27th August 2012 00:22
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| Olympic champion Krisztian Pars of Hungary. (Photo by organiser) |
From among three Olympic winners who were in the fray in the throwing events, only two emerged victorious on Sunday evening. Hungary’s Krisztian Pars dominated the hammer with 79.84m amidst a very strong field where even the 6th place thrower finished with a best attempt of 76.16m.
Poland’s shot put Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski attacked the 21m mark in slippery circle, but had to settle for a best of 20.98m the best throw.
In women’s hammer Germany’s Betty Heidler ruled the field with a throw of 75.19m. Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno, with a last ditch attempt of 74.86m, managed to pip Olympic champion Tatyana Lysenko, who threw 74.76m, for the second place.
Another meet record was established in the women’s high jump where Svetlana Shkolina cleared 1.93m first and then 1.97m and in the process improved the event best twice in rain.
World leader Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic won the javelin with 80.47m and also saved his energy for Diamond League final in Zurich when he passed two last throws.
The only Slovak win of the day, came in the specially organised 3000m track walk. Local hero Matej Toth clocked 11:05.95 to take the top prize.
A first ever sub 10 on the Slovakian soil was expected in the men’s 100m, and it was close as Jamaica’s Olympic relay gold medal winner Nesta Carter clocked 10.01 (0.0) during his win.
His relay gold winning colleague Michael Frater was second in 10.12 just edging Dwain Chambers who also clocked 10.12.
Bronze London winner Timothy Kitum tried to attack the world junior best in the 1000m, but the runners did not follow the pacemakers, at the end Abraham Rotich clocked meet record 2:17.08 ahead of Australian Jeff Riseley 2:17.63 and Kitum third 2:17.96.
Earlier in the 800m, talented Kenyan runner Edwin Melly clocked a meet record 1:45.82 beating Nicholas Koech 1:46.82.
Olympic silver medallist Dawn Harper of the USA tried hard to improve upon her own meet record but could not go better than 12.68 (-0.4) amidst rain ahead of Queen Harrison 12.81 and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep 12.94.
Another meet record and Slovak all-comers mark in women steeple by Lydia Chepkurui in 9:30.82 who defeated Fancy Cherotich 9:35.03 and Ukrainian Helsinki medalist Svitlana Shmidt 9:37.90.
In women 1000m, US Brenda Martinez won in 2:38.48 just ahead of Belarus Marina Arzamasava, who started the race as a pacemaker, also 2:38.48 and Slovak Olympic finalist Lucia Klocova who with 2:38.72 broke old national record.
Belarus Helsinki medallist Aliaksei Tsiapik won the triple jump with 16.58 (-0.2).