European Athletics – News – Alaka takes men\’s 100 gold on Day 2 of European Athletics U23 Championships

James Alaka of Great Britain confirmed his status as the fastest man in Ostrava by taking the 100m final in 10.45 into a -1.5 headwind on the second day of action at the Ostrava 2011 European Athletics U23 Championships.

Silver went to Italy’s Michael Tumi, 0.02 down, while bronze also went to Britain in the person of Andrew Robertson, 10.52.

Likourgos-Stefanos Tsakonas was fastest in the 200m heats with a clocking of 20.83. After his 100m efforts James Alaka qualified as ninth fastest.

Adam Kszczot of Poland managed to defend his 800m title in a time of 1:46.71.

Silver went to Spain’s Kevin Lopez who, as in the Paris European Indoors, finished behind the Pole. Bronze went to Britain’s Mukhtar Mohammed.

Briton Nathan Woodward repeated his jog off the last hurdle of round one but still clocked 49.59 to take the first semi-final of the 400m hurdles.

Some way behind, but still recording PBs were Nikita Andrianov of Russia, 50.12, and German David Gollnow, 50.21 who would have to wait to see if that was fast enough.

The second semi was won by another Briton, Niall Flannery, in 50.16. Hungary’s Tibor Koroknai captured the second automatic qualifying spot with a 50.31PB. The third and final race went to Serbia’s Emir Bekric who led from the gun, with Britain’s Jack Green looking round off the final hurdle to make sure he was safe in second.

The men’s long jump gold was won by Russia’s Aleksandr Menkov with 8.08. Silver went to Portugal’s Marcos Chuva and bronze to France’s Guillaume Victorin.

It was a brave bid by Belarus’ Eduard Mikhan to erase Thomas Van Der Plaetsen’s 85-point gap going into the final killer event of the decathlon. But he fell just five points short and it was Belgium’s gold. In bronze was Serbia’s Mikhail Dudas.

All three medallists achieved lifetime bests with the Belgian totalling 8157 to Mikhan’s 8152 and Dudas’ 8117.

Andreea Ograzeanu of Romania confirmed her status as favourite for the 100m title, capturing gold in 11.65 into a 1.7m headwind.

Silver went Ukraine’s Darya Pizhankova while Germany’s Leena Günther got up for bronze.

Fastest of the women’s 200 heats was Sweden’s Moa Hjelmer with a season’s best 23.62. 100m winner, Andreea Ograzeanu was fourth fastest while season leader for the event, Darya Pizkankova also got through safely.

Yelena Arzhakova of Russia showed her strength to hold on for 800m gold in a personal best 1:59.41.

Silver went to Turkey’s Merve Aydin, while Britain’s Lynsey Sharp burst through in the final metres to snatch bronze, also in a personal best.

In one of the longest runs for home in a race of this nature, Azerbaijan’s Layesh Abdullayeva, took the lead in the 10000m after seven laps and never relinquished it as she took gold in a championship best performance of 32:18.05.

In an equally detached silver was Ukraine’s Lyudmila Kovalenko while Portugal’s Caterina Ribeiro moved from fifth to bronze on the final lap.

Parakevi Papahristou of Greece retained her triple jump title with a first round leap of 14.40 with silver going to Carmen Toma of Romania while bronze went to Poland’s Anna Jagaciak.

She came into Ostrava as the event leader and Yevgeniya Kolodko of Russia duly carried off shot put gold with a heave of 18.87 in the final round.

Second with her second round throw of 17.92PB was Germany’s Sophie Kleeberg while the Netherland’s Melissa Boekelman captured bronze.

European Athletics – News