Tyson Gay was flying with 2 m/s wind in Greece! It was a bad luck that Powell was not in that race… 
Massive 71.08 throw for Alekna, Gay dashes 9.88 in Rethmyno
Saturday 22 July 2006
A world leading 71.08 throw by Virgiljus Alekna in the Discus Throw and an extremely fast 100 metre performance by American Tyson Gay were the main highlights of the 28th Vardinoyiannia meeting held in Rethmyno, Greece on Friday (21). The meeting included a series of excellent performances, although in some cases were assisted by strong winds.
Alekna’s 71.08 farthest throw in the World since 2002
Tyson Gay of the US wins the men’s 200m at the 2005 World Athletics Final
(Getty Images)
Alekna, Lithuania’s reigning World and Olympic champion, produced a phenomenal outing, claiming a lead he would never relinquish a 68.50 first round effort. He followed up with a season’s best 70.12 in the second round, before his massive effort in the fifth.
“I’m really pleased for this performance,” said Alekna, after reaching beyond the magical 71-metre line for the third time in his career. He is now the only thrower to achieve such an extraordinary feat. “Now I’m thinking only about the European Championships," the next competition on his schedule. Surprisingly, Alekna, a double World and Olympic champion, has yet to claim the European title.
American Jarred Rome was second with a 66.51m throw, with Lars Riedel third with 65.01m.
Dominique Arnold - 13.10 for 110m Hurs - to win the 2006 USATF title
(Getty Images)
9.88 personal best for Gay
After the astonishing 200m race in Lausanne where he set a personal best of 19.70, Gay was again impressive with his dominating victory in the shorter dash. He won easily with a personal best of 9.88, the fourth fastest of this season, and assisted with the maximum allowable wind of 2.0 m/s. This season the 23-year-old has clocked a personal best 10.04 on three occasions, most recently last weekend at Rome’s Golden Gala.
Far back, Trinidad’s Darell Brown took second in 10.13 with American Kaaron Conwright third in 10.15, running in the second 100m.
Maria Mutola of Mozambique wins gold at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow
(Getty Images)
Even without co-world record holder Asafa Powell, who cancelled his participation in the meeting at the last moment, the 100m race was so fast that many wondered what could have transpired had the Jamaican come to race.
Torrie Edwards was fast as well in the women’s race, winning in 10.86, but the assisting tail wind was stronger at 2.2 m/s. Fellow American Rachelle Boone-Smith was second (11.04) with Cydonie Mothersill of the Cayman Islands third (11.12).
Windy half-lap wins for Willie, Boone-Smith
Both 200m races were also wind assisted. In the men’s faster heat Kelly Willie clocked 20.20 (+2.5) to clearly defeat Jamaican Usain Bolt (20.29), while Boone-Smith, the silver medallist at last year’s World championships, clocked 22.50 to finish well ahead of Mothersill’s 22.74.
Meeting record for Mutola
Although with more difficulties than expected, Maria Mutola won the 800m in a new meeting record 1:57.36, pressured to the finish by Jamaica’s Kenia Sinclair.
Mutola was more dynamic in the last 100m to maintain the lead she had from the beginning, while Sinclair, the World indoor and Commonwealth silver medallist, dipped under 1:58 for the first time with her 1:57.88 national record. Russia’s Natalya Panteleyva was third in 1:59.49.
American Bernard Lagat took the men’s 3000 in 7:34.41, closely pressed by his former Kenyan compatriots Benjamin Limo, who was second in 7:34.97, and Boniface Songok, third in 7:36.29.
Udmurtova impresses again in the Long Jump
Russia’s Oksana Udmurtova, who has already exceeded seven metres this season, reached 6.98m to defeat a very strong field in an extremely close competition. Commonwealth Games champion Brownyn Thompson of Australia was second with a 6.95 leap, just head of reigning European champion Tatyana Kotova of Russia, who reached 6.92. Olympic champion Tatyana Lebedeva was fourth with a 6.85 best with Greek champion Hrysopigi Devetzi fifth with a 6.75m leap. All athletes had positive wind readings under two meters per second. Udmurtova emerged victorious from a competition of the highest level, stressing her ambitions for the European Championships next month.
Arnold, Perry take sprint hurdles, injury for Jackson in the full-lap race
Dominique Arnold, the new American record holder second fastest ever in history after his sensational 12.90 in Lausanne, won as expected with a wind-assisted 13.01. Some technical problems and the strong wind (+2.2) did not permit a race under 13 seconds for the American, but his performance was nonetheless a new meeting record. 20-year-old American Aries Merritt, still a newcomer in international circles, was second in 13.17, equalling his recent finishes from Rome and Madrid.
Michelle Perry shined in the women’s race, running under more conducive conditions. She clocked 12.48 (+1.8 m/s), verifying her strong season form, just a few ticks from her world-leading 12.43 from Lausanne. Damu Cherry was second in 12.60 with Jenny Adams third with a season’s best 12.66 to round out a U.S. podium sweep. Young Turkish Nevin Yanit was fourth in 12.88, setting a new national record.
The 400m Hurldes produced an unpleasant surprise for World champion Bershawn Jackson, who had an injury on the second hurdle and abandoned the race. [NB: The extent or details of his injury were not reported.] American Mike Tinsley was the winner in 49.10, ahead of Jamaican Dean Griffiths (49.14).
Elsewhere…
Jadel Gregorio of Brazil was an easy winner in the triple jump with a 17.15 leap, while rising American star Jennifer Stuczynski cleared an outdoor career best of 5.65m to take the Pole Vault over Russia’s Tatyana Polnova (4.55). On Thursday, Poland’s Szimon Ziolkowski dominated the Hammer Throw with his 79.60m victory, while China’s Wenhiu Zang was the only woman to exceed 70m to win with a 71.25m throw. Kathrin Klaas was second with a 69.79m best, and American Erin Gilreath was third (69.49).
Michalis Nikitaridis for the IAAF
For full results of the meeting click here