Fasuba: More Ups Than Downs

Members Area In the News
1

Fasuba’s 10.15 and Legnante’s Italian record highlight in Busto Arsizio

Monday 25 September 2006
African 100m record holder Olu Fasuba of Nigeria and Assunta Legnante produced the best performances at the Italian Club Championships in Busto Arsizio in northern Italy last weekend (Sat 23 / Sun 24).

‘More ups than downs’ in 2006 for Fasuba

Assunta Legnante puts 19.04m, national record
(Lorenzo Sampaolo)

Fasuba, whose 9.85 clocking in Doha on 12 May - currently the fifth best time of the year - set the African record, took an easy win last of the Italian Clubs’ title over 100 metres in 10.15, made the more special because it was into a headwind of 0.5 m/s.

Fasuba, who competes for the italian club Assindustria Padova, said afterwards, “I am very happy with the race in Busto Arsizio. I had a harmstring injury two days before the World Cup. This is why I could not compete in Athens. This season I had ups and downs. Fortunately I had more ups than downs”, said Fasuba.

Legnante, fifth at the European Championships in Gothenburg with 18.83, crowned her successful season with a 19.04 national record. Assuntina, as she is called by her friends, improved her own outdoor record (18.92 set in 2004) twice first to 18.98 and then to 19.04 in a very consistent series which included three more releases over 18 metres: 18.36-18.44-18.86.

For the shot putter from Naples, who competes for the Milan Club Camelot, it’s the second national record because she already holds the indoor record with 19.20 set in 2002, the year when she won the European indoor silver in Vienna.

“This is the icing on the cake of a great season. I began my season late because I underwent a foot surgery last autumn but now I am in good form. I want to improve my technique for next year to be competitive at international level. I think that 19.50 is within my reach”, said a delighted Legnante.

World class Hammer and Javelin throwing

More good news for Italian athletics also came from hammer thrower Clarissa Claretti, who threw 71.59 (her second best performance of the year after her SB 71.98 set in March). Claretti, who finished seventh at the European Championships final in Gothenburg and fifth in the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, beat her rival and friend Ester Balassini (italian record holder with 73.59), who finished second with 68.47.

“This season was very good for me. Competing in the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart was a great experience”, said Claretti.

Another Italian thrower who competed well in Stuttgart was World and European finalist Zahra Bani, who at the weekend sent her javelin to a good 62.44m which has confirmed her consistency over the 60 metres.

Heshko wins dead slow 1500; Jiptum beats Inzikuru

World Indoor champion and European silver medallist Ivan Heshko from the Ukraine won a very slow 1500 metres race in 3:50.05 thanks to a devastating kick in the final 400 metres.

Other foreign stars competing for Italian clubs who added international interest to the two-day match were Janet Jepkosgei from Kenya, the fastest woman at 800m this season, who scored a 800-1500 metres double, and World 3000 Steeplechase bronze medallist Jeruto Kiptum from Kenya who won 3000 steeple and 5000 metres. Over the latter distance she defeated Prisca Ngetich Jepleting, World cross country silver medallist, and World 3000 metres steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru (Uganda) in a time of 15:32.23.

Italian 400m record holder Andrea Barberi (45.19), who anchored the 4x400 European relay team at the IAAF World Cup in Athens, capped his successful season with a easy win in 46.29 in the 400 metres.

The jumping events featured a new Italian record in the women’s Pole Vault by Anna Giordano Bruno (4.32), and a PB by Fabrizio Schembri (16.86m) who beat favourite Fabrizio Donato (16.59) in the men’s Triple Jump. Donato bounced back in the second day by leaping to 8.00 metres in the Long Jump.

Overall, Fiamme Gialle won the men’s Club Championships, while the women’s title went to the Sai Fondiaria Roma.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

2

It has certainly been a long season for him with World Indoors then CWG before European season, he must be pretty tired by now.

Does anyone (PJ?) know if Nike is the sponsor of Assindustria team uniforms or is he still without a major sponsor as he has Nike 1 piece and Adidas shoes :confused:

3

Fasuba is sponsored by Adidas and his club by Nike. First time ever that he competes with sunglasses :cool:

4

LOL I noticed they were there now :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks for clearing up re the clothing.

5

You mean “Re-entry Shields” (apologies to Charlie Greene, circa '68) :slight_smile:

6

Of course, knowing him, he may not have been talking about space flights!

7

That was in the Sixties. I don’t remember them :stuck_out_tongue:

8

If you remember the sixties,

you weren’t there!

Timothy Leary???

9

He is very lean PJ, does he perform lots of Tempo? Any specific eating plan?

10

He got a warning about his body weight which was close to 80kg about 1 month ago. Instead of eating twice a day i asked him to eat 3 times. Nigerian traditional food bypasses usual nutritional classifications i guess, however it is mostly carbs. Pictures are funny, sometimes he looks bulk, on this one he looks lean. He does tempo a lot even if he says that’s are the hardest workouts.

11

So PJ, where will you work your European winter months? Will you go south of the equator, to an African or French-speaking area? Maybe New Caledonia or Tahiti or Guadeloupe, or maybe to Jamaica to visit Uncle Don (Quarrie), or perhaps back to Australia where Olu won Commonwealth silver to make such an auspicious start to 2006.

12

One of them, nothing is decided yet, anywhere, everywhere provided there is sun for Olu trying to make everybody :wink: training together as much as possible, Paris is a little bit cold and wet for him but i’ll be there.

13

So, you’ll travel with him or follow him form paris?

14

Did you think that 80kg was too light for him PJ? How tall is he?

Thanks

15

No, 80kg is too much, so instead of eating a lot twice per day, i asked him to eat less and 3 times. He is 1.75m tall and runs better when around 75kg.

16

PJ you could have smiled more in that pic of you on his site :smiley:

17

Maybe PJ’s not smiling so much these days because he’s getting heat from those in the French aths establishment because they know he is “too young” to be “given” such talent to coach. But athletes will go to someone who they can relate to, and someone who makes sense, who speaks their language and has their interests primarily at heart. Athletes are not fools, if PJ’s program doesn’t work for them they will leave soon enough. Fasuba apparently is more than happy to stick with PJ and others from the Tricolour brigade are now coming across as well - hence the heat. Poor “old” PJ, this game truly makes you age before your time.

:rolleyes:

18

Perhaps some of the “oldschool” need to raise their game? They’d better cos now they have competition. Anyway, it can only make athletics as a sport better and that is what it is all about.

19

Time will hopefully shut them up, KK! :cool:

20

PJ needs to get more qualifications, everyone knows that is the most important thing…results mean nothing compared to a certificate :stuck_out_tongue: