South
America warms up for the Brazilian GP
Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF
2 May 2002 - The action in South America in the past few
weeks has been intense, leading up to an expected peak at the Brazilian Grand
Prix this weekend, the only South American stop on the IAAF Grand Prix.
The “18th Grande Prêmio Caixa do Brasil” will take place this Sunday in Belém, at the “Estádio Olímpico do Pará”, that will host it’s opening ceremonies as well. It will be the first time that the Brazilian meet is not taking place neither in São Paulo, were it started in 1985, nor in Rio, were it was held from 1996 until last year.
So far, the main names of the 2002 South American scene have been Brazilian: Maurren Higa Maggi, Cláudio Roberto Sousa, Hudson de Souza and Jadel Gregório.
Maurren, after producing great performances earlier this season, leapt last Sunday to a 6.89m (w. -1.0) Long Jump, at the classical “Orlando Guaita” meet in Santiago de Chile.
Other good marks at the “Estadio Nacional” of Chile’s Capital, were the 200m NR of Uruguay’s Heber Viera (20.52/0.7), 13.74 in 110mh by Márcio Simão de Souza, 5.60 by Australia’s Paul Burguess in PV, and a 52.10 400m by Great Britain’s Catherine Murphy.
On the same weekend, in Brazil’s São Caetano do Sul, sprinter Cláudio Roberto Sousa, confirmed his great shape (after a 100m PB of 10.19 in previous weeks) by running another personal best, this time in 200m, 20.39 (w. 1.3) at the “3º Torneio FPA” on Sunday.
In São Caetano do Sul as well, Triple Jumper Jadel Gregório (17.38i and 17.08 this season) leaped to 17.04w/2.6, and in the same event, but on the women’s side, Luciana Alves dos Santos produced a windy mark of 13.81/3.3.
Middle distance runner, Hudson de Souza, coached by Luiz Alberto de Oliveira’s (the man who in the 80’s and 90’s trained Joaquim Cruz, José Luiz Barbosa and Mary Decker-Slaney, among others) has been very fast, with a good 3:37.85 clock in 1500m (Manaus, 13/4), and an area record in 2000m (5:03.34, also in Manaus on 6/4). His teammate Osmar Barbosa dos Santos was also impressive with a 1:46.30 800m.
Other area records were also set in past weeks. In 3000 meters Steeplechase, Brazil’s Michelle Barreto Costa improved her own South American record with 10:22.12 in Manaus on April 13. The old record was 10:26.00, attained on August 5, 2000 in Rio de Janeiro.
In the Men’s PV, Chilean José Francisco Nava added 1cm to the South American Junior record, on Saturday April 13. Competing at the Universidad Católica stadium in the neighbourhood of San Carlos de Apoquindo (950 meters of altitude), Nava vaulted to 5.31 meters, surpassing the previous record set by another Chilean, Jorge Naranjo, in Santa Fe, Argentina on October 18, 2001.
Nava is one of the main hopes of South American medals at the 2002 IAAF World Junior Championships in Kingston, alongside Argentina’s hammer Thrower Fabián Di Paolo, who in Santa Fe on April 13, tossed the 7.26kg hammer to 67.45 meters, moving to the top spot on the 2002 World Junior Lists.
Last weekend, though, at Argentina’s National Championships in Mar del Plata, other thrower, Marcelo Pugliese (DT), was the main man, as he improved his national discus record to 64.23. Alejandra García (4.30 in PV), was the women’s top performer.
Good marks can be expected this weekend in Belém, but that will not be the end to the top level competition, as the following weekend Guatemala - with a jumping and sprinting friendly altitude of 1402m - will host the 10th Ibero-American Championships, a competition that will be key in the selection process of the athletes who will represent the Americas at the World Cup in Madrid.
Further information regarding this weekends “Brazil GP”, can be found at the Brazilian Federation’s web site - http://www.cbat.org.br/competicao/gpbrasil/default.asp.
