News07 Jun 2009


Kuts Memorial gets main Russian outdoor season underway

FacebookTwitterEmail

Yevgeniya Polyakova powers to 2009 European indoor 60m title (© AFP / Getty Images)

The traditional Kuts Memorial meeting which celebrates the achievements of the 1956 Olympic 5000 and 10,000m gold medallist Vladimir Kuts was held on Saturday evening (6) in the newly reconstructed Stadium of the Brothers Znamenskiy in the Russian capital.

The weather left much to be desired: it was rather cold, the wind was blowing and sometimes the rain started its destructive job. But in spite of the capricious nature of the conditions the athletes registered several good results.

The four prizes for the middle and long distance events which are named after Vladimir Kuts were as usual at stake.

Aleksei Popov won the men’s 1500m (3:48.95), while Russian 3000m Steeplechase champion Ildar Minshin won his specialty (8:38.80). Second place in the Steeplechase was occupied unexpectedly by the 21-year-old Aleksandr Paveliev 8:40.01. The other two prizes were awarded in the women’s 1500 and 5000m respectively to Yelena Sidorchenkova (4:11.58) and to Natalya Popkova (15:13.68).

Aggressive front run victory from Kofanova

But it was Yelena Kofanova, who is only 20-years-old, who turned out to be the revelation of the Memorial. She won the women’s 800m in an aggressive attacking style leading from the first steps of the race to the finishing line. Kofanova clocked 2:00.21 which so far is the best result of the season among Russian athletes. Anna Luchkina was the runner-up (2:02.14) and Natalya Tziganova took third (2:03.26).

Olympic 4x100m relay gold medallist Yevgeniya Polyakova, who took the European Indoor 60m crown this winter in Turin, was the best at the women's 100m which she won in 11.21 sec but the wind was strong in her favour (+3.5m/s).

The men's 100m was dominated by Andrei Yepishin who clocked 10.45 in the heat and in the final, while Ludmila Mochalina dominated the women's 400m in 52.35 sec.

Yevgeniy Borisov won the 110m Hurdles in 13.90 sec and Aleksandra Antonova was the best at women's 100m Hurdles in 13.40 sec, while Vladimir Ankmanis clocked 50.70 sec in the men's 400m Hurdles - currently the best result of the Russian season. Irina Davydova won the women's 400m Hurdles in 56.44 sec.

Pavel Karavaev leapt 7.91m in the men's Long Jump, which is also currently the best so far by a Russian during this outdoor season.
 
1999 World champion Vyacheslav Voronin cleared 2.21m in men's High Jump, while Pavel Porapenko popped over 5.40m in the men's Pole Vault  while Anastasiya Savchenko cleared 4.20m in the women’s event.

Oksana Kondratieva who won the Team Championships in Sochi a week ago was again second to none in the women's Hammer Throw, this time succeeding with a 67.19m release.

20-year-old Aleksandr Bulanov was undefeated in the men's Shot Put in 19.07m, with Yevgeni Plakhin losing by just 4cm.

Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF

Click here for RESULTS

Pages related to this article
AthletesDisciplines
Loading...