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| Multi-events legend Roman Sebrle of the Cezch Republic is eyening another gold medal at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris. |
European Athletics presents the final preview in a series leading up to the Paris 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships to be held from 4-6 March.
Heptathlon
On paper there is not much between Roman Å ebrle and Andres Raja, except for the fact that Å ebrle has won everything there is to win and Raja has only a sixth place in the world indoors 2008 to his name.
In Tallinn, this winter it looked as though, at 36, the Czech was entering the twilight of his career when he could only finish fifth to Raja’s second place, the Estonian amassing a new points tally of 6,114.
But Å ebrle has deceived before in this respect and in his national trials he came back with characteristic élan to claim top spot on the season’s rankings just squeezing past the Estonian’s total by three points.
With three European indoor titles under his belt, not to mention Olympic and world titles, it may be asked what else the Czech has to prove, but his appetite for competition continues to be insatiable and the battle between the two men will be one of the clashes of the championships.
Ingmar Vos of the Netherlands has improved his heptathlon total by over 300 points last month at his nation’s trials, and lies closest to the top two with 5,987. With PBs in the long jump, shot and hurdles Vasiliy Kharlamov of Russia scored 5,965 in the trials. With five PBs in individual events of the heptathlon in 2011, fellow Russian Aleksandr Kislov is close to his best shape and was a late addition to the squad after winning in the Ukrainian championships.
Dominic Distelberger of Austria, third in Tallin behind Raja, and France’s Gaël Querin, who established a personal best when winning the trials, could both enter the frame for bronze.
Bronze medallist in Torino, Roland Schwarzl, returns but with only a low-scoring total to his name this year, Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus has not competed at all this year, but the bronze medallist from Barcelona last summer could figure (6234PB), while the reigning European indoor champion, Mikk Pahapill of Estonia, has only competed in the high hurdles in 2011.
Pentathlon
The late withdrawal of the reigning queen of the heptathlon/pentathlon, Jessica Ennis of Great Britain, heralds a clash between event leader, Austra Skujyt„— - who is returning to the multi events after a period out concentrating on the shot - and France's Antoinette Nana Djimou Ida.
The Lithuanian has the advantage, particularly given the massive three-metre difference between the two in the shot, but Djimou Ida has had a busy winter competing prolifically at the individual events of the pentathlon and improving her speed over 60m and 800m, setting lifetime bests in both events. Winner of bronze last time round in Torino, if she gets anywhere close to her form of 2010 she might trouble Skujyt„—, who has yet to get a medal at these championships.
The Russian Federation has opted for numbers three and four at their trials, the better of the two being Yana Panteleyeva who lifted World junior bronze in 2006. Second string Marina Goncharova finished 2010 with a personal best 4605 but so far this winter is almost 300 points off that mark.
Others who have achieved over 4,400 this winter are Grit Å adeiko of Estonia and Zuzana Hejnová of the Czech Republic who have both achieved PBs in all five disciplines giving them lifetime best scores.
Poland’s Karolina Tyminska went over 4600 last year to take her national title, but this season has only competed in the long jump and shot. In Torino she finished fifth, her highest placing in international competition indoor.