Usain Bolt (JAM) - another fast win - Kingston (© Errol Anderson - The Sporting Image)
The elite sprinters and jumpers who gathered in the city of Rethymno, as well as some World and Olympic Champions in throwing events gave particular prestige to the “Vardinoyiannia 2007” meeting. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt’s impressive 100m personal best of 10.03, the winning time of 11.05 by Torri Edwards in the women’s race, and a deep men’s Long Jump competition which produced 8.31m leaps by Dwight Phillips and Brian Johnson, were but a few of the highlights at the meeting’s 23rd edition.
The Vardinoyiannia is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final.
Bolt storms to a 10.03 career best, Edwards wins again
Jamaica’s 200m star Usain Bolt showed that he can also shine in the shortest track race. Faced with a group of elite American sprinters, Bolt managed a personal best of 10.03 to win the first of two heats, well ahead of Leroy Dixon who clocked 10.07, with another 200m star, Wallace Spearmon third with 10.20.
No one produced a faster time than the Jamaican tonight, as J.J. Jonhson won the second heat with a season’s best 10.10, followed by Trinidad’s Marc Burns and Jamaica’s Christopher Williams, both clocked 10.22.
Women of the USA dominated the women’s race. The 2003 World champion Torri Edwards clocked 11.05, ahead of 2005 World 200m champion Alyson Felix (11.11) with Lauryn Williams third (11.12).
At the end of the meeting, the American sprinters had shown again in both 200m races. Facing a negative wind mark of 1.1 m/s, Spearmon returned to win in 20.24, ahead of Johnson (20.45) and Rodney Martin (20.53). Jeremy Wariner, the Olympic and World 400m champion, was fourth with 20.57.
Williams won the women’s race in 22.70m, followed by two compatriots: Edwards and Rachelle Boone Smith who clocked 22.86 and 22.96 respectively.
Jones, Demydyuk dash to sprint hurdles wins
The favorite of in the men’s 110m Hurdles men’s race, American Dominique Arnold, was unlucky today. Having technical problems from the first hurdles, he finally failed to pass over the fourth hurdle and decided to abandon the race. Ukraine’s Sergey Demydyuk took best advantage to upset another trio of Americans to win in 13.42. Ryan Wilson (13.44), Ron Bramlett (13.55) and Allen Johnson (13.64) followed.
In the women’s event Lolo Jones was the clear winner in a classy 12.57. Turkey’s Nevin Yanit impressed once more as she managed a second place, breaking the national record with 12.76, while Nicole Denby was third with 12.80, a season’s best for the American.
In this race Greece’s Flora Redoumi clocked a personal best of 12.88 and met the qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championships.
Phillips, Lewis reach 8.31, while Lebedeva reaches season’s best
The Olympic Long Jump champion Dwight Phillips and compatriot Brian Lewis had a strong competition for the win, resulting a meeting record 8.31m, a mark achieved by both jumpers. Phillips was the winner of the event as he had a second better attempt of 8.22m - Lewis’s second better jump was at 8.10m - while three other athletes exceeded the eight metres. Jamaica’s James Beckford was third with 8.17m, in front of the British national record holder Chris Tomlinson who jumped 8.12m. Ukraine’s Oleksiy Lukasevych was next at at 8.05m.
In the women’s Long Jump Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia won with a season’s best 6.86m. One of the event’s favorite, her compatriot Oxana Udmurtova, wasn’t in good form and placed just fifth with 6.42m, while Greek triple jumper Chrysopigi Devetzi took second with 6.55m, followed by Styliani Pilatou who set a season’s best at 6.51m.
Alekna wins with 69.67m throw
Virgiljius Alekna gave no ground to his rivals today, although he had to face six athletes who are on the top of the world list this year. The reigning Olympic, World and European Champion approached the 70m line with a throw at 69.67m to win, leaving in second place Estonia’s Gerd Kanter (68.43m) and on third Spain’s Mario Pestano (66.57m)
Iakovakis triumphs in 400m Hurdles
European 400m Hurdles champion won his specialty after a strong competition with Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane, the Olympic silver medalist. Iakovakis and McFarlane were the dominant forces of the race from the very first steps, and produced a stride-for-stride battle until the last hurdle. The Greek finally clocked 48.51, while McFarlane was second in 48.92 and American Kenneth Ferguson third in 49.23.
“I’m happy with the win, but I was expecting a faster time,” said Iakovakis, whose next outing may come next week in Monaco. “I still have some problems, but I feel improved from meeting to meeting.”
In the second heat American Rickey Harris won in 49.09 followed by Italian Gianni Carabelli (49.11).
Elsewhere
The competition between American Liza Galaviz and Romania’s Ancuta Bobocel and Cristina Casandra in the 3000m steeplechase led the latter to a Romanian national record of 9:28.53, while her compatriot Bobocel was second in 9:37.88 leaving Galaviz third (9:38.94). Bobocel and Galaviz also ran to career bests.
Finally, in the women’s Javelin Throw Greek Savva Lyka won with a season’s best throw of 60.62m, while Russia’s Oxana Gromova was the second thrower who exceeded the 60m line to take second place with 60.38m.
Michalis Nikitaridis for the IAAF
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