Vasilevskis’ 90.73m javelin release marks out Tallinn’s quality 23. July 07

Tallinn, Estonia - Olympic Javelin Throw silver medallist Vadim Vasilevskis of Latvia achieved the best result at the 15th international meet in Tallinn, Estonia, which attracted a 3000 plus crowd in nice summer weather (around 22 degrees) yesterday.


The Tallinn 2007 meeting is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final.

Vasilevskis produced a 90.73m released in the fifth round which established an new national recording bettering the PB he had achieved last year in Riga (90.43). He is now 10th on the all-time performers list. His series: f - 86.75 - 81.37- 86.54 - 90.73 - p. Former World champion Sergey Makarov was also good in second place with 85.87m.

Home hero Gerd Kanter dominated in the Discus Throw with 67.76m. Olympic medallist Zoltan Kovago of Hungary was second(63.72m) and Frantz Kruger, who is now a Finnish citizen, came in third (63.66).

In the Long jump, Jamaica’s 1996 Olympic medallist James Beckford flew to 8.35m (+1.3) a distance which only he, Irving Saladino and Louis Tsatoumas have jumped further this year. 2002 European champion Oleksiy Lukashevich of Ukraine was second (8.02) and last year’s European silver medallist Greg Rutherford (GBR), competing for the first time this year, was third with 7.96m. Czech Roman Novotny was close fourth (7.93m).

The Shot Put did not bring the expected quality as World champion Adam Nelson won with only 20.16m after travelling early in the day back from Madrid where he had been competing the previous night. World season leader Christian Cantwell, also of the USA, was struggling and finished fourth (19.58).

Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia also made the early flight from Madrid and put on another great display of long jumping winning with 6.87m (-1.9). Her series: f - f - 6.59 - 6.87 - f - 6.70.

Poland’s 2000 Olympic winner Kamila Skolimowska was equally impressive in the women’s Hammer Throw with 75.22m and in total had four 70+ throws. In other technical events Czech Romana Dubnova won the High Jump (1.88) and Natalya Fokina of Ukraine the Discus Throw (62.44).

Read more Vasilevskis’ 90.73m javelin release marks out Tallinn’s quality from iaaf.org

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