Maggi long jumps 7 metres in Milan

Brazil’s Maureen Maggi, the World Indoor championships bronze medallist, produced a 7.06m Long Jump which was the highlight of the Notturna Di Milano - IAAF GP II - meeting in the Arena Civica last night (3 June), though it still counld not eclipse the presence of World 100m record holder Tim Montgomery, who strode to a 10.11 win.

The Milan long jump runway is certainly fast and it allowed Maggi to establish herself as the early season favourite for the World Championships title after she leapt over 7 metres on her second attempt, having warmed up with a first round 6.65m. The Brazilian who was formerly a gymnast, continued a fabulous series with a 6.80 jump in the third, and 6.98 in the fourth round. After producing a foul with her next attempt, she ended with 6.84 in the sixth round.

“The Milan runway has something special for me. When I jump here I give one hundred per cent of my potential”, said the Sao Paulo star.

Italy’s World champion Fiona May finished in an encouraging third place with 6.55m, a seasonal best, which improved her previous 2003 best of 6.41 set in Trento last Saturday. After a foul in the first round, May produced a 6.38 leap in the second.

“I have missed competitions for a very long time,” said May. “I struggled in the first three jumps. I fouled in the first jump. I have to get used to jumping in a competitive way. This is the reason why I will compete again in Turin next Friday, before the European Cup in Florence. The competition went better than I expected. The spectators gave me a great support. This is a transitional season for me. My real goal is represented by the Olympic Games in Athens, rather than the World Championships in Paris.”

The meeting opened on the track with the first round of the men’s 100 metres, in which Montgomery, the big star of the evening, was content to save his best efforts to later, finishing in second place in 10.20 behind Nigeria’s Deji Aliu’s 10.19. The powerful 2002 IAAF World Cup winner Uchenna Emedolu won the second heat in 10.36, beating the USA’s Greg Saddler (10.37), and the Italian Francesco Scuderi (10.41) who qualified for the final together with his compatriot Simone Collio, who ran 10.41 in the first heat.

One hour and half later, Montgomery produced a great show in the final with a 10.11 win over the Nigerians Aliu with (10.16) and Emedolu (10.29), with the humidity of a very warm evening in Milan possibly slowing the times a little.

“This was a show for the fabulous Milan spectators,” said Montgomery. “The atmosphere was fantastic. I am happy with the time. I know that faster times will come in the future at the next US Trials. My objective is to dip under my World record and perhaps clock 9.75.”

“The start was a bit disappointing but I am quite happy with my finish….This victory is for Marion and our child,” concluded Montgomery with a smile.

Montgomery’s manager Charlie Wells confirmed the positive impression of the run. “His race was good technically speaking. I think that Tim needs competitions to peak for the next World Championships. After the Trials Tim may skip Oslo but will race at the Rome Golden League.”

Chandra Sturrup, who was a member of the Sydney Olympic winning 4x100m team from the Bahamas, won the women’s 100 metres dash in 11.23, beating Juliet Campbell of Jamaica (11.37) and Nigeria’s Endurance Ojokolo (11.40).

Sandra Cummings Glover was the outstanding winner in the women’s 400 Hurdles with a 54.77 run to open her European season. Poland’s Anna Jesien, European bronze medallist in Munich last summer, was runner-up in 55.70 ahead of the Jamaica’s Commonwealth silver medallist Debbie Ann Parris (55.72). The Italian Monika Niederstätter finished a good fifth in 56.19 behind Natalya Torshina (KAZ), fourth in 56.12.

USA's Angelo Taylor bounced back from a disappointing 2002 with a neck and neck win in 48.95 over Jamaican Kemel Thompson (49.03), who provided very close competition for the American in the final battle to the finish line.
 
Christine Amertyl (BAH), the surprise silver medallist at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, confirmed her new status by winning the women’s flat 400m in 51.30, and in the process beating the reigning World outdoor champion Ami Mbacké Thiam of Senegal (51.68).

“This was my debut outdoors after a very successful indoor season culminated with a silver medal at the World Indoors”, said Amertyl.

The men’s 200 metres was won by the reigning under-23 European champion Marcin Jedrusinski of Poland, with Italy’s Alessandro Cavallaro, a former European Junior champion (Riga 1999) making an encouraging comeback in 20.68 by finishing third behind Jamaican Ricardo Williams (20.64).
 
In the 1500 metres, there was a national record (3:33.67) for Ukrainian Ivan Heshko who produced the major upset of the evening by beating the Kenyans KIsaac Songok (3:33.71) and Timothy Kiptanui (3:36.07).

The Olympic bronze medallist Said Guerni of Algeria took the victory in 1:45.49 by beating France’s Florent Lacasse (1:45.68) in the 800 metres. The Kenyan William Yiampoy was involved in a collision with Guerni, and finished third in 1:45.79 despite losing a shoe in the final stages of the race.
 
Eliud Kipchoge, the recently crowned World Junior Cross Country Champion confirmed his potential as one of the most promising middle distance runners by winning the 5000 metres in a new personal best of 13:11.01, after clocking 7:57.22 for 3000m and 10:40 at 4000m. With 300 metres to go the young Kenyan kicked away from his compatriots Solomon Bushendich and Benjamin Mayo, who finished second and third respectively with 13:12.83 and 13:14.75.

Ethiopia’s Merima Denboba won the women’s 3000 metres with 8:47.68, and was followed home closely by Kenya’s Isabella Ochichi (8:48.49).

Yvonne Buschbaum of Germany successfully pole vaulted 4.45 on her first attempt at the height. It was a successful evening altogether for the Buschbaum who also had first attempt clearances at 4.15, 4.25 and 4.35. Second place was taken by Poland’s Anna Rogowska with 4.40m on countback over the German Caroline Hingst.

The men's High Jump ended on countback with the win going to the Algerian Abderrahmane Hammad, who cleared 2.16, 2.20 and 2.24 in his first attempts. The young Italian hope Alessandro Talotti who he beat, had cleared 2.16 with his second attempt, 2.20 at the first try, and 2.24 on the second, before trying 2.28 three times to no avail.