Blanka Vlašic celebrates her high jump victory at the IAAF World Indoor Championships (© Getty Images)
MonteCarloWith the start of the ÅF Golden League only two days away we conclude our Jackpot event previews, with a summary of who to look out for in the three field events which are applicable for the $1 Million ÅF Golden League Jackpot in 2008.
NOTE. As with all competitions there are likely to be changes to the start list in the final days before this year’s ÅF Golden League commences at the DKB-ISTAF Berlin meeting on Sunday 1 June, and therefore these event category previews are correct as of information available at the time of publication.
Women’s High Jump
Blanka Vlasic’s loss at last year’s Golden League opener in Oslo was a costly one indeed. With victories in the remaining five fixtures, her Oslo runner-up finish wound up costing her a cool $333,333. She returns this year to make amends as one of the most solid favourites to go the distance in the six-meet series.
In fact the Croatian heroine hasn’t lost since that ExxonMobil Bislett Games defeat, bringing with her a 24-meeting win streak to Berlin, the longest among women in the sport. In 2007, she clearly lived up to the precocious talent she displayed as a two-time World Junior champion, when she captured the outdoor title in Osaka, an image depicted on a Croatian postage stamp.
In a nearly flawless season, Vlasic cleared two metres or more in 17 of her 19 competitions – she bettered 2.03m in seven of those - and produced the year’s six highest jumps. Even attempts at breaking the 2.09 World record, which has survived more than two decades, have become commonplace. Indoors this winter Vlasic’s triumph at the World Indoor Championships almost seemed routine. Vlasic has already jumped 2.03 and 2.01 this spring.
Giving their all in Berlin, as well as during the rest of the season, to knock Vlasic down to earth will be the pair who tied for silver behind her in Osaka, Italy’s Antonietta Di Martino, and Russian Anna Chicherova. Di Martino capped a stellar breakthrough campaign with a 2.03 national record in Osaka while Chicherova, a medal favourite whenever she competes at a major competition, didn’t disappoint either.
Reigning European champion Tia Hellebaut, and 2005 World bronze medallist Emma Green of Sweden are also to challenge in Berlin, but local eyes will be firmly fixed on Ariane Friedrich who produced a stellar breakout campaign of her own indoors this season, clearing two metres or better four times, capped by a personal best 2.02m.
Men’s Long Jump
Irving Saladino has much in common with Vlasic. The Panamanian arrives in the German capital as the reigning World champion, as a clear Jackpot favourite, and riding a 21-meeting win streak, currently the second longest among men in the sport.
That 21st victory came in Hengelo last weekend, when the 25-year-old soared to a sensational 8.73m leap, landing firmly among history's all-time top-10. Seventh, to be exact.
And also like the Croatian high jumper, Saladino's last loss, at the Paris Golden League fixture in July 2006, cost him a sizable chunk of the Golden League Jackpot. He wound up winning at five of six Golden League meetings that year, to take a smaller share of the pie. This year, Saladino, whose competitive ferocity was dramatically illustrated with his final round winning leap in Osaka last summer, won’t be satisfied with anything less than a perfect six-for-six.
The Berlin field will feature an Osaka podium reunion, with Italy’s Andrew Howe and American Dwight Phillips, the reigning Olympic champion, sharing the stage. Howe reached a national record 8.47m at the World Championships to earn silver while Phillips, a two-time World champion who dominated the event until Saladino’s rise, took bronze.
Others in the solid field include South African Godfrey Mokoena, who jumped to gold at the World Indoor championships in Valencia; American Brian Johnson, who has produced a strong early season record; and the Saudi pair of Taher Al-Sabee Hussein and Mohammed Al-Kuwailidi, who have both sailed beyond 8.30 already in 2008.
Men’s Javelin Throw
Here too the reigning World champion - Finn Tero Pitkämäki - will take centre stage. And as in previous years, the competition in the Javelin Throw will have a very distinct Nordic feel.
The rivalry between Pitkämäki and Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, the reigning Olympic champion, resumes in Berlin with the Finn arriving carrying considerable momentum.
Pitkämäki lost just twice in 16 outings (finals) last year, and threw beyond 90m twice (91.23m his season’s best). Both of the Finn’s losses came at the hands of Thorkildsen, also the reigning European champion, who threw a season’s best 89.51m with his victory in Zurich.
But Pitkämäki also arrives on the heels of a loss in his season opener, his first to a fellow Finn in four years when he was bested by Antti Ruuskanen in Kuortane last weekend, 87.33m to 86.89m. Will he take revenge on Thorkildsen, or will the Norwegian strike first blood?
The field also boasts Australia’s rising star in the event, Jarrod Bannister, the early-season world leader after his 89.02m effort in Brisbane in late February, an Oceania record; Latvian Vadim Vaselevskis, who was fourth in Osaka; and Russian Aleksandr Ivanov, fifth at the World Championships.
Athletics’ biggest yearly payday - ÅF Golden League Jackpot
The prize - $1 Million
The requirement - ‘6 out of 6’
In 2008, there are TEN ÅF Golden League event disciplines designated to the Jackpot, six events for men and four for women, as follows:
Men: 100m, 400m, 1500m, 400m Hurdles, Long Jump, Javelin Throw
Women: 200m, 800m, 100m Hurdles, High Jump
Athletes are required to win at all six meetings to acquire at least a share of athletics’ biggest yearly payday.
The possibility of a secondary prize also exists as it did in 2007:
To sustain the active participation in the Jackpot of as many athletes as possible through to the culmination of the series, should NO athlete manage to attain six wins and claim the $1 Million, then anyone with five victories will share half the original prize - $500,000.
NOTE. this secondary prize is only on offer should nobody win his or her event at all six meetings.
Cities and Dates for 2008 - ÅF Golden League
Berlin, GER – Sunday 1 June
Oslo, NOR – Friday 6 June
Rome, ITA – Friday 11 July
Paris, FRA – Friday 18 July
Zürich, SUI – Friday 29 August
Brussels, BEL – Friday 5 September
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
