Betty Heidler of Germany celebrates winning the silver medal in the women's Hammer Throw with a National Record in the Berlin Olympic Stadium (© Getty Images)
The 2011 IAAF World Challenge continues on Saturday (28) in Dakar's Leopold Sedar Senghor stadium, with the annual international meeting, one of two African fixtures in the 14 competitionglobal series in 2011. Last year’s meeting produced several top results and many of the athletes are coming back to Dakar in 2011 too.
Hammer tops the bill again
The top event of the meeting will be women’s Hammer Throw - which is part of the IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge - thanks to the presence of Betty Heidler of Germany. The 27-year-old hit new heights last weekend in Halle where she came really close to becoming the first woman to break 80 metres in this event. Her Hammer landed at 79.42m*, 1.42 metres further than Anita Wlodarczyk’s (POL) previous World record of 78.30m set in 2010. The Pole won here in last year’s competition, but will not return this time. Heidler is in her own class at the moment, but other competitors looking to place second behind the German include Russians Gulfiya Khanafeyeva and former world record holder Tatyana Lysenko.
On the men’s side the Long Jump will be one of the most interesting events. Moroccan Yahya Berrabah, number three in the 2011 world list with 8.25m, will be competing against young South African Luvo Manyonga and Tyrone Smith of Bermuda, who won the recent Kawasaki Super meet with an 8.09m season’s best result.
In the High Jump, last year’s winner in this meeting Kabelo Kgosiemang, Botswana’s national record holder with 2.34m, is one of the favourites, along with Russian Aleksey Dmitrik, also a 2.34m man indoors, and they will be accompanied by a Finnish duo of Osku Torro and Jussi Viita. Torro set a 2.33m national indoor record in February and will be starting his outdoor season here.
In the 400m Hurdles South African Cornel Fredericks will be looking to for another win here in addition to 2010, but it will be harder this time with American Johnny Dutch in the competition. The 22-year-old has a fast 47.63 personal best from last year and recently set a season’s best 49.03 to win in Daegu.
In the 3000m, Suleiman Simotwo of Kenya, winner here in 2010 returns with some good competition from fellow Kenyan runners, while Moroccan Amine Laalou is the quickest of the 800m field. In the men’s sprints both 100m and 200m winners from the 2010 edition return, but Ben Youssef Meité of Ivory Coast, who won the 200m last year will now only compete in the 100m. Jamaican Lerone Clarke, 100m winner in 2010, will double in both distances this year. Athens Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford (USA) is also doubling.
In the women’s events, aside the previously mention Hammer Throw, the 400m will be one of the top events. The presence of Senegal's former World champion Amy Mbacké Thiam will keep the annual enthusiastic gathering of 60,000 spectators interested but she will have her work cut out this year. 24-year-old American Natasha Hastings will continue her season here, she already has run 50.97 this season and has a 49.84 personal best from 2007. She will be joined by Briton Shana Cox, 51.24 in 2011 and fellow American Monica Hargrove. 2003 World Championships 200m bronze medallist, Muriel Hurtis of France is also in the race, she has moved up from 100m/200m to 400m recently.
In the 800m, World champion Caster Semenya will run her first 800m in 2011 outside of South Africa. Russian duo Tatyana Andrianova and Alena Fesenko might be the ones to challenge Semenya for the win here. “I am happy to be in Dakar," said Semenya. "I shall do my best during meeting. I intend to run (800m) in less than two minutes” before adding, “It is good to run in Europe but it is also good to come to Africa and help promote this sport on the continent.” She is approaching her title defence in Daegu this summer with a positive free mind. "I am the World champion, and so I do not think that my adversaries can unsettle me.”
In the Long Jump, American Funmi Jimoh returns to the stadium where she won in 2010 with a wind assisted 6.87m result. 29-year-old Latvian European Champion from last season, Ineta Radevica and USA's former World champion Tianna Madison are also in the competition.
Madison also runs the 100m, while African 400m champion Amantle Montsho goes in the 200m.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
*World record subject to usual ratification procedures
