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December 2009
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Drama abounds on Day One in Torino |
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06.03.2009 |
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| Eline Berings strikes gold for Belgium in the 60m H
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On a day of drama for many and disaster for a few, it was the sight of the resurrection of the career of the injury-prone Ladji Doucouré that left an indelible mark.
As the 2005 World champion thrust his body across the line here, he kept going and leapt onto the protective fence that the sprinters have to run into to stop without injuring themselves and let out a roar that resounded around the Oval Lingotto.
Apart from injury - and there have been many - the Frenchman of Malian and Senegalese parents, had the bad luck to hit the final hurdle of the Athens Olympics when he was lying second and finished a devastated eighth.
So when the result here was delayed because of the late lunge by the Netherlands' Gregory Sedoc, it looked as though fate had one more card to deal Doucouré. As the announcement finally came through, Doucouré acknowledged it with half raised arm, almost too exhausted by the emotion of the occasion to celebrate anymore.
The other big moment of the afternoon finals came in the women's hurdles where in her own way, Eline Berings equalled Doucouré for exhilaration.
In the European championships, Belgian athletes have hit the headlines in a big way with Tia Hellebaut and Kim Gevaert. After watching in frustration as her compatriots performed on the biggest stage in Beijing, it was Berings turn to enjoy her moment of glory.
Not since winning the European Junior title in 2005 had Berings stood on the top of the hurdles podium in a major championship. And now she has a national record and European lead to go with it.
All winter Anna Bogdanova has looked like the winner of the Pentathlon title, but so much can go wrong in this event that victory is never assured.
The Russian stood out, though, as solid as the mountains that surround this city as she ticked off the events one by one in a nerveless fashion and duly claimed what was hers.
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2005 World Champion Ladji Doucouré returned to
the top of the podium with a stunning 60m Hurdles
victory |
It was the in the battle for bronze that all the emotion lay as another French athlete, Antoinette Nana Djimou, fulfilled the promise she first showed as a junior.
"When I came to Torino I already knew that I could be on the podium," she said.
"But after the hurdles I had many doubts. After an excellent high jump, I was sure again that a medal was reachable. And then a PB in the long jump, this gave me even more motivation.
"In the 800m, I only fought and fought and there was another PB. I am more than satisfied."
Petra Lammert has a lot to live up to. Her coach is Dieter Kollarck, whose illustrious pupils have included two multi-medal winners in Astrid Kumbernuss and Francka Dietszch
Perhaps typically for a power eventer, she arrived in Italy with her share of injuries so when she hurled the implement out to 19.66 she knew two things: it was worth gold and she had finished off any chance of another valid throw.
"I came here with an injured elbow and with a season's best of ´only´ 19m. I asked myself whether the elbow was stable enough. But then my first attempt was so far, 19,66m and I was sure that I had a safe gold medal now although all the other attempts were not valid because of my elbow problems. Now I am speechless. I guess I just have to realize what happened. I am surprised that I achieved a new PB with so few training shots."
Since there cannot be triumph without disaster, it was Ireland's David Gillick who drew the short straw.
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Italy's golden boy Claudio Licciardello sailed into
the 400m final
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Looking superb in the opening round, the defending champion was on course to be in there fighting to retain his title. But disaster struck on the final bend of his semi as he collided and his hopes crashed to the track with him.
The home crowd had plenty to enthuse about, though. The absence of Gillick has consolidated the claims of Claudio Licciardello, already the fastest man in the World, to bring the title home and the roof down.
In the women's 800m there is a similar thread as Elisa Cusma can count on waves of noise to push her to gold, though her task looks more problematic with Russians and Britons breathing down her neck.
Talking of Russians, rising star Anna Alminova impressed mightily in the semis of the 1500m and looks on course to fulfil the 1500m/3000m double. It has been done once before of course, but Lidia Chojecka did not have 3000m heats to sap her strength. Make no doubt, there is plenty of drama to come.
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