Sokolovskiy highest and Klüft longest in Tampere

Tampere, FinlandUkraine´s Andrey Sokolovskiy became the brightest star at the annual Star Games indoor meeting in Tampere, Finland, this afternoon.

Sokolovskiy, 25, won the men’s High Jump with 2.31m but had to work hard for the victory. He needed the full three attempts at the height and also had to take two attempts at 2.18m, 2.25m and 2.28m.

Jamie Nieto of the USA had a fine first jump at 2.28m and was pretty close to clearing 2.31, too. Oskari Frösen of Finland (2.30m PB) hunted 2.28m - the entry standard for the World Indoor Championships - but was unlucky. After clearing 2.25 for the third consecutive meet this winter) Frösen, 28, had three promising attempts in 2.28 but did not do it.

The meeting in Tampere’s Pirkka-Hall was a mixture of sports and a rap-show, but as well as the High Jump and the music the full house of 1500 spectators were treated to some other good entertainment.

Klüft remains confident of long distances to come

Sweden’s Carolina Klüft had troubles with her run-up in the Long Jump, but the best Combined athlete in World still won with her sixth attempt 6.48m. Klüft only registered two results, but her second best of 6.37 would also have been enough for first, ahead of Spain´s 1999 World outdoor champion Niurka Montalvo, whose best was 6.23 in the 4th round.

Klüft flew 8cm longer than in Stockholm on Thursday and believes she is now able to reach a much better level in the near future.

“My longest red-flagged jump today was maybe 6.60 - 6.70. The most important thing is that my technique stayed very stable. I only have to synchronize my run-up and take off, and everything can happen in the rest of the indoor season,” said Klüft.

Klüft is planning to compete twice more before the World Indoor Championships at which she will pass the Pentathlon and take part only in the Long Jump.

“Next weekend the Swedish Champs in Gothenburg and after that perhaps in France. Then I am ready for Budapest,” confirmed Klüft.

The men´s Long Jump was won by USA´s Kevin Dilworth who landed at 7.90m on his 5th attempt. Nils Winter of Germany had a good series with 7.80-7.81-7.84 and placed second ahead of Russia's Ruslan Gataulin (7.78).

Training partners, Hurtis and Manninen end up even

French Muriel Hurtis, the European 200m champion both indoors and out had two hard battles against Finland´s former European Junior champion Johanna Manninen in the women’s sprints, and the end result was a 1 – 1 draw.

At 60 metres Hurtis had a very good start and took a clear victory 7.22 to 7.32 seconds. An hour and a half later they were on the track again, and then it was Manninen´s turn to get ahead in the 100m.

Manninen started brilliantly and led by almost one metre at the 50 metres mark. Hurtis came closer in the second 50 but did not catch Manninen, the 1997 European Junior 100m champion and 2001 European Under-23 200m gold medallist.

Manninen’s time of 11.41 is a new national indoor record, 0.13 seconds better than her previous one. Manninen ran 11.33 outdoors in 2001 and now it seems a lot better can be expected from her talent.

“I am surprised and very satisfied for this victory,” said Manninen. “Yes, my start was excellent and I decided that no one will pass me today. I really respect Hurtis, with whom I trained with last autumn in France. Our co-operation is to be continued. Muriel will came to Finland next November with her coach Guy Ontandon.”

At the World Indoor Championships in Budapest (March 5 - 7) Manninen plans to run both 60 and 200 metres but has bigger expectations from the 60.

“It is always refreshing to compete at 100 indoors. When I did it here in Tampere for the first time I was only 16 years-old and I clocked 11.91. Then I said that I will come up step by step and today I think I took one big step again,” Manninen smiled.

Haborak puts 20.15m, as Halvari returns

Milan Haborak of Slovakia won the men’s Shot with his second round 20.15m. Finland´s Mika Halvari made a good come back after leg injuries and threw 19.84m on his fourth attempt. Halvari was the World Indoor Champion in 1995 and is now training hard for World Championships in Helsinki in 2005.

Kallur improves further

Sweden´s Susanna Kallur set her new personal best at 60m Hurdles in the second of two races. Kallur improved her time from last Thursday in Stockholm by 0.05 seconds to 7.95 - 5th in the World this Indoor season.

Kallur also won the first race with 8.03, while Jamaica´s Delloreen Ennis-London placed second in both races: 7.98 and 8.06.

Robert Newton of Great Britain won the two men’s Hurdles races, running 7.81 in the first outing, and 7.70 in the second.

Four over 14m in the women’s Triple Jump

Finland will send two women triple jumpers as part of their team to the World Indoor Championships in Budapest (5-7 March). Natalia Kilpeläinen flew to 14.08m with her last attempt, which was just one centimetre less than her Finnish Indoor Record and enough to beat European outdoor silver medallist Heli Koivula-Kruger by one centimetre.

Koivula’s series was more stable than Kilpeläinen, as she also leapt 13.96 and 13.98. The competition was very equal as Elena Ivanova of Russia jumped 14.04 and Trecia Smith of Jamaica 14.03.

Herbert low on speed in 300m Hurdles

Olympic bronze medallist Llewellyn Herbert of South Africa was not at his best speed in the men’s 300m Hurdles, but still won this rarely run event in 35.68. Finland´s Jussi Heikkilä placed 2nd (36.61) and Ari-Pekka Lattu 3rd (36.96).

It is worth noticing that Lattu had run 800 metres (for only the second time in his life) about an hour earlier. Lattu started his career as a High Jumper and represented Finland at both at Junior and Under 23 European Championships in late 1990’s. Knee injuries forced him to move onto the track and he set a new Finnish 400m Hurdles record of 49.36 seconds last summer.

The 800 metres was won by Finland´s Juha Kukkamo (1:48.94), who had a good finishing kick that left no chances for Kenyan-born Finn Wilson Kirwa.

Jukka Keskisalo, who was 9th at the 2003 World Championships 3000m Steeplechase beat Sweden´s Oscar Käck, 8:06.24 - 8:09.41.

Results click here