoin (7.87). Reina-Flor Okori won the women’s race with 8.14.
Okori’s training partner Muriel Hurtis won her 60m dash heat (7.31) and final (7.29), the fastest time since her comeback from pregnancy (2005).
“This was the time I was actually looking for in my first competition (she opened on 6 January in Aubière with 7.32 and 7.33), even if I did several mistakes today,” said Hurtis.
“My reaction was bad, the acceleration was bad, I ran too tense and I almost fell down on my last step as I leaned on the tape”, analysed the former World Indoor 200m champion.
“I’m looking forward to my next race in Eaubonne on 2 February with more opposition and hopefully faster times,” Hurtis added.
P-J Vazel for the IAAF
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