Baya Rahouli of Algeria Triple Jumping in Athens (© Getty Images)
The third day of the 15th Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain, saw several good quality competitions (1 July). Baya Rahouli (ALG), who was sixth in the Athens Olympic women’s Triple Jump, produced a national record of 14.98m in round three to win a high class competition.
Rahouli's mark was also a world leader for a brief moment, about an hour before Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS) bettered this result with 15.11m in the TDK Golden League in Paris Saint-Denis. Rahouli, who is IAAF World Ranked seventh in Triple Jump at the moment, backed up her winning result with another good jump of 14.88m in round two and 14.76m in round four.
Rahouli was a clear winner in the event although other top athletes took part as well. Carlota Castrejana recorded a sixth round jump of 14.60m to take the second place and better her own Spanish record of 14.51m from 2002. Athens Olympics sensation Hrisoyí Devetzí (GRE) was third with a moderate result for her, 14.33m.
In a tight women's Javelin Throw competition, the top throwers could not find their rhythm in the first three rounds. However, Aggelikí Tsiolakoúdi (GRE) hit her best in the competition in the fourth round with a 62.61m effort. Zahra Bani (ITA) has been throwing only one big throw in the competition for most of the summer and did the same here. Bani only had thrown 58.82m before the sixth round, but again found that one throw with her last attempt of 62.36m to take the second place, only 0.18cm below her personal best of 62.54m set earlier this season.
Dímitra Dóva (GRE) won the 400m in 52.67, just managing to leave Phara Anacharsis (FRA) in second place with a personal best of 52.70. Klodiana Shala (ALB), who finished fourth in the 400m Hurdles setting two national records in process, was third with another NR of 53.23. In the 800m it was a one-two for France, Laetitia Valdonado won in 2:01.71 with Elisabeth Grousselle was second, clocking 2:02.47.
In the men's events, 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Esref Apak, who has thrown 81.45m this season, won the Hammer Throw competition with 77.88m, well ahead of Aléxandros Papadimitríou (GRE) who took second place with a 75.57m effort. 18-year-old Pole Vault junior star, Konstadínos Filippídis (GRE) won with 5.60m. Filippídis will really challenge the World Junior record of 5.80m, set in 1989 by Maksim Tarasov (RUS), later this season, he has already bettered the national junior record four times this season to 5.72m, which is also the Greek senior record.
Sofiane Labidi (TUN) won the men’s 400m in 45.60, while 19-year-old Željko Vincek (CRO), who clocked a national junior record of 45.90, was second.
Antonio Manuel Reina (ESP), who will be looking for a place in the 2005 Helsinki World Championships final, won the 800m in 1:47.03 and another Spaniard, Arturo Casado, was fastest in the 1500m in 3:45.61.
Former World record holder Brahim Boulami (MAR) won the 3000m Steeplechase in 8:15.15, the Moroccan was dominant in the event. Antonio David Jiménez (ESP) finished in second place more than nine seconds behind in 8:24.47.
Mohamed Amyn (MAR) won the 10,000m in 29:13.05 just edging Carles Castillejo (ESP), who was second in 29:13.91.
In the relays, Italy won the men's 4x100m clocking 39.13, with France taking the women's title in 43.75.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
