European Athletics – EAA – News – High fives for Russia

Russia celebrated victory in impressive surroundings as their five individual triumphs proved the key to glory at the British Athletics Glasgow International match at the new Emirates Arena.

In front of a crowd of 5,000, in a Scottish venue staging major track and field for the first time, Russia ended tied on 58 points with the USA.

But five wins during the afternoon to four from America saw them awarded the crown. Britain were third with 50, followed by Germany with 49 and the Commonwealth Select with 40.

But if this match, one of the biggest of the indoor season, was based around the team outcome, one performance stood out from them all in the weeks heading towards the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg.

Four years ago in Torino, German sprinter Verena Sailer, 27, finished third in the 60m at the European Athletics Indoor Championships and the following year, outdoors in Barcelona, her speed brought gold when she won the European 100m crown.

Storming from the blocks on Saturday, she registered herself as the one to beat in Sweden with a stunning performance to soar to the top of the world rankings.

Sailer was in total command of the 60m to leave American Carmelita Jeter, the Olympic silver medallist, trailing in her wake.

European indoor champion Darya Klishina of Russia won the long jump with a leap of 6.44m.

Sailer was 0.01 of a second outside her personal best as she won in 7.16 from Jeter in 7.28 with Russian Olga Belkina third in 7.35.

It was not so much about the time as the execution of the run, and the instant ability to lead within 10 metres and stretch away at 30m, by which time her rivals were in no position to find a way of reeling her in.

But the German played down her win and was generous in her praise of Jeter.

"It feels good but I am not better than her," said Sailer. "She is an Olympic medallist and it was her first race.

"I am planning to go to the European Indoors and I hope to stay healthy. I am very happy with the shape I am in."

But it was Russia's day as the team achieved their series of wins.

They were led by world high jump silver medallist Aleksey Dmitrik, who cleared 2.31m to beat the British captain and Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz, who was second with 2.29m followed by American Keith Moffatt with 2.23m.

Sergey Shubenkov ran 7.62 to win the 60m hurdles ahead of Germany's Erik Balnuweit in 7.67, while in the men's 400m, Pavel Trenikhin was too quick for Nigel Levine, winning in 46.30 from the Briton in 46.74.

In Paris in 2011, Darya Klishina won the European indoor title with a long jump of 6.80m but 6.44m was enough this time for victory ahead of American Fummi Jimoh with 6.34m.

Klishina secured her win in the second round to regain the lead. She had led after the first round with 6.30m before Jimoh had taken over with 6.34m.

In the 800m, one of Russia's stars of 2012 showed she remains in fine form.

Ekaterina Poistogova won Olympic 800m bronze in London and she looked strong again as she triumphed in 2:04.04 from Geena Gall, of the USA, second in 2:04.78, with Germany's Sonja Mosler third in 2:05.13.

But it was an emotional afternoon for Lynsey Sharp, the European silver medallist, who was born an hour away in Edinburgh, and will be one of the big stars of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

This arena will be used for badminton at the Games but the occasion got the best of Sharp this time.

She said: "The main reason for wanting to run was to be at the new venue. I was close to tears on the startline."

As the scores showed, it was a close match and along with Sailer, Germany, like the USA, also won four events.

Jenny Elbe was never out of first place in the triple jump, with 13.69m giving her the lead in the first round before 13.90m in the second proved enough for victory, beating Jamaica's Trecia Smith, of the Commonwealth Select, with 13.85m.

Cindy Roleder won the 60m hurdles in 8.18 ahead of American Danielle Carruthers in 8.22 and Corinna Harrer looked strong in the 1500m to win in 4:22.10 from Russian Kristina Khaleeva, who was second in 4:22.93.

British sprinter Dwain Chambers is determined to be in the mix in Sweden and he has started in impressive style, winning in 6.58 from Kim Collins, the 2001 100m world champion, in 6.65.

"It's still early days," said Chambers. "I have races in Moscow as well as the national trials where I want to be able to qualify comfortably for the Euros, and hopefully I can go from strength to strength from there onwards.

"I am eyeing up the European Indoors. The goal is to put in a performance indoors and that involves getting the European title back."

Holly Bleasdale was Britain's other winner, taking the pole vault with 4.60m, while Dai Greene, the world 400m hurdles champion, broke a long-standing national record as he finished second in the rarely-run 600m.

As American Duane Solomon won in 1:15.70, Greene's time of 1:16.22 broke the British record of 1:17.6, which Ikem Billy set 28 years ago.

 

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