29.09.2006

Tatiana PBs again, Benita out to regain Great North Run title

Olympic silver medallist Tatiana Grigorieva finished her 2006 season on the best possible note, with her second personal best in a week - jumping 4.58m at the Colorful Athletics Meeting in Daegu, Korea, yesterday.

After leaping a new personal best of 4.57m last week in Yokohama, Japan, the 30-year-old added a centimetre in Korea, to once again finish second behind world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva who cleared 4.70m.

The 2006 season has been full of encouragement for the Gold Coast based pole vaulter, equalling her personal best in Brussels and finishing fourth at the World Athletics Final.

Other Australians in action in Daegu included Youcef Abdi, who ended his season with second place in the 1500m behind Kenyan Philemon Kimutai. In a slow race, Kimutai won in 3:53.09 ahead of Abdi�s 3:53.15.

The pace was similar in the women�s 1500m, with Sarah Jamieson finishing second in a quality field in a time of 4:22.65. Ukraine�s Iryna Lishchynska won the dash to the line with 4:22.52.

In the women�s long jump, hometown fans celebrated the win of Chung Soon-Ok who produced a new national record of 6.68m to score a popular win. Olga Rypakova (KAZ) also produced a new personal best of 6.63m to finish second with Commonwealth Games champion Bronwyn Thompson third with 6.45m

The competition in Daegu was highlighted by a sensational 200m by world championships silver medallist Wallace Spearmon (USA), who sped to the third fastest time in history clocking 19.65.

Spearmon had already reduced his personal best three times this season with 19.89 in London and 19.88 in Stuttgart and 19.87 in Athens. He is now only headed on the all-time list by USA compatriots Michael Johnson (19.32 � World record, 1996) and Xavier Carter (19.63).

In distance news, Benita Johnson, the 2003 World Cross Country champion, will be bidding to regain her BUPA Great North Run title this Sunday. Britain�s biggest road race is the largest half marathon in the world and celebrates its 26th anniversary in 2006.

The Australian star will face opposition from Kenyan Susan Chepkemei � who won the event in 2001 � and Ethiopian Berhane Adere, who was second-placed three years ago to Paula Radcliffe who set the world�s quickest ever time for the distance. Adhere, the former world 10,000 metre champion, is yet to win despite numerous attempts.

Kenya's former world 10000m champion Sally Barsosio, and Mikie Takanaka, one of Japan's top women at the distance, have also recently been added to the elite field.

Local British hope, Jo Pavey, will be making her debut over the distance. The 33-year-old Commonwealth 5000m silver medallist has recovered from a calf injury which forced her to withdraw from the IAAF World Cup.

Nearly 50,000 runners will compete in the point-to-point course that starts in Newcastle and finishes in South Shields, England.

"The Great North Run has always been a tough race over a hard course but it�s one I�m looking forward to," said Johnson, currently based in west London.

Unlike many of her compatriots, Johnson decided not to contest the World Athletics Final or World Cup this year, instead choosing to focus on her marathon preparation.

The 27-year-old has her sights set on the Chicago Marathon to be held next month on October 22.

"The Chicago marathon is one race I have thought about contesting in the past. This year I decided that's what I really wanted to do and to go for it."

Johnson�s last track race was at the Helsinki IAAF Grand Prix in late July. After battling the European heatwave, she finished second, running her second quickest time ever over 10,000m - 31:14.80.

After the run in Helsinki, Johnson and her training group left London, undertaking a month of altitude training in the Swiss Alps of St Moritz.

In August, Johnson competed in the first ever New York Half Marathon. In a fantastic race, Johnson came from behind to almost snatch victory, just losing by 0.3 sec to one of the best distance runners of all time - Catherine Ndereba - the multi-marathon champion and first woman to break the 2 hour and 19 minute barrier.

Also competing in England, Craig Mottram, fresh from the success of retaining his IAAF World Cup 3000 metres title, will be chasing another international victory this Saturday at the Newcastle/Gateshead Great North 3000m road race.

High on confidence after the Bekele defeat, Mottram will be bidding to improve on his third placing in last year's event, where he faces old rival, 2003 World 5000m champion, Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya.

For further information or to arrange athlete interviews, please contact:
Athletics Australia Media
David Culbert � 0417 272 461 or david@jumpmedia.com.au
Michelle Cook � 0430 177 668 or michelle@jumpmedia.com.au