Jolanda Ceplak (SLO) in the semi finals of the women's semi finals (© Getty Images)
Competitive 800m challenges for Jolanda Ceplak and Joseph Mutua head tomorrow's attractions (8 Feb) at the 15th Flanders Meeting.
World indoor record holder Jolanda Ceplak heads the list in the women’s 800m race, originally to have been a duel between the Slovenian and Austria’s Stephanie Graf, until the latter’s sudden and unexpected retirement last month.
Even without Graf, Ceplak will still have enough competition to force a good time. Giving chase around the four laps of the Topsporthal Vlaanderen will be Belgium’s Sandra Stals, who took the bronze medal at the last European Indoor Championships behind Ceplak’s World indoo record.
Also in the field will be a second Slovenian, Sydney fourth-placer Brigita Langerholc, plus reigning European outdoor silver medallist Mayte Martinez of Spain, Edmonton fourth-placer Faith Macharia, and Commonwealth bronze medallist Agnes Samaria of Namibia.
Mutua versus Mulaudzi
After running an African record 1:44.71 last Saturday in Stuttgart, Kenya’s Joseph Mutua appears to be the heavy favourite in the men’s 800, although he will undoubtedly be pushed hard by the man who beat him out of the gold in the last Commonwealth Games, South Africa's Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, who was last summer's World outdoor bronze medallist.
Also figuring significantly in the contest will be a pair of finalists in the last European outdoor championships, Bram Som and Arnoud Okken, both of Holland, plus former European U23 silver medallist Joeri Jansen of the host country and David Fiegen of Luxembourg, a finalist in the European Indoor championships two years ago at age 17.
Quality vault
The men’s Pole Vault also features that event’s world leader from last season, Romain Mesnil of France, jousting with the European outdoor silver medallist Lars Börgeling as well as Edmonton finalist Richard Spiegelburg, both of Germany.
The top season mark among the Ghent competitors (5.80) comes from Russia’s Igor Pavlov, last year’s Universiade silver medallist. And the sixth-placer from Paris, Denis Yurchenko of Ukraine, will be part of the mix.
Also in the vault field will be two six-metre jumpers returning this indoor season after long injury-forced layoffs, Atlanta gold medallist Jean Galfione of France and Germany’s Danny Ecker.
A pair of Paris finalists will compete in the women's Triple Jump, Anna Pyatykh of Russia and Italy’s Barbara Lah, plus double European bronze medallist Yelena Oleynikova of Russia, Edmonton finalist Camilla Johansson of Sweden, and Birmingham sixth-placer Carlota Castrejana of Spain.
Gevaert to share sprint spotlight with Ottey
With silver medals in the 100 and 200 at the last European outdoor championships, Kim Gevaert has gained a great following and respect as Belgium’s “sprint queen”. But even in her own country, she will have to share the spotlight on Sunday with Slovenia’s Merlene Ottey, the multi-medalled “grande dame” of the sprinting world who can still can run with the best despite the approach of her 44th birthday.
They will go to the line on Sunday in the 60 metres, along with Austria’s Karin Mayr-Krifka, the 200 silver medallist at the last European Indoor, European bronze medallist Manuela Levorato from Italy, Lisbon bronze medallist Natalya Safronnikova of Belarus, and two-time World Championships finalist Endurance Ojokolo of Nigeria.
The track will be packed with fifteen competitors in the Men’s 1500 metres, led by former World Indoor and current European Indoor champion Rui Silva of Portugal.
Spaniards José Redolat, the former European Indoor champion, and Juan-Carlos Higuero, the current European indoor silver medallist, will challenge their fellow Iberian colleague, as will former World Junior silver medallist Benjamin Kipkurui of Kenya. Another Kenyan in the race, making a rare appearance in the 1500, will be Edmonton 800 metres fourth-placer William Yiampoy.
Any broad six-lane oval such as the one offered by Ghent stands as a welcome venue for long sprinters striving for qualifying times for championship competitions.
Already with a superb performance last weekend in the Stuttgart 200 (20.78), Sweden’s Johan Wissman will take on Edmonton silver medallist Christopher Williams of Jamaica and a pair of medallists from Birmingham, silver winner Joseph Batangdon of Cameroon and Dominic Demeritte of the Bahamas, who took the bronze.
Poland adds two more formidable entries in the persons of European Indoor champion Marcin Urbaœ and former European U23 champion Marcin Jêdrusiñski, while Lisbon bronze medallist Patrick van Balkom of Holland will bring cheers from the fans making the short trek from Belgium’s northern neighbor.
Cédric Van Branteghem of the host country, the sixth-placer in the Munich European Championships, will be joined in the Men’s 400 metres by the silver medallist in that race, Spain’s David Canal, as well as former European Junior bronze medallist, Bastian Swillims of Germany.
