European Athletics Championships Day Four
Day four of the European Championships promises a feast of athletics on which to gorge. As always spikesmag.com offers its considered opinion on the day’s events inside the Olympic Stadium.
So far we’ve had three great championships days, does day four give us chance to catch our breath?
No, anything but. In fact day four is the busiest in the championships so far with a staggering 11 finals not to mention the opening day of Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon. If you like your athletics this is a real treat, with the icing and the cherry on top.
Where to start then, any Spanish hopes?
Oh, yes. The home crowd will not only hope for victory, but expect it from Marta Dominguez in the 3000m steeplechase. Dominguez is somewhat of a national hero and she rather likes the event having won gold medals in the 5000m at the 2002 and 2006 European Championships. She has since switched to the 3000m steeplechase and proved quite adept, winning the world title in Berlin last summer.
Doesn’t she have a special power?
Yes, she never runs without her ‘magic’ headband, which she credits for every victory. At last year’s World Championships she took off the item down the home straight as she powered to victory in the German capital.
Is there anyone out there who can stop her?
Yes, a couple of girls have the ability. Russia’s Yuliya Zarudneva was an impressive winner of the European Team Championship in Bergen and Poland’s Wioletta Frankiewicz, the 2006 European steeplechase bronze medallist, also has claims.
Isn’t there even more middle-distance action to excite?
Too right. The women’s 800m final promises to be cracker. The favourite is Russia’s Mariya Savinova, the European and World Indoor 800m champion, who has looked in imperious form. The Brits led by World bronze medallist Jenny Meadows and Jemma Simpson look her main danger.
Hold on, won’t Savinova be a little twitchy that she gets on the right bus ahead of the final?
Yes, all three Russian 800m runners got on the wrong bus ahead of the women’s heats on Tuesday. Instead of being taken to the stadium they were transported to the throwers’ practise ground some 15 minutes away from where they needed to be. They were then forced to take a cab and sprint to the warm up track. Savinova and 2006 European silver medallist Svetlana Klyuka survived the panic to qualify as heat winners but Tatyana Andrianova trailed home seventh and was eliminated.
The men’s 1500m final, this night gets even better.
Yes, it does and those Spaniards will again be hoping to excel. Veteran Reyes Estevez won this title back in Budapest in 1998 and will once again fancy his chances of being in the shake up. His countrymen two-time European Under-23 medallist Manuel Olmedo and Arturo Casado will also believe they can mount the podium.
Who is going to challenge the Spanish Armada?
The Brits, of course! European Team Championships winner Colin McCourt, UK champion Andy Baddeley and former European Junior silver medallist Tom Lancashire will all be seeking victory. France’s Yoann Kowal and Ireland’s Thomas Chamney will also be looking to get in on the act.
Is there something for fans of the sprints?
Don’t worry, they won’t miss out. The men’s and women’s 400m finals take place tonight with the former proving an intriguing battle. The Belgian Borlee twins, Jonathan and Kevin, looked impressive in the heats while the likes of Ireland’s two-time former European Indoor champion David Gillick is another strong challenger. Watch out too for Martyn Rooney and Michael Bingham, who will be striving for a tenth European gold medal in this event in the history of the championships.
And what about the hurdles?
Oh, yes. The men’s 110m hurdles semi-final and final take place tonight. In one of the most wide open events of the championships look out for Czech Petr Svoboda, Poland’s Artur Noga and British duo William Sharman and Andy Turner. Defending champion Stanislav Olijar of Latvia is also entered.
And didn’t you say Jessica Ennis was starting her heptathlon challenge?
Oophs, I almost forget. Yes, the world heptathlon champion and world leader will be strongly fancied to add European gold. Day one consists of the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot and 200m and she will expect a healthy lead at the end of a gruelling first day.
Anyone likely to spoil the party?
Unlikely, but Tatyana Chermova of Russia and Germany’s rising talent Jennifer Oeser will not want Ennis to have things all her own way. Olympic champion Natalya Dobrynska is also entered, but she has been in disappointing form so far this year.
Okay, I can’t wait for the track, but are they any field event finals?
The women’s pole vault final should be a good one. The 2002 European champion Svetlana Feofanova is looking in shape to regain her title, but the German duo Carolin Hingst, the European leader, and Silke Spiegelburg will be out to stop her.
Hold on where is the Olympic champion and multiple world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva?
She has decided to take a break from the sport. She was beaten at both the World outdoor championships in Berlin last year and at the World Indoor Championships in Doha in March. The Russian believes she needs a rest, but plans to return next year.