Ghana’s Margaret Simpson long jumping in Mauritius at 2009 African Heptathlon champs (© Clyde KOA WING)
After being away from competition for almost one year Ghana’s Margaret Simpson in her comeback Heptathlon meeting scored 5667 points in Mauritius during the second edition of the African Combined Events Championships (18-19 April) to take gold.
However, she missed by 233 points the entry standard for the 12th World Championships in Athletics to be held in Berlin, Germany (15 - 23 August).
Yet Simpson the 2005 World bronze medallist was delighted by her result and not at all disappointed. “This is my first competition since the very beginning of 2008. I’m very happy about what I did here in Mauritius. I know that I can better my results. It is just a matter of time. I deeply believe that I can do it during the combined events meet in Desenzano.”
The 21st Multistars in Desenzano del Garda, Italy on the weekend of 9 / 10 May is the opening individual permit meeting of the 2009 IAAF World Combined Events Challenge.
“I want to thank coach Aleksandr Nievsky for his profound support. I feel really motivated for the World Championships and I know, also, that I can better my African record (6423 points) this year and maybe be on the podium again. We never know… But for now, the most important thing is to qualify for Berlin”, added the athlete who is based at the IAAF High Performance Training Centre (HPTC) in Mauritius.
Moreover, Sandrine Thiébaud set a new national mark for Togo by scoring 4666 points. The previous mark was from Wesou Télou with 3926 points in 1998.
“This is just fantastic,” said Thiébaud. “I came here in Mauritius, last year to prepare for Heptathlon with coach Aleksandr Nievsky and together with Margaret Simpson. It was just an incredible experience. I want to thank all the athletes from the HPTC in Mauritius for helping achieving this performance with less than six months of preparation”, said Sandrine Thiébaud.
Ali Kame from Madagascar takes gold in the Decathlon
Madagascar’s Ali Kame, another athlete from the IAAF HTPC in Mauritius, took gold in the Decathlon, scoring a personal best of 7363 points. The silver and the bronze medals went to his training partners, namely Ahmed Mohamed Saad (EGY) and Guillaume Thierry (MRI) who respectively scored 7049 and 6968 points.
“I’m so happy as I bettered my previous mark (7083) by 280 points and I’m only 337 points away from the entry standards for the World Championships in Berlin. I truly believe that I will be able to do it in Descenzano or in Arles this year. I will give everything to qualify for the World Championships this year,” said Ali Kame.
Reynolds Quirin for the IAAF
Results
Heptathlon
Senior
1. Margaret Simpson GHA 5667 points
2. Tsoaeli Sellaone LES 5116
3. Florence Wasike KEN 4906
4. Sandrine Thiebaud TOG 4666
5. Goitsemodimo Diginya BOT 4003
6. Jenna Rima MRI 3887
7. Bonolo Maretele BOT 3830
Shaima Mohamed Thimar EGY DNF
Sonia Da Silva FRA DNF
Youth
1. Marine Boullé MRI 4 149 points
Decathlon
Senior
1. ali Kame MAD 7363 points
2. Ahmed Mohamed Saad EGY 7049
3. Guillaume Thierry MRI 6968
4. Silas Katonon KEN 6726
5. Nicolas Castor MRI 6313
6. Ammon Chepsongol KEN 5904
Junior
1. Gert Swanepoel RSA 6137 points
2. Islam Mohamad Shaaban EGY 6018
3. Jonathan Caëtane MRI 5828
4. Abel Thésée MRI 4865
5. Didier Vincent MRI 4800
Willem Le Roux RSA DNF
