Lysenko's impressive series; Pitkamaki hits form | 23.07.2012
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| Tero Pitkamaki of Finland threw a season best 84.90m in Kuortane on Sunday. |
From Russia comes news that hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko is rounding into shape with a 77.20m backed up by a 77.19m. Her series in Yerino was an impressive 76.50-77.20-76.47-74.96-74.57-77.19.
That is the sort of throwing that would have won all three Olympic hammer competitions to date since the event entered the Olympic programme in 2000.
Lysenko became world champion last year with a very similar throw of 77.13m so she is in the same form that brought her gold at the World Championships in Daegu.
Earlier this month, she improved the Russian record to 78.51m at the National Championships in Cherboksary and is clearly the number one threat to world season leader, Aksana Menkova of Belarus.
Pitkamaki rounding into shape
One man who has not had a successful season so far is Finland's Tero Pitkamaki, but he showed some improvement in Kuortane on Sunday when he sent the javelin out to 84.90 for a season's best.
That only makes him the ninth longest thrower of 2012, but it may prove more significant that he is the second longest thrower of the month of July.
Four years ago, Pitkamaki collected Olympic bronze with 86.16, but in what is a relatively modest year for the javelin it may not require a huge distance to claim an Olympic medal.
Torneus' national record
In the same meeting, Sweden's Michel Torneus showed that he is rounding into shape nicely with a national record long jump of 8.22.
Opening with a solid 8.14 (wind assisted), it was in the final round that Torneus went out to the new record with the wind right on the legal limit.
"That was perfect, right before the Games," commented Torneus. "It has taken a few years, but finally I have got it." The previous record of 8.19 was held by Mattias Sunneborn from 1996.
Three weeks ago, Torneus took European bronze with a leap of 8.17, but had a huge jump of around 8.50 that was adjudged a foul.
"In a sense, I am glad he only improved the record by one centimetre," said his coach Oscar Gidewall, "instead of having a massive jump that is difficult to live up to."
Yanit in record form
The European 100m hurdles champion, Nevin Yanit, sped to a Turkish record and European leading time of 12.61 in the Balkan championships in Eskisehir. The time was set into a slight 0.2 headwind and makes her the sixth fastest in the world this year.
