Isinbayeva y Richards se reparten el millón de dólares

"BERLIN (AP) - Yelena Isinbayeva y Sanya Richards ganaron el domingo en sus respectivas pruebas al bajarse el telón de la Liga Dorada y se dividieron el premio grande de un millón de dólares.

La rusa Isinbayeva, campeona olímpica y mundial del salto con pértiga, obtuvo el triunfo con una marca de 4,82 metros y luego de sólo haber tomado dos intentos con la barra en una altura inferior.

Por su parte, la estadounidense Richards fue como un rayo en la salida de los 400 metros para llevarse la victoria con 49.27 segundos, el tiempo más rápido de la temporada.

Richards ha mejorado la mejor marca del año en cada una de las tres últimas pruebas en las que ha competido, incluyendo 49.29 en Bruselas el viernes.

"Estoy muy orgullusa de mi misma", declaró Richards, quien el año pasado también tuvo que compartir parte del gran premio al embolsarse 250.000 dólares. "Esta vez voy a invertir el dinero y no gastármelo todo".

El gran premio se entrega a los atletas que logran la victoria en sus modalidades en cada una de las seis justas que conforman el programa de la Liga Dorada.

Richards está completando en gran forma la temporada después de un inicio cargado de contratiempos.

No pudo clasificarse al mundial de atletismo en Japón por culpa de un virus. Su consuelo fue un oro en el relevo 4x400.

Su victoria en Berlín resultó más dulce, ya que fue a expensas de la británica Christine Ohuruogu, la campeona mundial en Osaka y quien cruzó la meta a más de un segundo atrás con 50.40.

En otros resultados, la estadounidense Carmelita Jeter derrotó a su compatriota Lauryn Williams en los 100 con registro de 11.15. El noruego Jaysuma Saidy Ndure se impuso en los 100 masculinos con 10.14.

El estadounidense Jeremy Wariner ganó fácilmente los 400 masculinos con 44.05.

En el salto triple, el brasileño Jadel Gregorio figuró tercero con 16,99. El triunfador fue el estadounidense Aarik Wilson con 17,07 y el campeón mundial portugués Nelson Evora quedó segundo con el mismo registro."- Univision.com

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Crónica completa del torneo de ISTAF (Berlín), última fecha de la Golden League 07 (en inglés) publicada en el sitio de la IAAF


A packed Berlin Olympic stadium (Getty Images)

Enormous crowd applaud One Million Dollar payday for Richards and Isinbayeva in Berlin (Sunday 16 September 2007)

Berlin, Germany - Yelena Isinbayeva and Sanya Richards became a ‘little’ richer this afternoon sharing a cool Million Dollars prize at the finale of the six meeting IAAF Golden League 2007 series which took place at the DKB-ISTAF Berlin meeting in Berlin, Germany.

Confident and controlled


Sanya Richards waves to the crowd in Berlin (Getty Images)

The 70,000 capacity crowd marked the third IAAF Golden League meeting sell-out in a row following on from the Osaka World Championships, providing a rich atmosphere that appropriately set the scene for the biggest annual cash handout of the athletics year.

Flying high or running fast, both winners produced controlled, confident performances to secure their half shares of US$ 1 Million. There was no doubting the prize winners’ season long tenacity and strength which brought them their monetary reward. The target of six wins out of six was completed by a 4.82m vault for the Russian, and a 49.27 world leading run in the 400m for the American.

For Richards, the Jackpot triumph was some reward after missing the World Championships in her preferred event, as today she beat all three Osaka medallists, while Isinbayeva proved again, if there had ever been any doubt, that she remains in an exclusive class of her own ahead of all other women pole vaulters.


Isinbayeva flies 4.82 (Getty Images)

“I am so proud of myself. I am so excited that I could win the Jackpot for the second time (screams with delight)!!! This time I will invest the money and won’t spend everything,” said Richards.

“I felt very confident today,” said Isinbayeva. “I knew that if I would break or equal my season’s best I would win.” The fact that she didn’t reach that target (4.91m – Paris 6 July) and still succeeded underlined her current supremacy.

Vlasic jumps for joy


Blanka Vlasic clears 2 metres to win the IAAF Golden League meeting in Berlin (Getty Images)

Blanka Vlasic might not have been at her very, very best today, as we have increasingly become accustomed to clean jumping cards this season from the peerless Croatian high jumper, but her dancing prowess was shown on the landing mat as she celebrated yet another 2m clearance - on her third try - and her fifth victory of the IAAF Golden League summer.

“Jumping at 3pm in the afternoon is terrible for me since I’m usually asleep at that time,” said a laid back Vlasic. “Now I know how good it is to keep winning, and I’m not planning to give it up easily.”

Kallur just gets better and better


Susanna Kallur punches the air with delight after her PB in Berlin (Getty Images)

Susanna Kallur’s star is on the rise. Unlucky not to medal in Osaka after being run-out coming off the final hurdle, in the three Golden League meetings since Japan she has defeated World 100m Hurdles champion Michelle Perry on each occasion. Today, the result was obvious from the gun, and if anything she pulled away more from the field as the race went into its latter stages. The time of 12.49 was a personal best (previous 12.51), with Perry relatively distant on this occasion in second (12.67), while Jamaica’s Osaka bronze medallist Delloreen Ennis-London was third, 2/100ths slower.

Just as Perry has lost in her three post Osaka Golden League outings, so has another 2007 World champion, Nelson Evora of Portugal. Today, he was extremely unlucky. He triple jumped 17.07m, the same as the event winner, Aarik Wilson of the USA, and even their second best attempts matched (17.02) but eventually Evora lost out by virtue of a lesser third best jump (17.00 to 16.71).

Audience keeps Wariner inspired


Jeremy Wariner powers to the finish in Berlin (Getty Images)

Jeremy Wariner, who hasn’t raced since his 43.45 seconds gold medal performance in Osaka which placed him third on the all-time list, ‘jogged’ by his own majestic standards to a 44.05 victory in Berlin. The race was simple for the World and Olympic champion who was never troubled by a field which included much of the Osaka cast. Bronze medallist Angelo Taylor, also USA, was third again (45.21), with Canada’s Tyler Christopher, sixth at the Worlds, second here (45.10).

“That was a good race today,” said Wariner. “I felt tired after all the competitions this year and I need a rest. The Olympic stadium almost sold out and that helped me to get cheered up by the audience.”

Jepkosgei - solo and surpreme

Another dominant 800m run by Kenyan Janeth Jepkosgei saw her take over from the pacemaker with 300m to go. In a racing sense she was never seen again by her opponents such was the powerful fluency of her acceleration. She crossed in 1:58.62. Mayte Martinez of Spain made a long run from the back of the following pack, gobbling up runners down the final 100 metres to take second place (1:59.83), much in the same manner as her late run in Osaka had garnered her World bronze. Russia’s Yelena Soboleva, stepped down from 1500m at which she is World silver medallist, and took third in 2:00.20.

Pitkämäki - hurting but too good anyway


Tero Pitkamaki of Finland wins the ISTAF Berlin Golden League meeting (Getty Images)

World champion Tero Pitkämäki secured the men’s Javelin Throw win with a second round release of 88.58 which was enough for the Finn to pack his bags and pass the rest of his series given that he had had an exhausting week of four competitions in four countries - Zurich, Gothenburg, Brussels, Berlin. Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway immediately recognised the distance was unbeatable and also retired after his 80.71 second throw. But that effort was by no means enough to secure a podium spot today, with the minor positions going to Sweden’s Magnus Arvidsson (84.50) and another Finn, Teemu Wirkkala (82.52), the former European Junior and World Youth champion.

“I stopped after two attempts because my left ankle hurt and also my right elbow and my lower back,” said Pitkämäki. “I will compete at the World Athletics Final next weekend and hope that I will feel better then.”

Komen pounces

Bernard Lagat was taken in the 1500m at about 150m to go by Friday’s Brussels meet winner Daniel Kipchichir Komen of Kenya. USA’s World 1500m and 5000m champion who won the 3000m in Zürich but missed the Belgian capital’s meet to concentrate on his race in Berlin, had no response when the attack came, Komen, who had fallen in his Osaka semi-final, having the much fresher legs.

A good day at the office for Williams

Lauryn Williams ran a beautifully controlled bend and came away with a 5 metres lead into the straight of the 200m, something which her opponents were never able to close down-on. The World silver medallist at 100m, closed-out in 22.95 secs. Olympic bronze medallist Debbie Ferguson McKenzie was the nearest to Williams with 23.07, just heading Aleen Bailey (23.08). It was nearly a sprint double for the American, who finished second in the later 100m dash in 11.24, ahead on the photo-finish of Christine Arron on the same time. They were both headed by Osaka bronze medallist Carmelita Jeter (11.15).

Wallace Spearmon, was the easy winner of the men’s 200m in 20.22. “Easy” by the fact that he looked very relaxed and also by the level of his winning margin ahead of fellow American Rodney Martin (20.54) and Jamaica’s Marvin Anderson (20.61). The 100m was won by Norway’s Gambian import Jaysuma Saidy Ndure in 10.14 seconds. It was a tight finish with Britain’s Marlon Devonish (10.15) and Rikki Fifton (10.17) following him closely across the line.


Wallace Spearmon wins the men's 200m in Berlin's Golden League (Getty Images)

There was the expected win for World silver medallist Vivian Cheruiyot in the women’s 5000m. The Kenyan’s strength was enough to see her finish confidently in 14:50.78, holding off Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu (14:53.89). USA’s Sara Goucher who took a surprise bronze in Osaka, was third again taking 13 seconds off her personal best in the process (14:55.02). New Zealand’s Kimberley Smith in fourth was also under 15mins (14:58.90).

A dramatic blanket finish in the men’s 400m Hurdles brought Poland’s Osaka third placer up two spots on this occasion. The Pole’s 49.01 seconds headed-off USA’s James Carter (49.02) and Kenneth Ferguson (49.05). An exhausted looking Olympic champion Felix Sanchez was fourth (49.93).

Allen Johnson might be coming into form late this year just as he did in 2006 but there was nothing delayed about his victory here in the Olympic stadium, as he was ahead of the 110m Hurdles field from the first set of barriers. The 36-year-old four-time World champion and 1996 Olympic winner, clocked 13.33 for the win.


Allen Johnson wins the men's 110m Hurdles in Berlin's Golden League
(Getty Images)

Two Osaka World champions seen off by local stars

In the pre-meeting programme, the women’s Javelin Throw brought revenge of a sort for Christina Obergföll, the World silver medallist over her Osaka conqueror Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic. The German’s fifth round 64.58m sailed past Spotakova’s second round lead (64.51), and though the Czech’s response was good her 6th round 64.07 was of course short of victory. A very close competition had Germany’s World silver medallist and European champion Steffi Nerius in third by just two centimetres.

There was even better news for the locals in the men’s Pole Vault which was also a pre-programme event. The German duo of Danny Ecker, the Osaka bronze medallist, with 5.86m, and Björn Otto on 5.81m (on count-back) saw off USA’s World Champion Brad Walker who took third place behind that pairing with 5.81m.

Chris Turner for the IAAF