Wilson Kipketer wins European Championships 800 metres (© Getty Images/Allsport)
One of the oldest athletics meetings in Europe, the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial (15 June) witnessed two decisive defeats for Poland’s two reigning Olympic Hammer champions, and a summer season winning debut for World 800m record holder, Wilson Kipketer of Denmark.
In the men’s hammer, World and Olympic champion Szymon Ziolkowski threw a distance of 75.42, exactly the same result which had given him the European Junior title back in 1995. Eight years later and the throw was enough only to secure him sixth and last place yesterday. Up-front, World silver medallist (1997) Andriy Skvaruk of Ukraine was strongly pressed by Libor Charfreitag of Slovakia, and in his last attempt went over 80m for the first time in 2003.
In the women's hammer, Olympic champion Kamila Skolimowska couldn't overcome her technical problems and wasn't the equal of Olga Kuzenkova of Russia, who had finished runner-up to her at the Sydney Olympics. Kuzenkova threw three throws in the region of 70 metres with a best of 70.40m, and finished nearly 3 metres ahead of the best of the next best, Vania Silva of Portugal.
Skolimowska even lost by more than 1 metre from her compatriot Agnieszka Pogroszewska. "In such shape it would be better if she went to a training camp to improve her technique instead of going to the European Cup," admitted the President of Federation, Irena Szewinska.
In the men's 800 metres, the Dane Wilson Kipketer and Kenyan Joseph Mutua were at the head of the race from start to the finish. From the beginning Mutua went ahead but due to the lack of a pacemaker he ran rather slowly (400m in 53.50). He started speeding up at the last bend, but by the middle of the straight Kipketer edged up to his shoulder and took the win by a metre at m – 1:46.67 to 146.78.
Kipketer’s Polish coach, Slawomir Nowak, was pleased with Kipketer’s run, who in spite of training problems had decided again to compete for Warsaw’s spectators.
In the 3000m Memorial Run, Kenyan Joseph Kosgei failed to gain a third consecutive win. There was a very fast pace set for the last kilometre (2:30:35) by 30 years-old Richard Geemi of Kenya, who after four years on the European circuit became a race winner for the first time.
The men’s 200m was awaited with much interest with World Indoor champion Marlon Devonish (GBR) versus European Champion U-23 Marcin Jedrusinski but in the end the contest did not happen. A tired Jedrusinski ran only in the relay and Devonish could only finish fifth. However, another Briton Julian Golding timed his finish perfectly to win in an excellent 20.37, with a 3.6 m/s headwind.
Two other medallists from the Birmingham World Indoor championships achieved better results than Devonish. Shot Put champion Manuel Martinez (ESP) was the only athlete beyond 20 metres with a best of 20.30m, while Inessa Kravets (UKR) who was second at the Long Jump in Birmingham, made her season's debut in the Triple Jump obtaining 14.42m, the event at which she is the World record holder.
The most exciting struggle of the day took place in the women's 100m hurdles in which judges had to analyse the photofinish for a long time. In the end Irina Lenskiy of Israel was given the win in 12.85 seconds, with Aurelia Trywianska of Poland in second, also clocking the same time. The Pole is married and lives in United States, and was very happy with her personal best especially as she thus achieved the World Championships standard.
Poland’s European Cup team announced
Immediately after the meeting, the Polish Athletics Association Board announced the composition of the Polish teams that will participate at the European Cup in Florence, Italy (men – Super League) and in Lappeenranta, Finland (women – First Division), next weekend - 21/22 June.
2003 World Indoor Pole Vault bronze medallist Monika Pyrek, and 2002 European 400 m Hurdles bronze medallist Anna Olichwierczuk-Jesien, and 100m hurdles Aurelia Trywianska are the leaders of the women's team. However, much longer is the list of well-known athletes, who are absent: due to injury - Grazyna Prokopek (400m), Lidia Chojecka (1500m), Justyna Bak (3000m steeple), Violetta Janowska (3000m), and due to lack of form - Kamila Skolimowska (Hammer), Liliana Zagacka (Triple Jump).
Marcin Jedrusinski (European Champion U23 200m), Pawel Wieruszewski (400m) and Radoslaw Poplawski (European Junior Champion 3000m steeple) are the strongest members of the men's team which unexpectedly won the European Cup in 2001.
In the running events the Polish team is strongly weakened by the following absent names: injured - Marek Plawgo (400m), Pawel Januszewski (400m H), Robert Mackowiak (400m) and Pawel Czapiewski (800m).
After the defeat in the Memorial, Olympic and World Champion Szymon Ziolkowski gave away his place to Wojciech Kondratowicz (3rd World Junior Champs 1998).
Leading results:
MEN
100 m (+1.6)
1 Gabor Dobos (HUN) 10.30
2 John Barbour (GBR) 10.40
3 Marcin Urbas 10.41
200 m (+3.6)
1 Julian Golding (GBR) 20.37
2 Salim Al-Yami (KSA) 20.67
3 Marco Torrieri (ITA) 20.88
5 Marlon Devonish (GBR) 20.98
400 m
1 Rafal Wieruszewski 45.83
2 Zsolt Szeglet (HUN) 45.98
3 Tim Benjamin (GBR) 46.18
800 m
1 Wilson Kipketer (DEN) 1:46.67
2 Joseph Mutua (KEN) 1:46.78
3 Peter Biwott (KEN) 1:47.93
3000 m Memorial Run
1 Richard Geemi (KEN) 7:54.59
2 Denis Kipkirui (KEN) 7:55.39
Long jump
1 Tomasz Mateusiak 8.03
2 Valeriy Vasilyev (UKR) 7.96
3 Kiril Sosunow (RUS) 7.95
Shot put
1 Manuel Martinez (ESP) 20.30
2 Petr Stehlik (CZE) 19.69
3 Tomasz Majewski 19.61
Hammer
1 Andriy Skvaruk (UKR) 80.58
2 Libor Charfreitag (SVK) 79.64
3 Wojciech Kondratowicz 78.32
6 Szymon Ziolkowski 75.42
Javelin
1 Dariusz Trafas 81.02
2 Igor Janik 80.63
3 Rajmund Kolko 79.01
4x100 m
1 Poland I (M. Krzywanski, L. Chyla, M. Jedrusinski, M. Urbas) 39.05 2 Hungary (P. Geza, M. Gyulai, G. Dobos, A. Farkas) 39.89
WOMEN
100 m (+0.6)
1 Anzhela Kravchenko (UKR) 11.29
2 Endurance Ojokolo (NGR) 11.32
3 Abiodun Oyepitan (GBR) 11.36
400 m
1 Aliann Pompey (GUY) 51.48
2 Svetlana Usovich (BLR) 51.62
3 Anna Pacholak 51.88
800 m
1 Anna Zagorska 2:03.50
2 Ewelina Setowska 2:03.63
3 Oksana Zbrozhek (RUS) 2:04.11
100 m H (+1.0)
1 Irina Lenskiy (ISR) 12.85
2 Aurelia Trywianska 12.85
3 Aneta Sosnowska 13.05
400 m H
1 Anna Jesien 55.74
2 Malgorzata Pskit 56.27
3 Leva Zunda (LAT) 57.17
High jump
1 Ekaterina Aleksandrova (RUS) 1.97
2 Anna Ksok 1.89
3 Oana Pantelimon (ROM) 1.86
Pole vault
1 Anna Rogowska 4.40
2 Thorey Elisdottir (ISL) 4.30
3 Monika Pyrek 4.30
Triple jump
1 Inessa Kravets (UKR) 14.42
2 Yelena Ivanova (RUS) 14.05
3 Aneta Sadach 13.99
Discus throw
1 Joanna Wisniewska 61.84
2 Vladimira Rackova (CZE) 59.36
3 Wioletta Potepa 57.04
Hammer throw
1 Olga Kuzenkova (RUS) 70.40
2 Vania Silva (POR) 67.48
3 Agnieszka Pogroszewska 67.36
4 Kamila Skolimowska 66.24
4x100 m women
1 Poland I (I. Dorobisz, D. Onysko, D. Dydo, J. Balcerzak) 44.36