Friday 9th october 2009

THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) have re-elected IOC President Jacques Rogge in an 88-1 vote at the close of the 121st Session in Copenhagen.

After thanking IOC members for their continued support, Rogge outlined an ambitious second-term agenda to strengthen and improve the Olympic Movement. IOC presidents are restricted to an eight-year term, followed by a single four-year term.

“We have much more to do,” Rogge told his colleagues. He said one of his top priorities is to implement the recommendations of the recently completed XIII Congress. He also emphasised the importance of the new Youth Olympic Games, which will debut in Singapore in August, followed by the Youth Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012

“We will take this initiative from infancy to maturity and leave a lasting legacy for the world’s youth,” he said. “We will be staunch allies for athletes. We will continue to lead the fight against doping, and we will establish a new independent monitoring body to combat irregular betting and match fixing.

“We will narrow the gap in sport between the developed and the developing worlds; and between men and women. We will redouble our efforts to place sport at the service of mankind — to inspire young and old alike; to give athletes the opportunity to lead by example; and promote the Olympic values of fair play, respect, solidarity and the pursuit of excellence."

Rogge, who was first elected at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow in 2001, is the eighth IOC President. The IOC has undertaken a series of reforms during his tenure to improve IOC governance and maintain the Games as the world’s premier sporting event.
The changes include a more structured system to routinely review and refresh the Olympic sports programme; improvements in judging and refereeing; an aggressive anti-doping programme; and steps to restrain the size and cost of the Games.

The IOC has quadrupled its financial reserves during Rogge’s term while distributing record revenue to International Federations, National Olympic Committees and the Olympic Solidarity programme, which offers financial and training assistance to athletes.

Other initiatives have sought to spread Olympic values through programmes in the fields of education, culture, women’s advancement, the environment and Sport for All. The IOC adopted the UN’s Millennium Development Goals and the environmental goals of Agenda 21, and forged closer ties with the UN to support the Olympic Truce, development through sport, education, humanitarian aid and health protection around the world.

Rogge, 67, competed in the sailing competitions at the Games of the Olympiad in Mexico in 1968, Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976. He was also a member of the Belgian national rugby team.

Article by the IOC.

Friday 9th October 2009

FOUR British athletes Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (100m), Jenny Meadows (800m), Nicola Sanders (400m) and Hannah England (1500m) are amongst the nominations for the European Athlete of the Month Award for September.

Loughborough student Harry Aikines-Aryeetey finished fifth at the Shanghai Golden GP, clocking 10.13secs in the 100m.

Jenny Meadows won 800m bronze at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Berlin, clocking 2:00.41.

Loughborough Alumni Nicola Sanders over 400m finished fourth in Berlin, clocking an impressive 51.01.

Hannah England made up for disappointment in Berlin with a silver medal winning performance at the World Athletics Final.

At the end of each month, a panel of experts produces a shortlist of the outstanding athletes and performances achieved by European athletes during that month, which is then emailed to Europe's athletics media and thousands of fans who have already signed up to receive news from European Athletics.

The poll is situated in the Fan Zone of the European Athletics website, where the public, media and a group of expert statisticians will cast their votes with each category counting as 33.3 percent of the vote.

The winner of each poll will be awarded 10 points, second 9 points, etc. and the athlete with the most points after the three different polls have been counted will be declared the winner. In the unlikely event of a tie, Hansjörg Wirz, the president of European Athletics, will have the casting vote.

The voting will close on Wednesday 22nd October at noon Swiss local time.

The European Athlete of the Month initiative was launched in January 2007 and is designed to recognise outstanding performers at all levels of the sport in Europe.

European Athletics names a male and female winner each month and features the athlete on the European Athletics website.

No athlete who has previously served a two-year doping ban can be nominated for the European Athlete of the Month.

The winning male and female athletes of the monthly awards will be announced and profiled on the European Athletics website.

To vote click on the following link: www.european-athletics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4760&Itemid=208

Saturday 10th October 2009

ZERSENAY Tadese will be looking to become the first athlete male or female to win an unprecedented fourth global title over the 13.1 mile distance at the IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships that take place in Birmingham on Sunday (11th October).

The 27-year-old Tadese in 2004 became the first Eritrean to win an Olympic medal. In 2005, he won the country’s first global athletics gold, taking his first world title on the only occasion in the championships’ 17-year history when the races were not held over the half marathon distance.

He successfully defended his title in 2007 but not before becoming Eritrea’s first World Cross Country champion with victory over Ethiopia’s multiple champion Kenenisa Bekele.

Fabiano Joseph Naasi, from Tanzania, returns to the event having failed to build on his extraordinary early half marathon career. In 2003, at 17, he became – and remains – the youngest medallist, finishing runner-up as he led Tanzania to team gold.

In the absence of 2009 World No.1 Patrick Makau, Kitwara leads a Kenyan squad which looks unbeatable for the team title.

Kitwara’s route to Birmingham could hardly have been more different from the one taken by Tadese. While Tadese appeared in Amman and Berlin, Kitwara missed out on both trips, narrowly failing to gain a place in the Kenyan team for the World Cross Country and being stripped of his place in the team for Berlin.

After winning the national 10,000m trial, Kitwara was dropped after the selectors disapproved of his decision to run a road race in Atlanta a week later. Now, belatedly making his debut for Kenya.

The non-African challenge seems likely to be led by two Japanese, Yoshinori Oda and Atsushi Sato, and one American, Dathan Ritzenhein. Teamwise, Kenya posses four of the fastest five athletes entered, leaving a four-way fight between South Africa, Ethiopia, Japan and Eritrea for the team silver and bronze places.

Andi Jones, Andrew Lemoncello, Mark Miles, Gareth Raven and Philip Wicks lead the home challenge for Team GB.

In the absence of triple champions Paula Radcliffe and Lornah Kiplagat, a fascinating and highly competitive women’s race remains in prospect with the fastest half marathoner of the year combined with the 2008 World Cross Country silver medallist and a big rising star from Japan will be on the start line in Birmingham.

Britain is the first country to host the event three times, having staged the inaugural championships on Tyneside in 1992 and the 2001 edition in Bristol. On both previous occasions, the winner came from the home nation – Liz McColgan in 1992 and Radcliffe in 2001.

Kenyan Mary Jepkosgei Keitany, tops the 2009 rankings with her 1:07.00 victory in Lille last month and also holds the fastest personal best of the field, clocking 1:06.48 for the silver medal behind the Netherlands’ Kiplagat in Udine, Italy, in 2007.

Second fastest in the field (1:07.50) is Philes Ongori and, with Filomenah Cheyech (1:08.44), Peninah Arusei (1:08.47) and Carolinen Kilel (1:09.03) completing the Kenyan squad.

Ethiopia are led by Abebu Gelan (1:07.57) and Aberu Kebede (1:08.43), whilst, the non-African challenge should come from the Japanese who will be seeking to improve on their four successive team bronze medals but who seem likely to make it five in a row. They are led by Yurika Nakamura and Yukiko Akaba.

Akaba set a personal best 1:08.11 last year and, with 1:08.50 this year, she is the fastest non-African in the field. But the 23-year-old Nakamura is rising fast with a personal best 1:09.20 set this year and a confident statement that she wants to run 1:08 in Birmingham.

The British squad of Allyson Dixon, Claire Hallissey, Gemma Miles, Rebecca Robinson and Michelle Ross-Cope may be without Paula Radcliffe and Mara Yamauchi but each has set her personal best this year and they have the backing of Liz McColgan for a strong showing in the team race.

"It's sad and disappointing Paula isn't running and of course that will make a difference," McColgan said, "But we've still got a really strong team with all having ran personal bests of between 72 and 73 minutes.”
Race Timetable:
Elite Women – 9.00am
Elite Men – 9.30am
EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon – 10.00am

The 2009 IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships will be shown live on Sky Sports 2 at 8.30am.

The full elite entry list is available on the following link: www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/45/95/20091007045314%5fhttppostedfile%5fentrylist%5f7oct%5f16928.pdf

Monday 12th October 2009

PAULA Radcliffe is in confident mood ahead of her New York title defence next month and hopes to be fit enough to line-up at the start in the Big Apple.

The 35-year-old has been victorious in New York for the past two years and will be chasing a fourth title in the city that has become her second home in terms of racing for the world record-holder despite having suffered from tonsillitis over the past few weeks.

Speaking from her French training base in Font Romeau Radcliffe said that despite the illness she has still been able to continue high mileage runs.

Having withdrawn from last weekend’s World half-marathon championships in Birmingham the Loughborough graduate is confident of a fourth appearance in New York on Sunday 1st November.

Radcliffe said: "I hope I'll be fine, I don't know what it will do to me mentally if I lose another race."

"I've still been able to keep doing the training for the New York Marathon but it's just not worth risking running on antibiotics," she added.

Sunday 25th October 2009

BRITISH athletics superstar Paula Radcliffe insists her ultimate goal remains to win the Olympic marathon in London 2012.

The world record-holder celebrates her 36th birthday in December but will run in the ING New York City Marathon next weekend, where she hopes to get her career back on track.

Radcliffe, who finished 23rd in the marathon in Beijing after failing to finish in Athens 2004, pulled out of the World Championships in Berlin earlier this year with injury and missed the world half marathon with tonsilitis, but she believes she is close to being back to her best.

She said: "My intention is totally to be there in 2012, to be on that team competing in an amazing opportunity at the Olympics. That is definitely written in there and hopefully the family will be there supporting me and cheering me on."

Radcliffe would be 38 in 2012 and she admits she will have to be "smart" looking after her fragile body but she insists she still views athletics with the wide-eyed fun of an 18-year-old.

"After this year and the races I've had to miss out on I'm just going to be extremely grateful to be there (in New York) and just really looking forward to running really well."

Asked how close she is to top form, she added: "Very close, otherwise I wouldn't be going. I'm pleased with how the training has gone.

"I was really frustrated that I came down with the tonsilitis and couldn't race in the world half marathon championships but I'm really happy with how the training has gone and I wouldn't be putting myself on the line if I didn't think that I could go (to New York) and win it.

"I really enjoy racing. It is something I love doing. Getting the chance to do that and to prolong my career for as long as possible is what I really want to do.

"The hard thing I'm finding now is that my body is nearly 36 but my mind still feels like it did when I was 18 and probably will still always feel like that so I just have to be more sensible about how I do the training and the recovery."

Friday 25th September 2009

DEFENDING champion Lisa Dobriskey and American Olympic 1500-metre stars Bernard Lagat and Shannon Rowbury, both of whom finished second in last year’s event, will finish their 2009 seasons on the world’s most famous street in the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile on Saturday (September 26th) that will also feature the UK champion Hannah England in the Big Apple.

The race’s 29th running will include a stellar field of 15 Olympians, including Americans Christin Wurth-Thomas, Matt Tegenkamp, and Lopez Lomong

Loughborough-based Dobriskey, 24, recently captured the 1500-metre silver medal at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. After a fourth-place finish in the 1500 metres at the 2008 Olympic Games, Dobriskey made her New York debut at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile and finished just ahead of Rowbury to win in 4:18.6, the second-fastest time in the history of the race. She became the first British women’s champion at the event since Paula Radcliffe won in 1997. 



"I would really love to win again," Dobriskey said. "I have a lot of respect for my competitors and I'm not going to say by any stretch that that's going to be the case again or that it's going to be easy. I go with the aim of doing the best that I can and really loving to win there. It would be the perfect end to a really good season."

Shannon Rowbury, 25, from San Francisco, has had an impressive season, taking the bronze medal in the 1500 metres at the World Championships after capturing the USA Outdoor Championships 1500-metre title for the second year in a row. In 2008, Rowbury had a breakout season, running 4:20.34 to become America’s second-fastest female miler ever, behind Mary Decker Slaney’s 4:16.71.



Bernard Lagat, 34, has a distinguished career that includes two Olympic medals, seven World Championship titles, and seven wins in New York’s renowned Wanamaker Mile. Lagat will aim to become only the second man in history to win both the Fifth Avenue and Wanamaker miles in the same year; Isaac Viciosa of Spain captured both titles in 1997. A five-time USA champion in the 1500- and 5000-metre distances, Lagat has a personal best time of 3:47.28 for the mile.




The Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile begins near East 80th Street and finishes at East 60th Street. A total prize purse of $30,000 for the men’s and women’s international races will be offered with the top men’s and women’s finishers each receiving $5,000.

Monday 21st September 2009

SKY Sports are to broadcast live coverage of the IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships that take place in Birmingham on Sunday 11th October.

The satellite TV company have bought the rights to show the event in light of the BBC’s decision not to show the global event that will feature world marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe going gold in Britain’s second city.

Officials from the (IAAF) International Association of Athletics Federation expressed their surprise that the BBC, their long-time broadcast partners, will not be televising the event.

This will be the first time in 40 years that the BBC has not covered a major international athletics championship when staged in the UK, insisting that resources were stretched, as the BUPA Great North Run was staged a few weeks earlier.

Live coverage from Birmingham will be broadcast on Sky Sports 2 from 8.30-12.00 on Sunday 11th October.

Friday 18th September 2009

WORLD 1500 metres silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey, with national pride at stake, is adamant she can bounce back to winning form at the Great North CityGames on NewcastleGateshead quaysides this weekend.

Loughborough-based Dobriskey is delighted to have been selected for the England team which will be challenging Australia for top honours in the first ever street confrontation between the Commonwealth countries.

The meeting, which stages pole vault and shot put competitions on Friday afternoon will then continue with seven more events featuring sprinting, high hurdles, middle distance running races and a long jump, the following afternoon.

English representatives include many of the country's leading stars and apart from Dobriskey, Olympic 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu, World 800m bronze medallist Jenny Meadows and European Indoor 3000m champion Mo Farah will all be in action.

Dobriskey herself is no stranger to the venue having for the last two years won the mile at the annual meeting which, until some trial 100m events 12 months ago, featured only distance running events.

The success of the sprint races saw Nova International, the meeting organisers, deliberately extend its involvement in street racing and the staging of the Bupa Great Manchester CityGames with Usain Bolt's unbelievable 150m world record which attracted thousands of spectators to watch.

Now another massive crowd - there were over 20,000 for last year's meeting - is expected to descend upon the NewcastleGateshead quaysides for what promises to be an exciting match between two arch rivals.

Dobriskey, after her surprise but very welcome world silver medal in Berlin last month where she became the UK's second fastest ever 1500m performer behind Kelly Holmes with a sub 4-minute time, is determined to chalk up another win.

"I'm looking forward to running in Newcastle," Dobriskey said. "It's such a really nice place to go and it's kind of always been my salvation if you like at the end of the season."

Indeed the 25-year-old Commonwealth 1500m champion will arrive on Tyneside having lost her last two races at last weekend's World Athletics Final in Thessalonika and again in Poland on Tuesday night.

Dobriskey, eager to complete a hatrick on Saturday, insisted: "It's always picks me up. I've won it twice and as a junior. It's just a great event with big crowds.

"It's also nice to do something different and a lot more refreshing than just running round and round the track."

Dobriskey faces Hannah England, who was second ahead of her in the WAF and Meadows, who is stepping up in distance, admits to being a big fan of the street racing concept.

"I think it's brilliant," Dobriskey said and who will defend her New York City Fifth Avenue mile title in just over a week's time. "It gives the opportunity especially to attract kids who we need to bring into athletics.

"We go to them on the streets rather than them having to come to a stadium. I also think it can be inspiring for people to watch and it really generates a great atmosphere."

She insisted: "It's just something different and it gives a fresh edge to the athletes and fans which I think is what the sport needs. The (concept) I think will do athletics a lot of favours."

Ohuruogu, who set a UK 150m record in Manchester could if the weather conditions are favourable, go under that mark she achieved in cold and wet conditions in May.

Ohuruogu, a strong supporter of street races, said: “I broke the British record over 150m in Manchester in May and really enjoyed the concept.

"The crowd were great there and hopefully they will be even better in Newcastle. I feel that I am racing better as the season goes on.”

Ohuruogu, who clocked 17.10sec in Manchester, will be joined by UK 100m record holder Montell Douglas in the England team for the inaugural match against Australia, whose field includes Lauren Boden and Melissa Breen.
England teams:
Men
60m: Richard Kilty, Tyrone Edgar
110m hurdles: Andy Turner, William Sharman
150m: Marlon Devonish, Jeffrey Lawal-Balagun
1 mile: Andy Badderley, Mo Farah, Mark Draper, Shaun Moralee
Shot: Carl Fletcher, Jamie Williamson
Pole Vault: Steve Lewis, Christian North
Long Jump: Chris Tomlinson, Greg Rutherford
Women
100m Hurdles: Sarah Claxton, Louise Wood
150m: Montell Douglas, Christine Ohuorogu
1 mile: Lisa Dobriskey, Jennifer Meadows, Celia Brown, Hannah England
2 mile: Katarina Wooton, Charlotte Purdue, Emily Pidgeon, Emma Pallant
Television coverage will be on BBC One on Saturday from 1pm to 2.30pm.
Timetable
Friday 18 September
13:30 Pole Vault - Baltic Square
15:15 Shot Put - Performance Square, Sage Gateshead
Saturday 19 September
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS COMPETITION
10:20 150m Intermediate Girls
10:25 150m Intermediate Boys
10:40 1 Mile Intermediate Girls
11:50 1 Mile Intermediate Boys
JUNIOR PROGRAMME
11:00 Bupa Junior Great North Run Wheelchair Race
11:30 Bupa Mini Great North Run (Wave 1)
12:00 Bupa Mini Great North Run (Wave 2)
GREAT NORTH CITYGAMES
(Live on BBC One 1pm - 2:30pm)
100m Hurdles (Women)
Bupa Great North 2 Miles (Women)
Bupa Great North Mile (Women)
Bupa Great North Mile (Men)
Long Jump First Round (Men)
110m Hurdles (Men)
60m (Men)
150m (Men)
Long Jump Final Round (Men)
150m (Women)
2:40 BBC Blue Peter 150m
3:10 Bupa Junior Great North Run (Wave 1)
4:00 Bupa Junior Great North Run (Wave 2)

Friday 18th September 2009

FORMER champions Martin Lel and Berhane Adere head a world class entry list for the men and women's races at the 2009 BUPA Great North Run on Sunday (20th september).

The duo, both former world champions over the half-marathon distance, will be aiming to regain the titles Lel won in 2007 and Adere triumphed over on the Newcastle-South Shields course the previous year.

Kenya's Tegla Loroupe and Australia's Benita Willis, the 1993 and 2004 race winner's, are also returning for the world's biggest half-marathon race which has a record entry of 54000 competitors.
Elite start lists:
MEN
1 MARTIN LEL (Kenya)
2003 WORLD HALF MARATHON CHAMPION; 2008 OLYMPIC MARATHON 5th PLACE; 3 TIME LONDON MARATHON WINNER & WINNER OF NYC MARATHON; 2007 BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN CHAMPION.
2 JAOUAD GHARIB (Morocco)
2 TIME WORLD CHAMPS MARATHON CHAMPION; 2008 OLYMPIC MARATHON SILVER MEDALIST; MOROCCAN NATIONAL RECORD HOLDER FOR MARATHON 2:05.27
3 GEBRE GEBREMARIAM (Ethiopia)
2009 WORLD XC CHAMPION, 3rd PLACE 2003 & 2nd PLACE 2004; 10th PLACE 2009 WORLD CHAMPS 10000m FINAL; 4th PLACE 2004 OLYMPIC 5000m FINAL
4 CHEMA MARTINEZ (Spain)ESP
2008 OLYMPIC MARATHON 16TH; EUROPEAN 10000m CHAMPION '02 , SILVER '06; 10000m PB OF 27:30; 8th PLACE 2009 WORLD CHAMPS MARATHON
5 MARTIN FAGAN (Ireland)
IRISH RECORD HOLDER FOR HALF MARATHON (60.57);7th PLACE 2007 EUROPEAN XC
6 JUAN LUIS BARRIOS (Mexico)
18th PLACE 2009 WORLD CHAMPS 10,000m; 7th PLACE 2008 OLYMPIC 5000m FINAL; 14th PLACE 2007 WORLD CHAMPS 5000m FINAL; 5th PLACE 2008 GREAT NORTH RUN
7 CHALA DECHASE (Ethiopia)
2008 GREAT ETHIOPIAN RUN CHAMPION; 2nd PLACE 2008 ING AMSTERDAM MARATHON; 60.19 HALF M; 2:08.31 MARATHON
8 DAN ROBINSON (Great Britain)
OLYMPIC MARATHON '08 24TH; OLYMPIC MARATHON '04 23RD; WORLD CHAMPS MARATHON OSAKA '07 11TH, HELSINKI '05 12TH, COMMONWEALTH GAMES BRONZE MEDALIST
9 JON BROWN (Canada)
DOUBLE OLYMPIC MARATHON 4TH PLACER '00 & '04, BRITISH RECORD 10,000M 27:18, 2:09:13 MARA PB; NOW RUNS FOR CANADA
10 SHAWN FORREST (Australia) 3RD 2009 GREAT YORKSHIRE RUN;
11 JACKSON KOECH (Kenya)
2nd PLACE 2005 ROTTERDAM MARATHON & 2005 BERLIN MARATHON; 2nd 2003 GREAT NORTH RUN
12 IAN HUDSPITH (Great Britain)
2009 BLAYDON RACE WINNER; 2002 COMMONWEALTH GAMES 10,000M FINALLIST
13 PETE NOWILL (Australia)
OLYMPIC STEEPLECHASER 2004 ATHENS, 8:22.85, 5000M BEST 13:43
14 MARCIN FUDALE (Poland) 3 TIMES POLISH 1500M/800M CHAMPION , OLYMPIAN - ATHENS '04
15 DMYTRO LASHYN (Ukraine)
29.07 10000m; 2007 EUROPEAN JUNIOR 10000m CHAMPION
16 MARCIN CHABOWSKI (Poland)
2008 & 2009 POLISH 10000m CHAMPION
17 MARIUS IONESCU (Romania)
FORMER EUROPEAN JUNIOR 10,000m CHAMPION
18 DAVID NORMAN (Great Britain)
19 DAVID WARDLE (Great Britain)
20 MARK HOOD (Great Britain)
WOMEN
201 BERHANE ADERE (Ethiopia)
FORMER WORLD 10000m CHAMPION AND WORLD HALF MARATHON CHAMPION; 2 TIMES WORLD 10000m SILVER MEDALIST; 2006 BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN CHAMPION.
202 SALINA KOSGEI (Kenya)
2009 BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPION; 2002 COMMONWEALTH GAMES 10000m CHAMPION; 67.52 HALF MARATHON
203 WERKNESH KIDANE (Ethiopia)
FORMER WORLD XC CHAMPION; TWICE BRONZE MEDALIST AND THREE TIMES SILVER MEDALIST IN THE WORLD XC; FORMER WORLD CHAMPS SILVER MEDALIST AT 10000m
204 BENITA WILLIS (Australia)
3 TIME OLYMPIAN '00, '04, 08. WORLD CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION '04. BRONZE WORLD HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS '03. 21ST BEIJING OLYMPICS MARATHON; 2004 BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN CHAMPION
205 LIDIA SIMON (Romania)
WORLD CHAMPS MARATHON BRONZE 1997 &1999; WORLD CHAMPS GOLD 2001; OLYMPIC MARATHON SILVER 2000; OSAKA MARATHON CHAMPION '98 '99 '00
206 TEGLA LOROUPE (Kenya)
WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR 20K, 25K, 30K AND FORMER WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR THE MARATHON; 3 TIME WORLD HALF MARATHON CHAMPION; FIRST AFRICAN WOMAN TO WIN NYC MARATHON; 1993 BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN CHAMPION
207 EJEGAYEHU DIBABA (Ethiopia)
2004 OLYMPIC GAMES SILVER MEDALIST, TWICE BRONZE MEDALIST AT THE 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE 5000m & 10000m; 2nd 2004 WORLD XC CHAMPS
208 ROSE CHERUIYOT (Kenya)
FORMER WORLD XC SILVER MEDALIST; 24th IN THE 2007 WORLD CHAMPS MARATHON; 2006 AMSTERDAM MARATHON CHAMPION; 2007 GREAT SOUTH RUN CHAMPION; 2:25:48 MARATHON IN 2008
209 ANIKO KALOVICS (Hungary)
3 TIMES OLYMPIAN '00,'04,'08, 22nd BEIJING OLYMPICS 10,000M, 37th WORLD HALF MARATHON '01; GREAT EDINBURGH RUN 3rd 2007 & 3rd 2008
210 JESSICA AUGUSTO (Portugal)
2008 EUROPEAN XC SILVER MEDALIST; 8th PLACE 2008 WORLD INDOORS 3000m
211 SALLY BARSOSIO (Kenya)
FORMER WORLD 10,000m CHAMPION; FORMER WORLD JUNIOR XC CHAMPION
212 NIKKI CHAPPLE (Australia)
3rd PLACE 2009 BUPA GREAT YORKSHIRE RUN; 32.38 10K
213 NICOLE AISH (USA)
72.30 HALF MARATHON
214 LARA TAMSETT (Australia)
2008 AUSTRALIAN 10,000m CHAMPION
215 ANA DULCE FELIX (Portugal)
2009 GREAT IRELAND RUN CHAMPION; 15th PLACE 2009 WORLD XC CHAMPS; 13th PLACE 2009 WORLD CHAMPS 10,000m
216 COLLETTE FAGAN (Great Britain)
73.30 HALF M; 2006 COMMONWEALTH GAMES 10000m 10th PLACE

The BUPA Great North Run is live on BBC One from 9.30am on Sunday 20th September.

Thursday 17th September 2009

ENGLAND Athletics are inviting coaches and athletes to an Endurance masterclass on Saturday 10th October at Birmingham University, to tie in with the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships weekend in Birmingham.

The highly experienced and successful partnership of Lindsay Dunn and Charlie Spedding will look at the specific work they did in preparing for 10k and the marathon, while Richard Neurarker will look at the key transition issues in moving up to the marathon distance from 10K. The emphasis will be on open discussion after short presentations from our speakers with a clear aim to push practical ways of improving performance.

There will be a £5 registration fee, payable on the day. Please confirm your participation by emailing Zena Weeks at zweeks@englandathletics.org, including following information: your name, your club, your England Coach Licence number, and a question you would like to table (these will be passed onto our speakers so they can gauge areas of interest).

Questions about the conference can be addressed prior to the event to Bud Baldaro bbaldaro@englandathletics.org or Martin Rush mrush@englandathletics.org

Wednesday 16th September 2009

THERE are serious concerns over the staging of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, that has led to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary-general Randhir Singh calling for a revamp of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games' organising committee after widespread concerns over preparations for the event.

Singh has warned that New Delhi must take this week's warning from CGF chairman Michael Fennell as a "wake-up call" regarding preparations that are lagging behind schedule.

Singh, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, has said that Fennell's fears were valid and the "big issue was how the games would be staged."

In a letter to New Delhi 2010 organizing committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, Fennell outlined that he was "extremely worried about the committee's ability to deliver the games to any comparable standard to that of the last two editions of the Games in Manchester and Melbourne."

Fennell's fears about the games followed a report by a coordination commission which predicted a partial failure of the event.

The report said it was "reasonable to conclude that the current situation poses a serious risk to the Commonwealth Games in 2010."

Fennell has asked for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to brief him about the situation as the government has invested a lot of money in infrastructure. Kalmadi said he was willing to organize the meeting to reassure the CGF, while other organizers played down the situation, saying the coordination commission report was based on six-month-old data.

There are serious concerns over security arrangements and housing for guests in the city. Officials have issued an urgent warning that the country could miss out on hosting the 2010 games.

They say that a dispute over the construction of the athletes' village needs to be resolved soon. Critics say that improvements to infrastructure in the city are moving at an excruciatingly slow pace. They argue that construction work on several stadiums due to be used in the games has been seriously delayed.

The Commonwealth Games are set to be the biggest multiple-sport event staged in India since the 1982 Asian Games. It is expected to feature more than 5,000 athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories which comprised or were linked to the former British empire.

Wednesday 16th September 2009

COMEDIAN Eddie Izzard has completed his endurance feat of 43 marathons in 51 days for charity Sport Relief, finishing in London's Trafalgar Square.

Izzard, who ran at least 27 miles per day and took just one day off per week, covered about 1,100 miles on his route across the UK.

The 47-year-old, who trained for just five weeks for the event, told BBC News he now planned to "sleep for a week".

Izzard - who ended his mammoth challenge in the pouring rain - said he had been trying to complete his final day's run in under five hours but had failed to do so by 30 seconds.

"I don't know what the hell I was doing at the end but it must have been way faster than I was doing the rest of the time. "So I feel exhausted now, but you know, it's over."

He added: "Being here is very nice because, when I left here seven-and-a-half weeks ago, there was nothing here, it was just a cold morning and now there's a lot of people here, even in the rain."

The comedian, who has so far raised more than £200,000, was joined by well-wishers for portions of the challenge, which took in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Tuesday 15th September 2009

EUROPEAN Athletics are delighted to announce the men’s and women’s nominationsnfor the 2009 European Athlete of the Year presented by Mondo.

The on-line poll to choose the winners is now open, with voting taking place on the European Athletics website until September 27th.

The list was compiled by selecting the top European athlete in each event, based largely on performances at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. Only in very exceptional cases are two athletes from one event nominated.

The winners of the European Athlete of the Year will be decided by votes from the general public, media, European Athletics Member Federations and an expert panel, with the results from each group of voters counting for one quarter of the athlete's final score. Each voter must select their five preferred athletes and rank them in order of priority.

Members of the public who vote will be automatically entered into a prediction competition. Entrants who have voted for the top three male and female athletes in the correct order in the poll will be entered into a draw to win a three-night trip for two to the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona, Spain. There will also be some runners-up prizes.

Speaking about the award, European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz said, "The year 2009 was another exciting one for athletics in Europe, highlighted by the spectacular World Championships in Berlin. Europe continues to be the dominant area in world athletics but there is still room for improvement.

“To be nominated for the best athlete in Europe is a huge honour and one that is greatly valued by the athletes. However, I must stress that European Athletics has always held a very strong line against doping and any athlete who has previously been found to have taken performing-enhancing substances has been omitted from the list of nominations.”

The winners of European Athlete of the Year will be invited to collect their awards at the European Athletics Convention in Budapest, Hungary, on 17th October.

No athlete who has previously served a two-year doping ban can be nominated for the European Athlete of the Year award.

The European Athlete of the Year award was introduced by European Athletics in 1993 and this year is the 17th time the trophy will be awarded.
Male Nominations:
Ramil Guliyev (AZB) 100m, 200m

The 19-year-old won the World University 200m title with a new European junior record of 20.04 and followed it up with another gold (200m) and silver (100m) at the European Athletics Junior Championships in Novi Sad. Guliyev continued to impress at the World Championships in Berlin and made the final of the men’s 200m.
David Gillick (IRL) 400m

An impressive sixth in Berlin, set a new Irish record and a personal-best 44.77 in Madrid. Went sub-45 on three separate occasions and established himself as clear European No. 1 over the one-lap distance.
Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS) 800m

The former Olympic champion staged a strong comeback in 2009, winning the European indoor title in Torino before narrowly missing out on a medal at the World Championships in Berlin by a whisker, finishing in fourth place. Ended the year with a season’s best of 1:43.58.
Mehdi Baala (FRA) 1500m

The Olympic bronze medallist overcame serious injury to register the fastest time in the world in the month of July, with 3:30.96 in Monaco. Produced the leading result of the Europeans in Berlin, taking seventh place. Also set a new French indoor mile record of 3:52.51in Liévin in February.
Mo Farah (GBR) 3000m, 5000m

The Briton emerged as the best in Europe over the longer distances. Won the European indoor 3000m title and carried on his good form to take first place for Britain at the SPAR European Team Championships in Leiria. Leading European in the 5000m final in Berlin, he also set a new British 10km record on the road (27.50) and won the London Grand Prix in a season-best time of 13:09.14.
Bouabdellah Tahri (FRA) 3000m steeplechase

The Frenchman has been in sublime form in the last few months and proved himself on the biggest stage by setting a new European record to take bronze in a highly competitive men’s 3000m steeplechase field in Berlin. Broke the old European record twice and also rewrote the European record books for the 2000m steeplechase with a 5:15.36 time in Tomblaine.
William Sharman (GBR) 110m hurdles

Made a stunning breakthrough when he ran a personal best of 13.30 seconds to finish fourth in the 110m hurdles final in Berlin. Had earlier won his semi-final in a then personal best time of 13.38.
Periklis Iakovakis (GRE) 400m hurdles

Had a mixed season but produced the best result among Europeans in Berlin with fifth in the men’s 400m hurdles in a season-best time of 48.72.
Yaroslav Rybakov (RUS) High Jump

Won the world title in Berlin in emphatic fashion with a 2.32m clearance. Cleared over 2.30m in all 13 of his competitions in 2009.
Roman Mesnil (FRA) Pole Vault

Mesnil came out from the shadow of charismatic countryman Renaud Lavillenie and followed his French title with a silver medal at the World Championships in Berlin ahead of Lavillenie. Ended the season with a 5.85m best.
Sebastian Bayer (GER) Long Jump

Produced one of the most outstanding moments of the year with a phenomenal jump of 8.71m to win the European indoor title. Won the German title with a leap of 8.47m that proved to be the longest jump of the year by a European.
Phillips Idowu (GBR) Triple Jump

The talented Briton proved his credentials outdoors by getting the better of his Portuguese nemesis Nelson Evora to take the world title in the men’s Triple Jump with a world-leading leap of 17.73m.
Tomasz Majewski (POL) Shot Put

The Polish strongman had to settle for a silver at the World Championships, but he had fantastic year overall. He won the European indoor title in Torino and the SPAR European Team Championships in Leiria and set a new Polish record of 21.95m. Took part in more than 25 competitions in 2009.
Robert Harting (GER) Discus Throw

Germany’s Harting surprised many with his inspired performance at the World Championships. His gold-medal triumph over Poland’s Piotr Malachowski and Olympic champion Gerd Kanter drew one of the biggest cheers of the championships. Threw a lifetime best of 69.43m to win the world title and is unbeaten since the SPAR European Team Championships in June.
Primoz Kozmus (SLO) Hammer Throw

After struggling throughout the season the modest Solvenian picked the right moment to lift his performance to add a world title to his Olympic gold. He never looked back after that and went on to set a Slovenian record and a world season lead of 82.58m in Celje.
Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) Javelin Throw

Absolutely superb during his World Championships victory in Berlin. Launched the biggest throw of the year (91.28m) a week later at the Weltklasse Golden League in Zurich. Won two other Golden League meets. Only man in history to hold Olympic, world and European Javelin titles simultaneously.
Valeriy Borchin (RUS) 20km Walk

The Russian maestro added a world title to his Olympic gold with a sublime walk in the German capital. Unbeaten in 2009 with victories in Russia, China and Berlin all under 1:20.00.
Sergey Kirdyapkin (RUS) 50km Walk

The Russian regained his status as the best walker in the world over 50km with a dominant performance in Berlin to take his second world title after the 2005 championships in Helsinki.
Aleksandr Pogorelov (RUS) Decathlon

The 29-year-old came up with the performance of his life to take the Decathlon bronze medal at the World Championships amid one of strongest fields of all time. Earlier in the summer ho took second at the European Cup Combined Events in Poland.
Sergey Lebid (UKR) Cross Country

The veteran Ukrainian won the SPAR European Cross Country Championships for an unprecedented eighth time in his career. Remained the most competitive European athlete on the world stage in Cross Country.
Female Nominations:
Verena Sailer (GER) 60m, 100m

The only European female sprinter to challenge the Jamaican and American sprinters and reached the semifinals in Berlin. Anchored the German team to a surprise bronze medal in the 4X100m relay. Won 60m bronze at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Torino. Ran a season’s best of 11.18 to win the German Championships in June.
Emily Freeman (GBR) 200m

The 28-year-old was the leading European 200m sprinter at the World Championships in Berlin, where she ran her lifetime best of 22.64 to make the final. Won her event at the SPAR European Team Championships in Leiria and the British Championships.
Antonina Krivoshapka (RUS) 400m

The Russian continued her brilliant form this season with a great performance in Berlin. She won the bronze at 400m and then played a crucial role in the Russian bronze medal win in the 4X400m relay. European indoor champion in Torino.
Jenny Meadows (GBR) 800m

The Briton made a major breakthrough in Berlin with an inspired final kick in the women’s 800m to take bronze. Her time of 1:57.93 is a career best and the third fastest in Europe this year. Had a very busy season where she ran more than 20 top class 800m races.
Lisa Dobriskey (GBR) 1500m

After narrowly missing out on a medal in Beijing the Commonwealth champion finished a hundredth of a second behind gold medallist Mariyam Jamal with a stunning performance in Berlin. A week after Berlin she went sub-4 for the first time with an impressive 3:59.50.
Silvia Weissteiner (ITA) 5000m

Leading European finisher in a red hot 5000m final in Berlin, where she clocked a season’s best of 15:09.74. Took second place for Italy at the SPAR European Team Championships in Leiria.
Ines Monteiro (POR) 10,000m

Monteiro was one of the most consistent performers over the distance throughout the season. Won the bronze medal at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Brussels, and the gold at the European Cup 10,000m in April. Achieved a personal best in the 10,000m in Berlin to become the leading European finisher.
Derval O’Rourke (IRL) 100m hurdles

The Irishwoman ran the race of her life to set a new Irish record of 12.67 to take fourth in the 100m hurdles final in Berlin.
Natalya Antyukh (RUS) 400m hurdles

Set a new lifetime best of 54.12 to lead the Europeans home in the final of the World Championships in Berlin. Was also a member of the Russian team that won the European indoor 4x400m relay title in Torino.
Marta Domínguez (ESP) 3000m steeplechase

The double European 5000m champion’s dream of world gold finally came true in Berlin when she bagged first place in the 3000m steeplechase with a new national record 9:07.32 – a European leading mark of the season. Broke the Spanish record three times during the season.
Marisa Barros (ESP) Marathon

Won the Spanish title in February before leading the Europeans home in the World Championships marathon in Berlin in 2:26.03.
Blanka Vlasic (CRO) High Jump

The 2007 European Athlete of the Year proved herself once again by winning the women’s High Jump world title ahead of German nemesis Ariane Freidrich. She finished the month with the biggest jump of her career (2.08m) in Zagreb, a world-leading performance. Cleared 2m in 20 competitions in 2009 and set new Croatian records indoors and outdoors.
Anna Rogowska (POL) Pole Vault

The 28-year-old twice defeated the previously unbeatable Russian superstar Yelena Isinbayeva in 2009, claiming the Pole Vault world title in Berlin. Cleared a season-best 4.80m to win the Polish title in Bydgoszcz in August.
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) Pole Vault

Such has been Isinbayeva’s dominance over the Pole Vault that her defeat in Berlin made more news than the gold medallist’s win. The Russian bounced back a week later in a style that only she can set, claiming her 27th world record by clearing 5.06m at the Weltklasse in Zurich.
Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS) Long Jump

The veteran Russian continues to save her best for the big championships. Despite missing most of the season through injury she bounced back in style with the second best jump in Europe this season (6.97m) to take the Long Jump silver in Berlin.
Anna Pyatykh (RUS) Triple Jump

Although she had a mixed season, the 28-year-old took bronze in Berlin with a 14.58m leap into a headwind.
Nadine Kleinert (GER) Shot Put

The German pushed overwhelming favourite Valerie Vili of New Zealand to the limit before settling for silver at the World Championships in Berlin. The local hero produced a career-best European-leading throw of 20.20m.
Nicoleta Grasu (ROM) Discus Throw]

The Romanian won the bronze medal in the women’s Discus with a season-best throw of 65.20m.
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) Hammer Throw

The 24-year-old Pole needed just two throws to win the Hammer gold in Berlin, setting a new world record of 77.96m to thwart crowd favourite and defending champion Betty Heidler.
Steffi Nerius (GER) Javelin Throw

The defending European champion signed off from the international stage in a fashion that most athletes dream of. She won the title in front of a delirious home crowd with a throw of 67.30m, her longest of the season.
Jessica Ennis (GBR) Heptathlon

Britain’s most talented athlete fulfilled her promise with a masterly performance en route to the world title in Berlin. The 2007 European Athletics Rising Star produced her personal best tally of 6731points to beat a strong field by a massive 238 points margin.
Olga Kaniskina (RUS) 20km Walk

Kaniskina’s dominance over the distance is as imposing as any. The Olympic champion delivered yet another masterly show to successfully defend her world title in Berlin. Unbeaten over 20km in 2009 with victories in Adler, Wuxi and Berlin.
Hilda Kibet (NED) Cross Country

Won the women’s crown at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships. Finish a creditable sixth at the World Cross Country Championships in Amman, the only European among the top ten finishers.

To cast your vote click on the following link: www.european-athletics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5577&Itemid=2

Friday 11th September 2009

PHILLIPS IDOWU, the global triple jump gold medallist will lead the British challenge at the IAAF/VTB World Athletics Final that takes place in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, this weekend (12th-13th September) as the athletes compete for a total prize fund of $3,020,000 with a bonus of $100,000 on offer for breaking a global record.

Idowu will be joined in at the end of season two-day spectacular by a host of British stars as Marlon Devonish will face the task of catching the fastest man on earth as he lines-up against World and Olympic champion Usain Bolt over 200m in Thessaloniki.

United Kingdom champion Simeon Williamson faces the powerful duo of American Tyson Gay and Bolt’s Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell in the 100m as Bolt will only compete in the 200m in Greece.

British number one Michael Bingham and Loughborough-based David Gillick of Ireland will go head-to-head with World champion LaShawn Merritt of the USA over the one-lap distance, whilst, Andy Turner continues his return from injury and Berlin disappointment in the 110m sprint hurdles and Rhys Williams goes over the longer 400m hurdles.

In the long jump British record-holders past and present Greg Rutherford and Chris Tomlinson will compete against America’s World gold medallist Dwight Phillips.

The ever-improving Emily Freeman faces a very tough task in the high quality women’s 200m that features a stacked field that features the double World champion Allyson Felix and American compatriot Sanya Richards, the global 400m title-holder, plus the Jamaican threat of Kerron Stewart and Shericka Williams.

World champion and Golden League jackpot winner Sanya Richards, unbeaten in 2009, will be the firm and overwhelming favourite for the 400m title as Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu and fellow Brit Nicola Sanders will challenge for the minor places.

World bronze medallist Jenny Meadows and the United Kingdom champion Jemma Simpson do battle once again in the 800m, however, there will be no Caster Semenya as the controversial South African World champion will not be competing in Greece.

Commonwealth champion Lisa Dobriskey faces World gold medallist Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain and fellow Brit Hannah England over the metric mile with an excellent field assembled in Thessaloniki, a line-up that also features the Berlin bronze medallist, American champion Shannon Rowbury.

Loughborough graduate Laura Kenney, the 2007 European U23 5,000m champion, also gains a start at the World Final in the 3,000m on the back of her excellent recent form, but will face a tough battle up against the best of Africa including World 5,000 metres gold medallist Vivian Cheruiyot and Ethiopia’s imposing Meseret Defar.

Preview by Mark Woolley.

Live coverage of the IAAF/VTB World Athletics Final is available on BBC interactive via the red button on both days starting at 4.15pm.

Wednesday 9th September 2009

WORLD Championship medallists Lisa Dobriskey and Jenny Meadows will compete for England against Australia at the Great North City Games in Newcastle on September 18th and 19th.

Loughborough-based Dobriskey, winner of the 1500 metres silver medal in Berlin last month, will be challenged over a mile by Meadows who finished third in the 800m and is happy to step up to the longer distance.

The pair are both looking forward to the inaugural match against Australia which will continue a healthy rivalry which has been ongoing for decades at past Commonwealth Games.

The action on the Newcastle/Gateshead quayside venues will feature nine events including sprint and high hurdles races, middle distance events plus pole vault, long jump and shot put competitions.

Dobriskey will come to Tyneside in the greatest form of her life having last Sunday at the IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Rieti defeated Maryam Yusuf Jamal who denied her the gold medal in Berlin by a fraction of a second.

The 25-year-old is no stranger to the street mile having won over the distance for the last two years at the annual quayside event, is looking forward to chasing a hat trick of victories.

"It's always been a meeting I've enjoyed and look forward to winning again. The concept of street races is a great idea and in Newcastle always attracts big crowds, Dobriskey said.

"I particularly like the idea of a match against the Australians. We've always had a great rivalry with them and this I'm sure will be no different," the 2006 Commonwealth 1500m champion added.

Meadows, whose determination and never say die attitude deservedly saw her rewarded with a bronze medal in Berlin, is equally enthusiastic about appearing in the match.

"I’m really looking forward to competing in Newcastle, although I'm running further than my usual 800 metres," Meadows who received a massive homecoming reception from spectators at the recent Grand Prix meeting in Gateshead, said.

"I'm looking forward to the challenges this brings and showing the north east crowd my thanks and appreciation for their support in what's been a great season for me," Meadows added.

UK 800m champion Jemma Simpson, who narrowly missed out on scoring what would have been the best victory of her life at last Friday's IAAF Golden League meeting in Brussels, is also looking forward to her outing over the mile.

“I have a great record on British soil this year with wins in the British Championships and London Grand Prix," Simpson said. "I normally race over 800m and it will be a nice challenge moving up to the mile.

"Britain has great strength in depth in the women’s middle distances at the moment and hopefully we will inspire the next generation.”

The Australian's have named Selma Kajan, Katherine Katsanevakis and Holly Noack in their side and like England will add another contestant in the next few days.

Local athlete Chris Tomlinson will take part in the long jump where he faces Mitchell Watt who claimed the bronze medal in the world championships final when the Teessider finishing eighth.

Tomlinson, looking to cause an upset, said: “I have been consistent this year over eight metres. Australia have some great long jumpers so it will be a tough competition but I hope the home crowd will spur us on to good performances.”

Tuesday 8th September 2009

PAULA RADCLIFFE has confirmed that she will race in the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham next month.

The 35-year-old, who opted not to run the marathon at last month's World Championships in Berlin, was named in the Great Britain team for the event on Sunday 11th October.

The marathon world record-holder chose not to run in Berlin as she did not feel she was fit enough to compete for the gold medal.

The decision came four days after she had claimed victory in the New York City Half-Marathon on August 16th following a long absence from racing recovering from a foot operation.

Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland team leader Ian Stewart said: "This is a great chance to support a home Championship with full teams, and I'm delighted that in Birmingham on October 11th that will be the case.

"It's a new course, in a city of people who will really get behind our athletes. Not only are they in a position to show what they can do in front of that home crowd, but they have a genuine opportunity to fight for decent team positions. We're pleased to have Paula on the team and optimistic that we can win medals."
Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for IAAF World Half Marathon Championships:
Men:
Andi Jones (Salford Harriers); Andrew Lemoncello (Fife AC); Mark Miles (Belgrave); Gareth Raven (Sale Harriers Manchester); Phil Wicks (Belgrave).
Women:]
Alyson Dixon (Chester-le-Street); Claire Hallissey (Bristol & West); Gemma Miles (Kendal); Paula Radcliffe (Bedford & County); Rebecca Robinson (Kendal).

Sunday 6th September 2009

WORLD marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe has opened a building named after her at the Nike European HQ in Hilversum, The Netherlands on Thursday 3rd September.

There is a full video of this on the Video Highlights page from Flotrack.

Wednesday 2nd September 2009

THE England Athletics Local Coach Development Programme (LCDP) will be rolled out in the East Midlands this winter period. England Athletics have changed their approach to coach development to now begin to offer needs based development opportunities organized and implemented locally.

The main aims of the LCDP are to share coaching experiences, develop and encourage coach mentoring within clubs and networks and improve the standards of coaches and coaching.

The Local Coach Development Programme is designed to cater for the needs of level 1, 2 and 3 coaches. The programme will consist of workshops, seminars, master classes and flying coach visits – being organized and run LOCALLY.
Brief outline of winter programme being implemented in the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire
Leicestershire:
- Nutrition workshops for road running clubs – very successful in flying coach visit format
- Strength + conditioning and fundamental movement workshops to be held at Loughborough University and run by Loughborough University staff
Derbyshire:
- Sprints and endurance master classes – to be run once a month in central venue – strength + conditioning and fundamental movement skills workshops to be run alongside
- Throws and jumps master classes to be run alongside Nottinghamshire – venues to be varied between Notts/Derbyshire
- Plyometrics workshop – found to be a real development need in Derbyshire
Lincolnshire:
- Development of Coaching Academies – continuing success of Geoff Capes Throws Academy – jumps academy to be introduced in 09/10.
- Injury prevention workshops x2 leading into strength + conditioning workshop – lead by Lincoln University
- Communication seminar – developing communication skills in coaches

Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire are also developing a similar programme for the needs of the coaches in their counties.

The LCDP is additional activity to the activities the Athletics Networks will be developing and implementing over the winter so as you can imagine there will be opportunities for all coaches to get involved.

At this stage final details are still to be confirmed but as and when they are England Athletics will provide the information.

www.englandathletics.org/

Thursday 27th August 2009

EUROPE with the help of four individual and two relay team medals from Great Britain claimed the most medals out of the Area Associations at the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships held in Berlin (15th-23rd August).

Europe finished with an impressive haul of 53 medals, including 14 gold, 18 silver and 21 bronze. North America finished with a total of 50 medals, claiming 19 gold, 18 silver and 13 bronze.

Africa won eight gold medals, nine silver and six bronze for 23 medals overall, while the Asian continent won three golds, two silver and five bronze for 10 medals. Oceania claimed three golds and two bronze medals.

Russia came out as the top European country with four gold medals, three silver and six bronze for a total of 13 as they finished ahead of Poland, who won two golds, four silvers and two bronze medals, and Germany, who claimed a very popular two gold medals, three silvers and four bronze.
Best European Performances by British athletes at the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships:
Men
100m: Dwain CHAMBERS Finalist (6th)
5000m: Mo FARAH Finalist (7th)
110m Hurdles: William SHARMAN Finalist (4th)
Long Jump: Greg RUTHERFORD Finalist (5th)
Triple Jump: Phillips IDOWU Gold
4x100m: GBR Bronze
4x400m: GBR Silver
Women
200m: Emily FREEMAN Semi-Finalist
800m: Jenny MEADOWS Bronze
1500m: Lisa DOBRISKEY Silver
Heptathlon: Jessica ENNIS Gold

Tuesday 25th August 2009

GREAT Britain’s finest led by 1500m global silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey will face a tough test this Friday (28th August) as they go head-to-head with the World’s best at the high quality ‘Weltklasse’ Meeting - the fifth stop of the 2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League Series.

The meeting, rated by many as the best Grand Prix meeting in the world, will also feature Jamaican Usain Bolt, the superstar of the recent Berlin 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships where Tyrone Edgar will attempt to stay in his slipstream over 100m.

Michael Bingham and Ireland’s David Gillick face the USA’s world champion LaShawn Merritt and compatriots Jeremy Wariner and Kerron Clement in a very high class men’s 400m.

The women’s 400m also features world champion and Golden League jackpot contender Sanya Richards up against the British duo of Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders and fellow American, world 200m gold medallist Allyson Felix.

William Sharman follows his excellent fourth place in the final of the world 110m hurdles to gain a Golden League start against the global champion Ryan Brathwaite.

Great Britain’s men’s 4x100m relay bronze medallists will be in action in Zurich with the team of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Marlon Devonish, Tyrone Edgar and James Dasaolu where they will face the might of the Jamaican squad including Usain Bolt.

Lisa Dobriskey will feature in a top women’s 1500m that features the top three from the contraversal world final as gold medallist Maryam Jamal and bronze medallist, American champion Shannon Rowbury, are all entered.

World junior champion Steph Twell will be looking for a return to form following her disappointing performance in Berlin, whilst, Tom Lancashire runs in the men’s eqiverlent.

In the field events Kate Dennison faces Poland’s surprise world champion Anna Rogowska and multiple world record-holder and jackpot contender Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia in the women’s pole vault.
Start Lists for the Weltklasse Meeting:
MEN
100m
Bolt, Usain JAM; Powell, Asafa JAM; Edgar, Tyrone GBR; Mbandjock, Martial FRA; Patton, Darvis USA; Thompson, Richard TRI; Rodgers, Michael USA; Burns, Marc TRI; Frater, Michael JAM
400m
Quow, Renny TRI; Clement, Kerron USA; Bingham, Michael USA; Wariner, Jeremy USA; Brown, Christopher BAH; Gillick, David IRL; Merritt, Lashawn USA; Djhone, Leslie FRA
800m
Robinson, Khadevis USA; Kirwa Yego, Alfred KEN; Rudisha, David KEN; Al Salhi, Mohammed KSA; Reed, Gary CAN; Symmonds, Nick USA; Laalou, Amine MAR; Borzakovskiy, Yuriy RUS; Som, Bram NED; Mulaudzi, Mbulaeni RSA; Lewandowski, Marcin POL
1500m
Kiprop, Asbel KEN; Lancashire, Thomas GBR; Manzano, Leonel USA; Kamel, Yusuf Saad BRN; Moustaoui, Mohamed MAR; VAn der Westhuizen, Peter RSA; Ali, Belal Mansoor BRN; Choge, Augustine KEN; Boukensa, Tarek ALG; Zerguelaine, Antar ALG; Lomong, Lopez USA; Riseley, Jeffrey AUS; Krummenacher, David USA
5000m
Kogo, Micah KEN; Masai, Moses Ndiema KEN; Kipsiro, Moses UGA; Ritzenhein, Dathan USA; Soi, Edwin KEN; Longosiwa, Thomas KEN; Chepkok, Vincent KEN; Ebuya, Joseph KEN; Mutahi, Sammy KEN; España, Jesus ESP; Ali Abdoosh, Mohammed ETH; Bekana, Daba ETH; Komon, Leonard Patrick KEN; Kiptoo, Mark Kosgei KEN; Bekele, Kenenisa ETH; Kwalia C’Kurui, James QAT
110m hurdles
Oliver, David USA; Brathwaite, Ryan BAR; Merritt, Aries USA; Svoboda, Petr CZE; Payne, David USA; Thomas, Dwight JAM; Trammell, Terrence USA; Wignall, Maurice JAM; Sharman, William GBR
3000m Steeplechase
Mutai, Abel KEN; Kiprotich, Wesley KEN; Langat, David KEN; Kipyego, Michael KEN; Matelong, Richard Kipkemboi KEN; Chelimo, Elijah KEN; Ramolefi, Ruben RSA; Tahri, Bouabdallah FRA; Koech, Paul Kipsiele KEN; Kemboi, Ezekiel KEN; Kipruto, Brimin KEN; Taher, Tareq Mubarak BRN; Mohamed, Mustafa SWE; Keskisalo, Jukka FIN
Triple Jump
Sands, Leevan BAH; Gregorio, Jadel BRA; Spasovkhodskiy, Igor RUS; Giralt, David CUB; Evora, Nelson POR; Schembri, Fabrizio ITA; Roulhac, Brandon USA
Javelin Throw
Frank, Mark GER; Wirkkala, Teemu FIN; Mannio, Ari FIN; Ruuskanen, Anti FIN; Kovals, Ainars LAT; Müller, Stefan SUI; Martinez, Guillermo CUB; Vasilevskis, Vadims LAT; Pitkämäki, Tero FIN; Thorkildsen, Andreas NOR
4×100 m
Jamaica – Bolt, Forsythe, Thomas, Mullings, Clarke 
USA – Patton, Spearmon, Crawford, Rodgers, Trammell 
Great Britain – Aikines-Aryeetey, Devonish, Edgar, Dasaolu 
Germany – Broening, Keller, Kosenkow, Schwab, Unger
Poland Lewanski, Masztak, Kubaczyk, Kuc, Jedrusinski 
Netherlands – Heisen, Hoogmoed, Spier, van Luijk, Sedoc 
Trinidad – Bledman, Brown, Thompson, Callander, Burns 
Switzerland
WOMEN
100m
Bailey, Aleen JAM; Sturrup, Chandra BAH; Fraser, Shelly Ann JAM; Jeter, Carmelita USA; Williams, Lauryn USA; Ferguson, Debbie BAH; Sailer, Verena GER; Stewart, Kerron JAM; Baptiste, Kelly-Ann TRI
400m
Sanders, Nicola GBR; Krivoshapka, Antonia RUS; Williams, Novlene JAM; Ohuruogu, Christine GBR; Felix, Allyson USA; Williams, Shericka JAM; Montsho, Amantle BOT; Richards, Sanya USA
1500m
Twell, Stephanie GBR; Cheruiyot, Viviane KEN; Rowbury, Shannon USA; Galkina, Gulnara RUS; Kibiwot, Viola KEN; Jelagat, Irene KEN; Dobriskey, Lisa GBR; Lagat, Nancy Jebet KEN; Willard, Anna USA; Alminova, Anna RUS; Gezhagne, Kalkidan ETH; Jamal, Maryam BRN; Wurth-Thomas, Christin USA; Evdokimova, Natalya RUS
100m hurdles
Lopes-Schliep, Priscilla CAN; Powell, Virginia USA; Felicien, Perdita CAN; Harper, Dawn USA; Nytra, Carolin GER; Jones, Lolo USA; Foster-Hylton, Brigitte JAM; Ennis-London, Delloreen JAM; O’Rourke, Derval IRL
High Jump
Beitia, Ruth ESP; Green, Emma SWE; Howard, Chaunte USA; Chicherova, Anna RUS; Shkolina, Svetlana RUS; Di Martino, Antonietta ITA; Melfort, Melanie FRA; Friedrich, Ariane GER; Vlasic, Blanka CRO
Pole Vault Women
Murer, Fabiana BRA; Rogowska, Anna POL; Dragila, Stacy USA; Johnson, Chelsea USA; Dennison, Kate GBR; Büchler, Nicole SUI; Pyrek, Monika POL; Spiegelburg, Silke GER; Isinbayeva, Yelena RUS

British Eurosport 2 are to show delayed live coverage of the ÅF IAAF Golden League Weltklasse meeting from Zurich on Friday 28th August from 9.30-11.30pm.