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Bergqvist over Di Martino as both sail over 2.02 – Turin report
Saturday 9 June 2007
Turin, Italy - A thrilling Two metres High Jump tussle between World champion and World indoor record holder Kajsa Bergqvist and Italy’s European indoor silver medallist Antonietta Di Martino was the premiere highlight of the Memorial Nebiolo in Turin of Friday (8) night.
The Memorial Nebiolo 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.
Andrew Howe’s 8.25 season opener in Turin
(Lorenzo Sampaolo)
The Swedish star cleared all heights until 2.02 on her first attempt to take the win on countback over a fantastic Di Martino who improved the Italian record at 2.02 with her third attempt. The jumper from Cava dei Tirreni cleared 2.00 on her second attempt to equal her PB set this winter in Banska Bystrica before her 2.02 success.
Di Martino passes Simeoni
The Italian star bettered the 29-year-old Italian record set by Sara Simeoni which has stood since 1978 when the 1980 Olympic champion set two World records of 2.01, first in Brescia and some weeks later when she won the European title in Prague. Both Di Martino and Bergqvist added three attempts at 2.04 before calling a night. Both are now second on the world season’s lest, behind Blanka Vlasic’s 2.04 from Doha. The spectacular High Jump show anticipated by a few minutes the meeting-capping fireworks which ended an entertaining two-hour meeting.
Yargelis Savigne in Turin
(Lorenzo Sampaolo)
An emotional Di Martino said after her sensational feat in the 13th edition of the Turin meeting (eighth as the Memorial Nebiolo), “I did not think about the Italian record. In training I jumped well but 2.02 in my first competition of the year was a surprise. I am still working very hard in training. After many injury problems I did not think some years ago that I could celebrate this feat. This record is the prize after many years of hard work and sacrifices.”
Howe opens with 8.25 victory
European outdoor and indoor champion Andrew Howe opened an exciting men’s Long Jump contest with an 8.25 leap - one centimetre shorter than his last year’s winning result here - which thrilled the crowd who packed the Nebiolo Stadium in the Piedmont city. Howe continued with 8.15 on his second attempt but did not produce other eight metre efforts with his remaining attempts, but nonetheless won handily.
Asbel Kiprop wins the 3000 in Turin
(Lorenzo Sampaolo)
“In the first two attempts I was powerful and full of adrenaline but in the remaining attempts I faded a bit,” Howe said. “There is still a lot of work to do because I am aware that 8.20 is no longer enough to win a medal at the world level. I want to jump more than 8.25 but considering that last year I started my season with 8.01 in Eugene I am happy. I hope to jump better in Milan at the European Cup.”
Only another man, former European champion Oleksiy Lukasevich managed to jump beyond the eight metre barrier for second place with 8.01. Brazilian 17.90 Triple Jump star Jadel Gregorio finished third with 7.99.
World seasonal leader Yargelis Savigne of Cuba (14.99), the World silver medallist in the women’s Triple Jump in Helsinki, began her European campaign with a good 14.65 on her second attempt. Her former compatriot Magdelin Martinez, now representing Italy, showed good form after a difficult 2006 leaping to a confidence-boosting 14.41.
Brkljacic upsets Moreno in Hammer Throw
In the opening competition of the Memorial Nebiolo Ivana Brkljacic, Croatia’s national Hammer Throw record holder with her 74.62 set in Doha on 11 May, stole the show by beating two-time world champion Yipsi Moreno with a final throw of 72.30. Moreno seemed to have clinched the win with her first attempt of 71.46, but the competition reached its dramatic finale when the Croatian, who is a former two-time World junior champion, stoel the victory in the final round. Brkljacic backed up this performance with another 71 metre throw (71.03 in the fifth round). Italian Clarissa Claretti took a solid third place, reaching 69.38.
“I was tired in the first attempts but I knew I was in good shape,” said Brkljacic. “I began to feel better in the final two attempts.”
Elsewhere…
A meeting record fell in the final event, the men’s 200m where Brian Dzingai from Zimbabwe crossed the finish line in 20.29, improving the previous track record set by Joshua Johnson (20.35) in 2005. Marlon Devonish, European bronze medallist over this distance last year in Gothenburg, took the runner-up spot in 20.55.
18-year-old Asbel Kiprop from Kenya revealed his potential as a possible future middle-distance star winning the 3000m in 7:42.31. Another Kenyan, Ismael Kombich (1:44.24 last year), took the honours in the 800m in 1:45.26 holding off compatriot Gilbert Kipchoge (1:45.34)
Reigning world champion Nadezhda Ostapchuk set the third best performance in the world in 2007 with 19.40 in the women’s shot put to defeat Italian Chiara Rosa (18.23).
World Championships fifth placer Tim Benjamin won an exciting neck and neck battle in the finish straight with European outdoor and indoor finalist and Italian record holder Andrea Barberi. The Welshman ran 45.80 to Barberi’s 46.08. Another win for Great Britain came from Marlon Devonish, Olympic champion with the 4x100m Relay in Athens, who sprinted 10.24 edging out American Marquis Davis (10.27) in the 100m.
A good night for Italian athletics was also crowned by 800m hope Elisa Cusma in the two-lap in 2:01.20.
In the men’s High Jump, Kabelo Kgosiemang from Botswana, the reigning African champion, cleared a winning 2.27 on his second attempt which was enough to beat Italian Nicola Ciotti by three centimetres.
Olympic bronze medallist Naman Keita from France won the men’s 400m Hurdles in 49.15 lowering his own European seasonal best.
Monica Hargrove from the USA ran 51.40 to beat Fabienne Feraez from Benin (51.85) in the 400m. The 110m Hurdles victory went to Cuba’s Joel Hernandez with 13.79.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
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