World class performances by Kallur & Tomlinson in Stuttgart

The Sparkassen Cup meeting in Stuttgart held in front of a packed arena confirmed the splendid form of some top European names who are gearing up to next month's World Indoor Champiosnips in Valencia. The Stuttgart Meeting was attended by 7500 spectators who created a fantastic atmosphere.

Swedish star Susanna Kallur, the reigning European indoor and outdoor champion, topped the bill with another impressive performance. On the blue track of the Hanns Msartin Schleyer Halle she got off to a flying start with a spectacular 7.78 in the women 60 metres hurdles heats which equalled Brigitta Bukovec's meeting record.

Later in the evening Kallur, winner of three top Golden League meetings last year and fourth at the World Championships in Osaka, smashed her fresh Swedish record with a sensational 7.72 which ranks her second in the world indoor all-time best behind Lyudmila Narozilenko's 7.69 world record set in 1990. It was the third win in 2008 for Kallur who clocked 7.81 in Glasgow and 7.75 in Gothenburg.

"I really love running in Stuttgart. It's probably the fastest indoor track in the world. The atmosphere here was super", said a delighted Kallur.

On the men's side the star of the evening was Great Britain's Chris Tomlinson who set a new British indoor record in the men's long jump with 8.18m, which is also a new world indoor seasonal best.

British sprint sensation Craig Pickering, the European indoor silver medallist, confirmed his good form in the current indoor season taking the win in a world class 60 metres final in 6.57 edging out US sprinter Mike Rodgers and African outdoor record holder Olusoji Fasuba.

tomlinson_chris.jpg
Britain's Chris Tomlinson set a new British
record of 8.18m
Reigning 800 metres Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy from Russia, ran the fastest time in the world this winter with 1:45.58 for his second seasonal win after last week's first place in Moscow. Dmitrijs Milkevics from Latvia was the second best European in third place in 1:46.67.

German fans were delighted by a solid 7.54 in the men's 60 metres hurdles by reigning European outdoor silver medallist Thomas Blaschek who finished second beaten by young Cuban star Dayron Robles who set a new Central American record and world seasonal best of 7.36. More impressively Blaschek, who run the second best time in Europe this year behind Allan Scott's 7.52, managed to edge out former Olympic champion Allen Johnson.

Russian pole vaulter Yevgeniy Lukanenko, who vaulted a world seasonal best of 5.85 last week in Moscow, was again the best in the early season winning on count back over compatriot Igor Pavlov with 5.81 vaulting this height his first attempt ahead of a very strong opposition.

Susanna Kallur was not the only Swedish star to perform in the world-class Stuttgart meeting. Johann Wissman, European silver medallist outdoors in Gothenburg and 400 metres world championships finalist, won the first 200 metres heat in 20.91 but it was not enough to take the overall win because local favourite Tobias Unger, a former European indoor champion, ran faster in heat two with 20.84.

Italian distance running hope Silvia Weissteiner, the European indoor bronze medallist in the women's 3000 metres, started her 2008 indoor season promisingly finishing fourth and first European in 8:55.04 in a 3000 metres race highlighted by the world record attempt of Ethiopian Meseret Defar who set the world seasonal best with 8:27.93. Behind the Italian other two top European runners ran brilliantly finishing respectively in fifth and sixth place in 8:56.22 and

Other German athletes produced good performances in front of enthusiastic German 7500 spectators who packed the Schleyer Halle. Stefan Eberhardt finished third in the men's 1500 metres in 3:40.76 behind Ethiopians Derebe Mekonnen (world indoor seasonal best 3:38.52) getting the World Indoor Championships qualifier.

German sprinter Verena Sailer was the first European in the women's 60 metres in fourth place in 7.30 ahead of France's former 200 metres champion Muriel Hurtis Houairi (7.31).

Source/Courtesy
European Athletics (EAA)
https://www.european-athletics.org/
EAA