A WEEK IN ATHLETICS AUGUST 2013/1

In a weekly round-up, European Athletics looks at a big issue in the sport, sets the scene for the week ahead and reviews the past few days.

When the world held its breath for the middle-distances in Moscow

It is the biggest track and field event to be staged in the Luzhniki Stadium for 33 years.

And when the IAAF World Championships open in Moscow on Saturday morning, memories for many will come rolling back to 1980, the Olympic Games and one of the most extraordinary weeks in athletics history.

The reason was the nerve-shredding middle-distance duels between Sebastian Coe - Lord Coe - and Steve Ovett.

The Great Britain pair arrived in Moscow as the multiple world record holders.

They left having won 'each other’s event in an athletics programme that people now, particularly in England, can still even recall where they were when the races were run.

What better way to set the scene for what lies ahead at the end of this week at a World Championships which could become the turning point in the careers for so many European athletes.

Read more..

THE WEEK JUST GONE
A time for last minute work-outs and travel to holding camps ahead of the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, but for some, a time of disappointment, with the realisation that their season is over. Jessica Ennis-Hill, of Great Britain, the Olympic heptathlon champion, and Croatia's high jump star Blanka Vlasic are just two athletes who will not be in Russia and are already planning for 2014.

THE WEEK AHEAD
In contrast, the summer season reaches its crescendo with the IAAF World Championships which start in Moscow on Saturday. European athletes will arrive in Russia after a series of outstanding results on the Diamond League circuit and for Renaud Lavillenie, of France, the chance to complete the pole vault set - he is the Olympic and European champion but he has never won the world title. Will this be his time?

EUROPEAN LEADERS – 800m
Men
1. Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (FRA), 1.43.76 Monaco
2. Kevin Lopez (ESP), 1:43.93, Monaco
3. Ilham Tanui Ozbilen (TUR), 1:44.00 Mersin

Women
1. Mariya Savinova (RUS), 1:58.75 Yerino
2. Abeba Aregawi (SWE), 1:59.20 Hengelo
3. Yekaterina Kupina (RUS), 1:59.21 Yerino

BIRTHDAY:
08.08.13: Anita W…‚odarczyk (POL) – former hammer throw world champion and world record holder turns 28.

TOP TWEETS:
Jessica Ennis-Hill ‏@J_Ennis
Wow can't believe it! A year ago today! What an amazing day & months to follow! Couldn't have done it without my team, friends & family around me!

Mo Farah ‏@Mo_Farah
Last hard track session before Moscow...!!! Yeeeeeezzzzzz!!! #Moscow2013 pic.twitter.com/4Um9W5aFl0

ThomasVanderPlaetsen ‏@vanderplaetsen
Good last test for Moscow next week! A SB of 14.62 in the hurdles and a good 41m32 in the discus. Feeling very ready for the decathlon...

Vladimir Vukicevic ‏@Vukicevic110
So, it’s only a lil over a year until #zurich2014 !?

COMING NEXT
Aug 10-18 - IAAF World Championships (Moscow)

IN BRIEF
- In Beograd, Emir Bekric ran a 400m personal best of 46.49 at the Serbian Team