WJ Day 1: Discus WR

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World Record - Hunt - in Beijing!
Tuesday 15 August 2006

The 11th IAAF World Junior Championships started with a blast in Beijing this morning as 19-year-old Margus Hunt of Estonia set a new World Junior record of 66.35m with the 1.750kg implement in the men’s Discus Throw qualification round A.

Already a World junior leader this year with his previous personal best of 65.55m, Hunt set the tone of the competition in what was the first event of the 6-day long championships.

It took the 2.05m tall teenager just one attempt to improve on the previous junior standard of 65.88m set by Egypt’s Omar El-Ghazaly in 2003.

“Honestly, I was hoping to throw a World record tomorrow in the final but not today and not with my first throw,” said a delighted Hunt following his morning exploit.

“I felt very good this morning, very relaxed and as you know all the best throws come when it feels easy. My throw this morning was like an easy job!”

Hunt was born in the small town of Karksi-Nuia in Estonia and he credits the smallness of his town as the reason why he took up athletics 7 years ago.

“You know my town is so small that there wasn’t much to do. I thought I should get myself into something and chose athletics. I gave it a try and here I am.”

What started as a hobby has turned into the Estonian’s main occupation nowadays although the young man refuses to sacrifice his education to sports.

“I graduated last year in my town and I’m now moving to Tallin to go to University. I hope I will stay in Tallin just for a year and then hopefully I can pass my SATS and TOEFL exams to go and study in the States,” he explained.

An all-round thrower, Hunt is also an excellent shot putter and hammer thrower although he’s adamant to admit that the discus is his favourite discipline.

“The Discus Throw is the event I enjoy the most and the one I’m best at so it works out well. Here in Beijing I will also compete in the Shot Put but I am also a decent hammer thrower.”

Jokingly he continues. “I have also competed at Decathlon although it was too long ago for me to remember what my personal best was. I think it’s important to be a good balanced athlete, which is why I have had a try at combined events as well.”

Hunt was a finalist in the Hammer Throw at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke and sixth at the Discus Throw at the 2004 edition of these championships in Grosseto, Italy.

He finally struck gold at the European Junior Championships last year in Kaunas.

Estonia has a great tradition at throwing and most recently the pair of Gerd Kanter and Aleksander Tammert took silver and bronze respectively at the European Championships in Gothenburg.

In addition to being an excellent athlete himself, Tammert who also won bronze at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, is Hunt’s personal coach.

“I train with Alexander Tammert,” explained Hunt. “We train six times a week in the winter and then twice a day six times a week in the summer or approaching a big competition like this one.

To train with such a young coach has duplicated Hunt’s motivation lately. The teenager’s dream is obviously to return to Beijing in two years time to take part in the Olympic Games.

“Of course, being here in Beijing makes me want to return and compete in the Olympics but I know it’s going to be tough to qualify. In Estonia we already have three men who can throw around 63 metres and with the 2kg implement my PB is around 60 metres. I hope that two years will be enough to improve to their level and be part of the Olympic team.”

First things first though as Hunt still has to confirm his status of outstanding favourite for tomorrow’s World Junior title especially as his mother will be watching from the stands.

“My mother was just as surprised as I was this morning. She didn’t think I would throw a World record in the qualifying round.”

And although the second best qualifier from this morning’s round lies almost six metres behind Hunt the affable young man knows better than to go in the final overconfident.

“Everyone will start from scratch in the final and everyone will be a tough competitor tomorrow. I want to keep cool especially in my head and not overdo it. I just need to get a good massage tonight and relax.”

Just like every other European representative the trip to Beijing was long and tiring and athletes need time to get used to the Chinese overwhelming heat and humidity.

“The flight was very long and I was very tired when I arrived in Beijing. I came to the warm up stadium yesterday to have a practice but it was very bad. I had very heavy legs and didn’t throw far at all yesterday.”

“Today however it just felt right.”

And right it needs to feel tomorrow night when the first World Junior record breaker of these championships steps in the throwing area to try and win his country’s first gold medal in an IAAF World Junior Championships.

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World Junior Champs, Day 1 - AM session summary
Tuesday 15 August 2006

Beijing, China - The first session of the 11th IAAF World Junior Championships spun to a world class start this morning in hot and sunny conditions in the Chaoyang Sport Centre in the Chinese capital, when 19-year-old Estonian Margus Hunt in round one of the men’s Discus Throw (1.750kg) qualification (Group A) launched his implement to 66.35m, a World Junior record*.

The Estonian’s release obliterated the standing mark of Egypt’s Omar El-Ghazaly (65.88m, 7 July 2003).

Hunt, who celebrated his 19th birthday on 14 July this year, won the 2005 European Junior (62.19m) title last year in Kaunus and ended that season with a personal best and national junior record of 62.21m. He had previously twice improved his national junior record this year, and coming into these championships had a career best with the 1.750kg Discus of 64.32m (Tallinn on 6 July) with which he won his national junior championships.

“I didn’t expect a World record today,” confirmed an elated Hunt who was a sixth place finisher at these championships in 2004. “I am surprised it came so early. I hope I can do the same tomorrow (in the final).”

It would be a real surprise if Hunt’s hope is not fulfilled as the nearest qualifier to him today, also in Group “A” was Russia’s Nikolay Sedyuk with 60.43m. Heading qualifying group “B” was Romania’s Mihai Grasu with 58.38m.

Women’s Shot - All the top names through

Topping out the women’s Shot Put was another European medal hope, The Netherlands’ Melissa Boekelman with a release of 16.47m but this event is not so clear cut with all the rest of the major players from this year’s world season list including the three girls ahead of her this summer - German Denise Hinrichs (16.10m) and the Chinese Yingpan Liu (16.35m) and Li Li (15.69m) – all qualified. Also in the hunt for gold in tonight’s final will be World Youth champion Simoné Du Toit of South Africa (15.46m) who was the last of the automatic qualifiers (those over 15.40m).

British sprinters firing on all cylinders

Its very early in the men’s and women’s 100m sprints, with the semi-final stage coming this evening, Great Britain’s Wade Bennett-Jackson running a PB of 10.33 seconds in heat four of this morning’s ten first round races was the fastest qualifier. His compatriot the World Youth champion Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was the fourth quickest of the morning (10.45).

Jamaica’s in form Remaldo Rose, the second fastest this summer (10.29) was also the second quickest here with a 10.40 clocking, while Australia’s Aaron Rouge-Serret was the real surprise speeding to the third fastest time of 10.43, which demolished his personal best of 10.60, and his 2006 fastest of 10.71. World season’s leader Willie Perry of the USA was well back in terms of overall time but was a comfortable winner of heat 7 in 10.58. Wind readings for the 10 heats were all assisting ranging form +0.1 m/s to +1.5m/s.

Anderson on course for title

USA’s Alexandria Anderson, Perry’s compatriot and the fastest junior women’s sprinter this year, by contrast matched her position in the opening round of the 100m. Anderson who has a personal best of 11.12 for this summer, sped to 11.35 win in heat 1, though was pressed hard home by Jamaica’s Carrie Russell (11.36 PB). The heat 5, heat 6, and heat 4 winners respectively Tezdzhan Naimova of Bulgaria (11.43), USA’s Gabby Mayo (11.43) and Lithuania’s Lina Grincikaite (11.45 PB) were the next fastest overall.

Long Jump – firm Chinese gold medal hopes

A national junior record for Ecuador’s Hugo Chila (7.63m) was the fourth best mark of the men’s Long Jump qualification but as with the women’s dash the leading qualifier was this season’s best athlete, in this case China’s Xiaoyi Zhang. This 17-year-old marvel who leapt to an Area record of 8.17m on 23 April in Chongqing, and last month won the Asian Junior title, today flew to a 7.83m best. His nearest challenger for tomorrow night’s final would seem to be USA’s Antone Belt who jumped 7.73m this morning, and has a best of 7.85m this year. However, Australia’s Robert Crowther, who with a 7.99m PB is this year’s second best junior, was a confident automatic qualifier with 7.61m.

Another 17-year-old top qualfier today was Sudan’s World Youth champion Nawal El-Jack whose 52.49 run to head the women’s 400m first round qualifiers was impressive. But this is by no means a definitive indication of where the gold is heading this week. Also running with relative ease in the scorching sunshine was Jamaica’s Sonita Sutherland, the year’s quickest (51.13 PB), who was the only other runner under 53 seconds this morning with a time of 52.88.

45.91 wows

Trinidad and Tobago’s Renny Ouow of course wowed with his 45.91 in the men’s 400m which took the first heat victory and pulled second placed Julius Kirwa of Kenya to a 46.23 personal best but while marginally slower all the other heat winners also looked comfortable. Great Britain’s Martyn Rooney, the year’s fastest (45.35 PB) was the third quickest overall of the eight heats, when winning heat 3 in 46.25. Also looking relaxed was USA’s Justin Oliver whose 46.86 took the last heat.

The women’s Hammer Throw seems to be going to form like so many events on the first morning. The season’s two best athletes Russia’s Anna Bulgakova (67.79m) and Romania’s Bianca Perie (66.65m), respectively topped Groups “A” and “B” of the qualification round with 60.49m and 63.16m efforts. The top-two Chinese are also among the 12 qualified for the final Zheng Wang (59.28m) and Shuai Hao (60.79m), with Moldavia’s Zalina Marghiev (59.71m) throwing well.

Collins beaten but qualified

USA junior champ and fastest in the world this year Nicole Leach (55.35) won the third of four qualifying heats of the women’s 400m Hurdles in 57.27, but it was Nigeria’s Ajoke Odumosu who was the overall quickest topping out the fourth and final heat in 57.11, beating World Youth champion Ebony Collins (USA) into second place (57.35), who was also a qualifier. Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer set the pace for the day winning the first heat in 57.49. Her compatriot Sherene Pinnock was the winner of the second qualifying race (57.39).

Chris Turner for the IAAF

Photographs from the morning session will follow when they become available.

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World Junior Champs, Day 1 - PM session summary
Tuesday 15 August 2006

Beijing, China - The first two titles at the 11th IAAF World Junior Championships were decided in this evening’s session bringing joy to the Netherlands’ Melissa Boekelman and China’s Fei Xue in the Chaoyang Sport Centre.

World season lead as Boekelman bags gold

Melissa Boekelman of the Netherland - Shot Put gold medallist
(Getty Images)

The Netherlands’ Melissa Boekelman made it two ‘wins’ in a day, following up this morning’s qualifying round 16.47m lead with a mighty 17.66m heave to destroy the hopes of her rivals in the very first round of this evening’s final. Throwing last of the twelve finalists the 17-year-old blasted out a new personal best improving by 81cm on her 16.85m (29 July 2006). The winning mark was also a 2006 World junior season lead.

That effort killed the competition. Round two saw a solid response by German Denis Hinrichs (17.35m) which secured silver, while we had to wait another session of throws before Russia’s Irina Tarasova with a personal best of 17.11m ultimately took bronze. World Youth champion Simoné Du Toit was fourth with 16.95m.

Xue surprises with first gold for hosts

Denise Hinrichs of Germany - Shot Put bronze medallist
(Getty Images)

At the beginning of tonight’s competition programme an information sheet was distributed on the press tribune confirming details of the medal winners’ press conference schedule for the evening. At the bottom of the sheet we were informed that the programme might change should “unexpected Chinese medallists appear.” Well, you wouldn’t exactly class Fei Xue winning a medal in the women’s 5000m as unexpected, as with a 2006 best of 15:38.66 she was the third fastest on the entry list, but the colour of the award, gold, was certainly an unexpected turn-up.

With Ethiopia fielding the two fastest women of 2006 – Workitu Ayanu (14:50.51) and Wude Ayalew Yimer ( 14:57.23) – it seemed certain that gold would go east Africa’s way, and even when these two’s ambitions faltered the African continent’s honour looked set to be upheld by Kenya’s Florence Jebet Kiplagat, who entered the final straight in the lead.

However, Xue, who had made up a lot of ground on the final bend, was not to be denied, and as the Chinese and Kenyan embarked on a dramatic shoulder to shoulder battle down the final 80 metres of the race, the greater resolve was with the home girl. With less than 10m to go, the Kenyan’s legs faltered and the victory went to China. The sparse array of spectators – the stadium had been full to capacity only an hour or so before during the spectacular opening ceremony – applauded loudly to greet a home winner (15:31.61).

Irina Tarasova of Russia - Shot Put bronze medallist
(Getty Images)

Just behind, Kiplagat took second (15:32.34) and compatriot Mary Wacera Ngugi the bronze (15:36.82). All the medallists set personal bests.

Anderson and Aikines-Aryeetey seem firm bets

The semi-finals of the sprints presented clear favourites for the two 100m titles to be decided tomorrow. USA’s Alexandria Anderson (11.51) looked serene in the women’s dash, and there was a show of confident exuberance from Britain’s Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (10.38) in the men’s 100m. The Briton’s task was made easier by the hamstring injury being carried by the season’s fastest junior Willie Perry of the USA, who when he felt another twinge pulled up in the third of three semi-final heats and finished seventh and last (10.68).

More Chinese gold on the horizon?

Leaping to the top of the High Jump qualifiers was local hero Haiqiang Huang of China, the World Youth champion who has a personal best and Area Junior record of 2.28m. Today he was one of ten men clearing the automatic mark of 2.18m to gain entry to the final on Thursday, but also with him was Israel’s Niki Palli, who as the world season’s junior leader with a personal best of 2.30m has all the credentials to upset the expected Chinese celebrations. This should be an interesting duel.

Germany provided the best throwers of both qualification groups in the women’s Javelin, thanks to Vivian Zimmer (56.15m) and Sandra Schaffarzik (53.44m). Vira Rebryk of Ukraine was the second overall best thrower (55.61m), and both China’s hopes, Lingwei Li (53.99m) and World Youth champion Li Zhang (52.20m), who lead the season’s lists, were also among the automatic qualifiers.

There were also first round heats of the men’s 1500m which saw reigning World Junior champion Abdelati Iguider of Morocco qualify well, second in his race in 3:50.23.

There was a championship record in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase first round from Mekdes Bekele Tadese of Ethiopia, who clocked 9:46.67, improving on Kenyan Gladys Kipkemboi’s 9:47.26, a time set when winning the inaugural title at this distance in Grosseto 2004.

Interestingly the winner of the first heat (1:49.12) of tonight’s men’s 800m first round was David Rudisha, son of Daniel, 61, one of the members of the Kenyan Olympic 4x400m winning quartet from Munich in 1972. The fastest qualifier was the final race winner, heat five’s Abraham Chepkirwok of Uganda (1:45.97). Britain’s Emma Jackson headed the women’s two lap first round with a 2:05.68 PB win in the second heat.

Click here for detailed Finals reports

Chris Turner for the IAAF