2013

Aleksey Dmitrik of Russia jumps as he competes in men's high jump final in the European Athletics Indoor Championships at the Oval stadium in Turin March 7, 2009. Ivan Ukhov of Russia won ahead Kyriakos Ioannou of Cyprus and Dmitrik of Russia. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi (ITALY SPORT ATHLETICS)

European Athletics (EAA) – News – Dmitrik and Saladuha stand out in Birmingham

Ergebnisse

By GRR 0

Aleksey Dmitrik showed today how the balance of power has changed in European high jumping with a brilliant display to win the event at the British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham.

Less than two weeks before the start of the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg, Dmitrik, who won silver at the event in Torino in 2009, cleared 2.33m for victory.

His win and that of Ukrainian Olha Saladuha, with 14.61m in the triple jump, the best in the world this year, were the leading European displays in the high-class meeting where the biggest noise was reserved for Britain's double Olympic Mo Farah who won the 3000m.

The men's high jump has been reaching superb standards in 2013 and here was one of the best competitions as Dmitrik triumphed in a field including fellow Russian Ivan Ukhov, the Olympic champion, and Britain's European champion and Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz.

In the opening jumps, both Dmitrik and Ukhov competed wearing tight tracksuit bottoms. They cleared the bar at 2.15m, before the trousers were removed for just shorts as the competition reached the business end.

Dmitrik had authority in his jumps but he was not happy with his run-ups.

He said: "I had some problems, going down the track was not easy. I'm happy and the European Championships are looking good."

But he cleared 2.20m, 2.25m, 2.29m at the first go before going over at 2.33m at the second attempt.

That was enough to beat Grabarz who was second on countback on 2.29m from Ukhov, with the Russian's first failure at 2.20m being the key to second and third.

Grabarz said: "It was really good fun, it was great to jump in front of my home crowd in Birmingham. It was frustrating that I didn’t win and didn’t jump as high as I wanted to but there’s nothing to worry about, I am jumping well. (In Gothenburg) I will be looking to battle it out with Dmitrik and it should be good fun."

But Dmitriv will be the man to beat in Sweden as will Saladuha in the triple jump.

She had the best in the world after her 14.52m in Dusseldorf but increased that by nine centimetres today (Saturday).

Saladuha beat Jamaican Trecia Smith, who was second in 14.20, with Cristina Bujin, of Romania, third with 13.92m.

The Ukrainian was the dominant force with jumps of 14.37m, the 14.61m in the second round, 14.48m and 14.31m.

Farah had control of the 3000m from the start as he ran the way he wanted, even though Frenchman Florian Carvalho made a race of it.

But Farah broke clear on the final lap to win in style in 7:42 from Carvalho in 7:45.77 and Britain's Lee Emanuel in 7:51.46.

On the day that Farah said he will eventually move to the marathon next year, the track remains his domain for now. He said: "The reception from the crowd was fantastic, it was a great start to the year for me."

With Göteborg in mind, it was a great day for Britain's Nigel Levine who moved up to fourth in the European Athletics rankings.

In a time of 46.34, Levine beat Trinidad's Lalonde Gordon in 46.73 and fellow Briton Richard Strachan in 46.78.

He has won here three years in a row is looking to the future.

"I’ve been doing this event for some time now so it’s time to progress," said Levine. "First of all I need to make the final at the Europeans, I have never done that yet, then I will think about the medals.

Britain's Holly Bleasdale had a point to prove to herself after losing to Cuba's Olympic silver medallist Yarisley Silva in Bydgodzcz on Tuesday – and she did that successfully as she won the ploe vault on countback at 4.70m.

In Poland, Silva had triumphed with 4.60m from Bleasdale's 4,50m and it was at the latter of those where both women entered the competition.

The pattern of the top two places was set at that stage as Silva cleared 4.50m, 4.60m and 4.70m at the second attempt while Bleasdale, who tops the European Athletics rankings with 4.77m this winter, went over at 4.50m and 4.70m at the first go.

Both women failed at 4.78m but Bleasdale was delighted with this win so near to the European Athletics Indoor Championships and knows she can go higher.

Bleasdale said: "I felt like I was so close to 4.78m. I had some really big air over it and I have never really used my 4.60 poles before, so I did really well for the first time using them and I can’t wait to go on them again now.

"I have been really positive and really confident all through the indoors and I am going into it (Göteborg) in the best state I can be to win gold. I am really confident."

Russia's Sergey Shubenkov, who leads the European 60m hurdles rankings with 7.50, warmed-up for Göteborg by finishing second in 7.58 behind American Omo Osaghae who won in 7.51 with China's Wenjun Xie third in 7.60.

Two years ago at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris, there was arguably no happier champion than Britain's Helen Clitheroe who won the 3000m title – the first major victory of her career – at the age of 37.

She has not plannd to defend that title because she is going to run the London Marathon in April but still looked impressive yesterday in the distance which took her to the top of the podium in France.

But you never know, now, after Clitheroe stormed to a superb victory, showing so much pace on the last lap, to win in 8:50.16 from Britain's Lauren Howarth in 8:52.00 with Ancuta Bobocel, of Romania, third in 8:52.86.

"My training is planned around the marathon. I will see what my coach says but I am doing a half marathon next Sunday so now my focus is on that."

Jenny Meadows finished second in her comeback race in the 800m as Russian Ekaterina Poistogova won in 2:02.25 but the Briton still ended up with a gold medal around her neck.

Meadows had finished second at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris in 2011 behind Yevgeniya Zinurova, of Russia, who was later suspended for a doping offence.

But Meadows has been out of the sport with injury since September 2011 and was handed her European gold medal during an interview on the BBC after this race.

Meadows had finished second in 2:02.86 with Lynsey Sharp, her British teammate and European Championships' silver medallist, third in 2:02.86, a personal best.

"It was so surreal to be out there on the startline, I really wanted to win," said Meadows. "It is brilliant to have that medal around my neck because I have always wanted to be a champion."

European Athletics (EAA) – News

author: GRR