World Indoor Championships Day 2: morning session – News European Athletics – EAA

The second day of action in Valencia has started with a shock result in the men's 60m Hurdles, Russian dominance in the women's 1,500m and a surprise Estonian performance in the men's Heptathlon…

MEN 60m HEPTATHLON
There was a clear win for America’s Bryan Clay who clocked a season’s best 6.71 for 988 points.  It was Estonia’s last minute entrant Andres Raja who followed the double Indoor silver medallist, setting a personal best of 6.95 – his first ever sub-7 second 60m race.

Joint World leader Andrei Krauchanka (BLR) finishing with a disappointing 7.19 after stumbling out the blocks, while Multi-event veterans Aleksandr Pogorelov (RUS) and Roman Sebrle (CZE) had mixed fortunes, the Russian running a season’s best 7.06, while Sebrle could only manage 7.16 after a bad start.
 
WOMEN 60m HURDLES HEATS
World record holder and event favourite Susanna Kallur controlled her heat in 7.87, but was not the fastest. Nigerian-born Josephina Oniya clocked a new personal best of 7.84 to take that title and assert herself as a real podium threat. The Belgian successes just keep on coming, as Eline Berings ran a new Belgian 60m Hurdles record (8.05) to qualify for the finals.
 
MEN LONG JUMP HEPTATHLON
2005 World Champion Bryan Clay continued in great style and grew his margin by a huge 170 points with his season’s best 7.75m jump. Raja remained in second after jumping 7.42m and Sebrle began to demonstrate some of the talent that has won him 10 global Championship medals – improving to fourth position, after placing second with his 7.60m jump.  European Indoor medallist Aleksandr Pogorelov jumped 7.48m to improve his ranking to third, but he appears to be having injury problems.

MEN 60m HURDLES HEATS
There was shock in the Valencia stadium as World leader and event favourite Dayron Robles of Cuba failed to qualify because he stopped running, wrongly thinking that there had been an illegal start from China’s Liu Xiang. 

However the disappointment at loosing one of the events star attractions was tempered with the home crowd delight as Spanish star Jackson Quinonez was the fastest qualifier (7.58), moving into tonights finals with an enthusiastic crowed behind him. Germany’s European silver medallist Thomas Blaschek is also through to the final.
 
WOMEN 1,500m HEATS
Russian favourites, World record holder Yelena Soboleva and title defender Yulia Fomenko controlled both heats, with Fomenko the fastest finisher in 4:05.94 – the best heat time ever at the World Indoors.

Four other Europeans will join the Russian duo in the final: Romanian Champion Liliana Popescu, Slovenia’s Sonja Roman, Bulgaria’s Daniela Yordanova and France’s 2005 World bronze medallist Bouchra Ghezielle.
 
WOMEN LONG JUMP QUALIFICATION
A small field of 12 competitors meant that only four jumpers were eliminated in this round, including the Czech Republic’s Denisa Scerbova, who was out-jumped by South African Janice Josephs in her very last attempt. Portugal’s European Indoor Champion Naide Gomes was the strongest qualifier with 6.72m, and she will join four other Europeans in the final.
 
MEN POLE VAULT QUALIFICATION
Seven men achieved the standard of 5.70m, including both US jumpers (World Champion Brad Walker and Derek Miles). A first attempt clearance of 5.65m without previous failures also saw Alhaji Jeng of Sweden qualify with his eighth place finish. All the other event favourites advanced, meaning there will be five Europeans in the finals (Jeng, Lobinger, Clavier, Mazuryk and Lukyanenko). Reigning European Champion Aleks Averbukh from Israel did not compete.

WOMEN HIGH JUMP QUALIFICATION
Six made the standard of 1.96m while three others qualified on count-back with 1.93m. However there was big disappointment for the Italian and Swedish camps as Osaka silver medallist Antoinetta di Martino’s (ITA) failure at 1.81m cost her a place in the final and Sweden’s Emma Green who had improved her best jump to 1.98m this indoor season only managed 1.86m.
 
Seven Europeans will compete in the final, including home-crowd favourite and 2006 World Indoor bronze medallist Ruth Beitia, Germany’s ever improving Ariane Friedrich and of course reigning World Indoor and Olympic Champion Yelena Slesarenko (RUS)  who looks set to recreate her 2006 battle with Croatian hotshot and World Leader Blanka Vlasic.
 
WOMEN SHOT PUT QUALIFICATION
World Indoor season leader (20.35m) and Europe’s best Shot Put hope Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus, needed two throws to qualify (18.46) after a first round foul.

However Germany’s Christina Schwanitz and Russia’s Anna Omarova, confirmed their strong form as the second and third automatic qualifiers with 18.97m and 18.58m respectively

There was disappointment for Italy’s reigning European Indoor Champion Assunta Legnante who failed to qualify after finishing tenth with an 18.24m throw, but fellow Italian Chiara Rosa will carry Italian hopes into the final having qualified with her 18.38m throw.
 
Quick Quotes
Susanna Kallur (SWE) 60m Hurdles
“I am used to training in the morning, so I was not tired. I feel powerful and relaxed. I was only a little tensed after the false start. I had a good season last year. That is why I do not feel under pressure nowadays, even though it may seem that there is a big rush around my personality."

Josephine Oniya (ESP) 60m Hurdles
“I felt I could have run 7.80, but I came off the final hurdle – not too ideal! I want to be faster in the semi-finals."

Roman Sebrle (CZE) Heptathlon
“I wanted a sub 7.10, so my 60m result was again not satisfactory. I also had a problem in first lane to hear the starter. In the Long Jump I tried. Although I’m not in my best shape I think I can fight for the medals."
 
Yelena Soboleva (RUS) 1,500m
“I have good feelings, it will be a strong final with a fast pace."

Yulia Chizhenko (RUS) 1,500m
“I’m expecting a very fast final. Believe me!"

Blanka Vlasic (CRO) High Jump
“Somebody pulled my mark, so I could not start my attempt at 196m. I had to ask for time to measure my starting point again. There was too much waiting in the competition, it was tiring.  I am used to sleep at this hour just after lunch. Some people may think it can be hard to beat me, but we will see tomorrow. It does not have to be me"

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