Norwich Union Indoor GP - Birmingham

Tobin beats Caines in Birmingham

Robert Tobin continued his good form ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Games with an impressive 400m victory at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix.
The 22-year-old ran a well-judged race, surging past Daniel Caines and Jamaica’s Davian Clarke on the home straight to win in 46.20 seconds.

“This win gives me a lot of confidence for the Commonwealths,” Tobin said.

Caines, who goes to the World Indoors in search of a second title, set a season’s best of 46.51.

Later, Kenenisa Bekele bids to break the two-mile world record and Yelena Isinbayeva goes in the pole vault.

Bekele & Isinbayeva miss records
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/4723632.stm

Kenenisa Bekele produced an awesome run but just missed out on breaking Haile Gebrselassie’s two-mile world record at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix.
The Olympic and world 10,000m champion ran a blistering solo race to clock eight minutes 05:12 seconds - just 0:43 outside Gebrselassie’s mark.

Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva also failed to set another lucrative indoor mark in the pole vault.

The peerless world record holder failed all three attempts at 4.92m.

The best British performance in Birmingham was delivered by Robert Tobin, who continued his good form ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Games with an impressive 400m win.

The 22-year-old ran a well-judged race, surging past Daniel Caines and Jamaica’s Davian Clarke on the home straight to win in 46.20 seconds.

“This win gives me a lot of confidence for the Commonwealths,” Tobin said.

Caines, who goes to the World Indoors in search of a second title, set a season’s best of 46.51.

Olympic and world champion Tonique Williams-Darling won the women’s race in 51.85.

The Bahamian said after the race she is still undecided about whether to go to the Commonwealths.

Freddy Mayola upset Britain’s world indoor champion Jason Gardener in the men’s 60m.

The Cuban recovered from a false start to clock 6.55 seconds to edge out Gardener (6.57), who will contest the Commonwealth 100m instead of defending his world title.

“It’s a little bit disappointing but I left myself too big a gap to claw back,” Gardener said.

“It’s still a good time for me and it bodes well for the 100m in Melbourne.”

France’s Christine Arron claimed the women’s 60m in a season’s best of 7.15 in only her second race on British soil. :slight_smile:

Former American world 100m champion Torri Edwards made her return after serving 15 months of a two-year drugs ban and finished fourth.

There were no fireworks in the women’s long jump following Jade Johnson and Kelly Sotherton’s public spat in Sheffield last weekend.

Sotherton kept her Commonwealth heptathlon preparations on track with a decent jump of 6.50m - good enough to take second behind Spain’s Concepcion Montaner.

“Overall it was a positive day and I’m in good stead for Melbourne,” Sotherton told BBC Sport.

There were also good signs for fellow heptathlete Julie Hollman, who is also going to Melbourne, as she landed a personal best of 6.47m to take third.

Johnson, making her comeback from a back injury, looked a little lacking in confidence and finished down in seventh with a best jump of 6.26m.

In the men’s event, Nathan Morgan took second with 8.02m, which is outside the qualifying mark for the World Indoors.

Tim Abeyie, third in the 60m sprint, took second behind American Wallace Spearmon with a personal best of 20.86 in the 200m.

Jamaican Veronica Campbell won the women’s event in a season’s best of 22.84 :slight_smile: with Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu third in 23.74.

The Olympic champion said afterwards she was running into form ahead of the Commonwealths despite combining study with her training.

World 5,000m and 10,000m champion Tirunesh Dibaba also exuded class as she comfortably won the 3,000m in a season’s best time of 8.41:22.

Norwich Union Grand Prix
18 Feb 2006 16:56
http://www.sportcentric.com/vsite/vcontent/content/transnews/0,10869,4854-130891-19728-20273-232823-13435-5150-layout126-132199-news-item,00.html

Event by event round up:

Paralympic 60m
The afternoon’s opening event was a victory for Stephen Payton in the 60m against a tough field. Payton, who did not have as a good a start as Michael Churm, stormed through in the last 25m to take the win in 7.85. Churm was a strong second with 8.00 seconds dead with Graeme Ballard third in 8.13.

Long Jump
A picture can speak a thousand words - and enough was said by the 2m gap between Jade Johnson and Kelly Sotherton as they waited to be introduced to the Birmingham crowd.

The two – whose well reported public spat was the subject of much midweek coverage – were focussed on their own performances, but there was a tangible air of awkwardness as the event was built up as the Johnson versus Sotherton showdown.

However it was Julie Hollman who stole the show in the first few seconds with an opening round 6.47PB to show the field there was more to the women’s long jump than this two-way battle and eventual winner Concepcion Montaner of Spain put together an impressive series ending with 6.50 and a second best mark of 6.4m.

Out of the battling duo, Sotherton had the better competition although was disappointed not to have made the extra few centimetres for the win with her best leap reaching out to 6.50 also but her second best only making 6.35.

Johnson however, was mature in her outlook after a disappointing competition although she would have taken some heart from completing 4 out of the 6 jumps – her most consistent series since the start of her come back from back injury. Her 6.26 topped leaps of 6.20; 6.26 and 6.22m during the afternoon.

“I know people may be a little disappointed with my result today. I know I am doing well in training and so I am going to put it down to being ring rusty.

“A bit more match practice I should be back to my best form.”

UK Challenge 800m
Marilyn Okoro took to the front not long after the gun, but it was Harewood all the way from 100m into the race as she sought to make amends for last weekend’s 2nd place at the AAA indoor championships – winning in 2.01.98. Katrina Wootton was 2nd in a solid 2.04.50.

400m
In what was one of the most intriguing line ups of the weekend, Robert Tobin turned the tables on the build up surrounding his rivals with a carefully considered race to take the 400m win.

The race took familiar shape when Daniel Caines made his usual effort to reach 200m first - finding himself in front of Jamaican Davian Clarke with Tobin adrift by 5m+. But into the final 100m the race turned into a classic as Clarke approached Caines’ shoulder, and Tobin closed on both athletes with a well-timed effort.

Running an intelligent race, Tobin pipped both Clarke and Caines on the line after purposely planning not to go out too hard having suffered with a cold mid week.

“I had a feeling they would go out quick – Daniel always tends to – it was just about whether I was going to be strong enough to catch them up,” said Tobin.

1500m
Being touted as an unofficial run off for the remaining place in the World Championship 1500m team, it was expected for the race to have two focus points; that being battled out by the likes of Eliud Kipchoge, Michael Rotich and Laban Rotich for Kenya up front, and a secondary focus amongst the battling Brits.

True to form, Rotich, Osmar Dos Santos, and Daniel Komen pulled out the pace from the start, whilst back in the pack Neil Speaight, Andy Baddeley and Jamie Thie moved around the track as one unit. Baddeley sported a support bandage on his left wrist to protect a broken bone – a result of his tumble at the previous weekend’s AAA championship 800m final.

With both Thie and Speaight coveting the final 1500m slot available, Speaight had been careful to track Thie’s moves throughout. He eventually made his move at the bell, and Thie suffered momentarily in the pack - having to chop his stride as those around him moved into action. Speaight’s timely move took him all the way through to 3rd place in a personal best – and a place in the World Indoor Championships.

“I am over the moon with that. I was just trying to run sensibly and not try to do too much at the start,” said Speaight.

“My job was to come and beat James, one of my best mates and to use my kick at the end… when I saw Heshko coming back to me I couldn’t believe it!”

60m
Perceived as another “run off” for a World Indoor place, the British men had their own battle amongst the high-class field lining up at the NIA.

But it was disappointment for the NIA crowd who had gathered to give Jason Gardener the best possible send off to the Commonwealth Games as he was pipped by Cuban Freddy Mayola who not only took the win in the final, but put a claim in for a share of the title of fastest man over 60m this year.

Mayola’s 6.55 against Gardeners 6.57 was a season’s best and shared the number one spot with Gardener for 2006.

Gardener said:

“That’s the way it goes. He ran very well. He got a blinding start. – He is a fantastic starter and ran the race of his life.

“I’m pleased with my run but disappointed to finish second. I have been preparing for the 100m so it’s good to be running so well at 60m

Further back down the field, Mark Findlay took 3rd in 6.62 with Tim Abeyie completing his afternoon’s work with 6.70.

Earlier on Simeon Williamson and Harry Aikines Aryeetey were 6th and 7th respectively in the second heat – failing to qualify for the final

Women’s 60m
The overseas star quality of Christine Arron and Zhanna Block shone through in a tough race where top Brit was Joice Maduaka. Arron came through late to take first in 7.16 ahead of Kim Gevaert and Block. Maduaka’s 7.35 helped her to fifth position.

400m
Tonique Darling took first place in 51.85 ahead of Germany’s Claudia Marx and the later disqualified Novlene Williams.

Helen Karagounis was the best of the Brits in 4th – later promoted to 3rd following Williams’ disqualification. Her season’s best run of 52.88 showed solid form in her preparation for the World Indoor 4 x 400m relay.

Men’s 200m
Wallace Spearmon – fresh from his recent World Record over 300m was the class act in the one lap event – winning in 20.68, but Tim Abeyie’s PB of 20.86 as he was towed to 2nd in Spearmon’s slipstream shows that the 60m AAA champion is surely in the best shape of his life.

Abeyie said:

“Another PB – and next week in Ghent I hope to bring that down again. There is no secret about what I’m doing – just hard training and the right training.

“And as far as I’m concerned I’ll just keep on doing it!”

Men’s Long Jump

The men’s competition was delayed halfway through proceedings after Savante Stringfellow suffered a slip on take-off that led to an awkward sand pit landing and the subsequent delay of the long jump whilst medical assistance sought to remove him from the infield with a leg injury.

Nathan Morgan, hunting desperately for the World Indoors qualifying distance of 8.10 put together a consistent series (7.67; 7.83; 7.95; 7.93; 7.70; 8.02) but wasn’t able to make the breakthrough he would have wanted.

His final round of 8.02 pushed his placing to 2nd just 1cm behind winner Ignisious Gaisah – but the consistency showed in his afternoon’s work bodes well for future competitions.

Women’s 200m
Veronica Campbell was a fairly easy winner in a race where local concern focussed on the sight of Catherine Murphy pulling up in obvious discomfort with a calf problem after 75m. Christine Ohurugu continued in her strong indoor form in 23.74 for 3rd place.

60mH
In a scolding hot line-up the winning time of 7.87 reflected the talent on show. Sarah Claxton was unable to repeat her amazing victory of 2005, finishing 7th in 8.12. Lacena Golding Clarke (Jamaica) was the winner led the four athletes who dipped below 8 seconds.

3000m
With The Norwich Union Grand Prix standard high-class endurance field on show there was the usual double race in flow. That of the Dibaba’s up front and that taking place back in the pack. Tirunesh Dibaba raced to victory ahead of her sister Ejegayehu in 8.41.22 whilst top Brit was Helen Clitheroe in 7th with 9.04.84. Kate Reed ran a PB 9.05.77 for 9th position.

2 miles
The touted world record attempt by Keninisa Bekele fell only fractionally short of succeeding by 0.43 of a second, but showed the legendary Ethiopian is in excellent shape after the traumatic times of early 2005.

His 8.05.12 mark against Gebrselassie’s 8.04.69 from 2003 was a sterling effort, but perhaps the lack of the Gebrselassie fan club overlooking proceedings and the supportive drumming put Bekele at a disadvantage in comparison to his countrymen’s previous visits to the NIA.

Pole Vault
It wouldn’t be a Norwich Union Grand Prix without a record, such is the standard that has been set in previous years, so it was somewhat surprising that Yelena Isinbayeva could not add to her Pole Vault record from last week with the 4.92 she attempted at the NIA.

She still won the competition however following a strong challenge from Poland’s Anna Rogowska who matched her winning height of 4.79 – but for Rogowska – it was a Polish record.

Of the Brits, Kate Dennison went out at 4.15m – fairing slightly better than Ellie Spain who recorded no mark for the competition, failing to clear 4.00m

Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix
IAAF Permit Indoor Meeting


18 February 2006
Birmingham, UK
MEN

60m
Heat 1 Jason Gardener 6.61, 2h1 Tim Abeyie 6.67, 3h1 John Capel (USA) 6.67, 4h1 Mark Jelks (USA) 6.69, 5h1 Akeem Ogunyemi (NGR) 6.74, 6h1 Ronny Ostwald (GER) 6.75, 7=h1 Darren Chin & Craig Pickering 6.81,
Heat 2. Mark Findlay 6.65, 2h2 Freddy Mayola (CUB) 6.66, 3h2 Daniel Persson (SWE) 6.69, 4h2 Morné Nagel (RSA) 6.69, 5h2 Anatoliy Dovgal (UKR) 6.71, 6h2 Simeon Williamson 6.74, 7h2 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (J) 6.82, 8h2 Rae Edwards (USA) 6.90,
Final: 1 Mayola (CUB) 6.55, 2 Gardener 6.57, 3 Findlay 6.62, 4 Abeyie 6.70, 5 Capel (USA) 6.70, 6 Persson (SWE) 6.71, 7 Nagel (RSA) 6.73, Jelks (USA) DNS

200m 1 Wallace Spearmon (USA) 20.68, 2 Abeyie 20.86 [UKAT 16th], 3 Capel (USA) 20.88, 4 Omar Brown (JAM) 21.09, 5 Rikki Fifton 21.69, 6 Joseph Batangdon (CMR) 21.82

400m 1 Robert Tobin 46.18, 2 Davian Clarke (JAM) 46.29, 3 Daniel Caines 46.51 (200-21.18), 4 Matt Elias 46.89, 5 Jerry Harris (USA) 46.98, 6 Marc Raquil (FRA) 47.31

1500m 1 Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (KEN) 3:34.26 [UKAC Rec] (1200-2:51.69), 2 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 3:36.25, 3 Neil Speaight 3:38.65 [UKAT 5th], 4 Laban Rotich (KEN-M35) 3:39.97, 5 Sergio Gallardo (ESP) 3:40.20, 6 Ivan Heshko (UKR) 3:40.59, 7 James Thie 3:41.14, 8 Eugenio Barrios (ESP) 3:41.23, 9 Andrew Baddeley 3:43.76, 10 Stephen Davies 3:47.49, Osmar dos Santos (BRA-M35) DNF (1000-2:22.35), Michael Rotich (KEN) DNF (400-56.39, 800-1:53.62)

2 miles 1 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 8:05.12 (1600-4:03.93, 2000-5:04.08, 2400-6:04.12, 2800-7:04.94), 2 Tariku Bekele (ETH) 8:13.32 (1200-3:02.50), 3 Shadrack Korir (KEN) 8:14.84, 4 Markos Geneti (ETH) 8:17.39, 5 Paul Bitok (KEN) 8:27.60, 6 Michael Skinner 8:55.70, Chris Bolt DNF, Vincent Le Dauphin (FRA) DNF (400-60.12, 800-2:00.32), Mohamed Amine (MAR) DNS

Long Jump 1 Ignisious Gaisah (GHA) 8.03 (7.92, x, 7.94, x, 7.96, 8.03), 2 Nathan Morgan 8.02 (7.67, 7.83, 7.95, 7.93, 7.70, 8.02), 3 Salim Sdiri (FRA) 8.01 (8.01, x, 7.90, 7.73, x, 7.88), 4 Joan Lino Martínez (ESP) 7.77 (7.54, x, 7.30, x, 7.47, 7.77), 5 Aarik Wilson (USA) 7.74, 6 Jadel Gregório (BRA) 7.66, 7 Savanté Stringfellow (USA) 7.63 (injured on 2nd jump), 8 Morten Jensen (DEN) 7.54

WOMEN

60m 1 Christine Arron (FRA) 7.16, 2 Kim Gevaert (BEL) 7.20, 3 Zhanna Block (UKR) 7.21, 4 Torri Edwards (USA) 7.21, 5 Joice Maduaka 7.35, 6 Angela Williams (USA) 7.35, 7 Montell Douglas 7.48, 8 Melinda Smedley (USA) 7.71

200m 1 Veronica Campbell (JAM) 22.84, 2 Peta-Gaye Dowdie (JAM) 23.02, 3 Christine Ohuruogu 23.74, 4 Douglas 24.45, 5 Smedley (USA) 25.21, Catherine Murphy DNF

400m 1 Tonique Williams-Darling (BAH) 51.85 (200-24.43), 2 Claudia Marx (GER) 52.09, 3 Helen Karagounis 52.88, 4 Grazyna Prokopek (POL) 52.90, 5 Melanie Purkiss 54.02, Novlene Williams (JAM) DSQ

800m 1 Karen Harewood 2:01.98 (400-59.46), 2 Katrina Wootton 2:04.50 [UKAT 23rd], 3 Claire Robinson 2:04.82, 4 Catherine Riley 2:05.33 [UKAT 36th], 5 Marilyn Okoro 2:06.23, 6 Lizzy Brathwaite 2:06.83

3000m 1 Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 8:41.22 (2000-5:51.74), 2 Ejegayehu Dibaba (ETH) 8:49.59, 3 Lidia Chojecka (POL) 8:56.69, 4 Wioletta Janowska (POL) 8:57.91, 5 Julie Coulaud (FRA) 8:58.83, 6 Tatyana Golovchenko (UKR) 8:59.90, 7 Helen Clitheroe 9:04.60, 8 Anália Rosa (POR) 9:04.84, 9 Kate Reed 9:05.77 [UKAT 16th], 10 Maria McCambridge (IRL) 9:05.91, 11 Tina Brown 9:23.46, Mardrea Hyman (JAM) DNF (1600-4:40.21), Kenia Sinclair (JAM) DNF (1000-2:50.13)

60mh 1 Lacena Golding-Clarke (JAM) 7.87, 2 Michelle Perry (USA) 7.88, 3 Aurelia Trywianska (POL) 7.93, 4 Glory Alozie (ESP) 7.96, 5 Delloreen Ennis-London (JAM) 8.07, 6 Lolo Jones (USA) 8.08, 7 Sarah Claxton 8.12, 8 Anjanette Kirkland (USA) 8.25, 9 Kelly Sotherton 8.29

Pole Vault 1 Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) 4.79 (4.65-o, 4.79-o, 4.92-xxx), 2 Anna Rogowska (POL) 4.79 [POL Rec] (4.45-xo, 4.65-xo, 4.79-xxo, 4.86-xxx), 3 Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) 4.45 (4.45-o, 4.55-xxx), 4 Jillian Schwartz (USA) 4.45 (4.15-o, 4.30-xo, 4.45-o, 4.55-xxx) , 5 Pavla Hamácková (CZE) 4.30, 6 Martina Strutz (GER) 4.30, 7 Kellie Suttle (USA) 4.30, 8= Kate Dennison & Hanna Mia Persson (SWE) 4.15, 10 Yvonne Buschbaum (GER) 4.15, 11 Yuliya Maslennikova (RUS) 4.00, Ellie Spain NHC (@4.00)

Long Jump 1 Concepción Montaner (ESP) 6.50 (6.43, 6.50, 6.35, 6.49, 6.46, x), 2 Sotherton 6.50 (6.35, x, 6.50, x, x, x), 3 Julie Hollman 6.47 [UKAT 12th] (6.47, 6.28, x, 6.12, 6.24, x), 4 Elva Goulbourne (JAM) 6.46, 5 Grace Upshaw (USA) 6.42, 6 Jackie Edwards (BAH) 6.33, 7 Jade Johnson 6.26, 8 Gillian Cooke 6.10
U17-200 1 Chris Clarke 21.54 [ENG U17 Best, UKAT-U17 2nd], 2 Funmi Sobodu 22.40, 3 Sean Duffill 22.65, 4 Tony Corrigan 22.68, 5 Tom Bradbury 22.71, 6 Edward Chan 22.80