CAN KIKAYA MOUNT A SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE TO WARINER BY THE TIME THEY SQUARE OFF IN OSAKA IN LATE AUGUST?
Xalapa, Mexico - Congo’s Gary Kikaya ran 44.60m in the 400m and USA’ Jeff Harwig cleared 5.83 in the Pole Vault, while Mexicans secured four home wins at the Veracruz Athletics Festival on Saturday night (5 May) at the Heriberto Jara Stadium in the city.
On a special date, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (CACAC), founded in this Mexican city, the particaption of 10 World and Olympic medallists highlighted a memorable day for the avid and knowledgeable local crowd.
In the absence of local heroine, World and Olympic medallist Ana Guevara, due to an inflammation in her left leg, great duels and world class results were a good reward for the 20,000 plus fans and the young four-year old meeting.
Kikaya impressive in Mexican altitude
Congo’s Gary Kikaya was pleased to return to Xalapa, where he won the 2006 Banamex Grand Prix, and this time the 29-year-old made his season debut and took advantage of the city’s 1500m altitude with a fast 44.60 in the one-lap race.
With this time, the 2004 World Indoor Championships bronze medallist is now second in the 2007 world Lists, only slower than USA’s World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner, who ran 44.02 on the same day in Osaka.
The fastest non-American 400m runner on the all-time lists (44.10 – 2006) was clearly ahead of Grenada’s two-time World Indoor champion Alleyne Francique ( 45.55) and Jamaica’s Sajay Ayre (45.78).
Two Americans, 2004 Olympic runner-up Otis Harris (46.01) and 2003 Pan American champion Mitch Potter ( 46.11) were a distant fourth and fifth, respectively.
Hartwig on high
Close to turning 40, Jeff Hartwig continues to show an impressive form in the Pole Vault.
The 1999 World Indoor Championships silver medallist cleared a season’s best of 5.83 to win a duel with local favorite Giovanni Lanaro ( 5.73), who took the CAC and Mexican record to 5.82 three weeks earlier.
USA’s 2000 Olympic champion Nick Hysong (5.53) and Robinson Pratt (5.53) shared the third stop, the same height of USA’s Daniel Ryland ( 5.53).
Perez beaten by home hero
In a close duel in the 5000m Track Race Walk, Eder Sanchez, eighth at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, beat Ecuador’s 1996 Olympic and two-time World champion Jefferson Perez. Sanchez and Perez walked stride by stride for 12 laps, before the former made his move in the later stages of the race to cross the finish line first in 18:40.97, ahead of Pérez (18:46.08). Mexican Álvaro García was a distant third in 19:32.47.
Victory even without Guevara
With Guevara out, her training partner Gabriela Medina made a tremendous progress from 51.82 to 51.25 to prevail from Jamaicans Shereefa Lloyd (51.44) and Patricia Hall (51.63).
Medina is targeting an 800m medal at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, 13-29 July.
Before her win, Dulce Maria Rodriguez and Juan Luis Barrios had pleased the crowd with two home victories in the 5000m.
Barrios, the fastest man so far in the world this early season (13:11.37) displayed his middle distance speed to dip just under 13: 59.64 and edged out Kenyans Ben Kiplimo (14:00.72) and Roberto Letting (14:00.86).
Rodriguez, a marathon specialist, clocked 16:15.49 to beat 2006 winner. Genoveva Jelagat of Kenya (16:18.72) and Marisol Romero (16:19.42).
In the only field event for women, Romary Rifka confirmed her good form in front of her own public as she cleared 1.93 in her second attempt to take the High Jump. She failed three times over 1.96.
The 36-year old from Veracruz is back to track with good and consistent results after giving birth to her second child later last year. Rifka, the 2003 Pan American Games silver medallist, has already cleared 1.95 in early March and hopes to equal or improve her national record of 1.97 from 2004.
USA’s Kellie Bowman (1.82) was distant second, ahead of Mexico’s Fabiola Ayala (1.78) and USA’s Ann Larson (1.78).
Sprints go USA’s way
The US, traditionally with the largest international contingent, added two more wins in the sprint events thanks to Torri Edwards and Preston Perry.
Edwards, the 100m gold medallist and 200m runner-up at the 2003 World Champs in Paris, led a US sweep in the 200m with a comfortable win ( 22.88), followed by Mikele Barber (23.19) and Lashauntea Moore (23.31).
Preston Perry won unchallenged in the 100m with 10.30, ahead of Ricardo Williams (10.43) and Pierre Browne (10.44).
The Athletic Festival also held seven events for kids and two events for Paralympic athletes to promote the sport in Mexico. In the morning, over 2000 joined a mass Saturday of athletics in a 5km run.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
With thanks to Conade, and the Mexican Institute of Sports
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