World Championships @ MindSay

Many African athletes are in Europe now putting finishing touches to their preparations for the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan starting in less than two weeks.

Last Sunday, Nigeria's female sprinters Franca Idoko and Christy Ekpukpon led all comers home at the DLV Gala classics in Wattenscheid, Germany. Weeks before that Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele smashes the UK's All Comers Record with 7.26.69 in the men's 3000m at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Sheffield.

With the World and Olympic 5000m champion, Tirunesh Dibaba already selected to double up in 5000m and 10000m in Osaka, Africa is set to challenge the rest of the world and to once again dominate the long distance races, though Aussie Craig Mottram might have something to say to that.

So what are their realistic chances of podium finishes in Osaka 2007? How many Gold medals do you think African athletes will win at the World championships?

African sprint champion Olusoji Fasuba earned himself a personal best as he kicks the season off on a fast note with a storming finish at the 21st edition of the Sparkassen Cup at the Stuttgart’s Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Germany.

 

The 23-year-old Nigerian powered out of the blocks in lane 3 in the final of the men’s 60 metres to win in a world-leading 6.49 seconds, just 0.01 seconds off the eight-year-old national record held by compatriot Deji Aliu (6.48 seconds set at the Indoor World Championships in Maebashi in 1999).

 

 

Go read FASUBA

US Sprinter Tim Montgomery has announced his retirement from athletics following his two-year ban for steroid abuse.

 

The 30-year-old American was stripped of his 100 metres world record, his gold and silver medals from the 2001 World Championships and had all his results since 31 March 2001 expunged from the record books.

 

He also confirmed that he has split up with partner Marion Jones, the triple Olympic champion at the 2000 Sydney Games.

 

The charges were brought by the US Anti-Doping Agency based on evidence gathered in the Balco laboratory case. "I have retired," he said to the BBC. "The process was totally not fair. From where I come from, you need a positive test."

 

But, the World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound told reporters he believes the bans will serve as a warning that officials do not need positive tests to punish athletes. "It is a good warning. It means if you are going to do this drug stuff you are at risk. This will be helpful as a deterrent," he said.

Okay, what should I write about today? It's a hot day, 28 Celsius degrees or something. The sweat is dripping. But the sun is not shining. :( It's cloudy and it started to rain just a few minutes ago, when I came home from the flea market. Not much, but still rain. I suppose there is a risk for thunder, but I hope it won't start.

I have sold something on the flea market, but I don't know how much. Tomorrow I will go there again to lower some prices. I really hope people will buy more from me.

The TV is just showing from the world championships for athletics. It's kind of boring. Finland has only one hope for medal and that's in javelin tomorrow. Unfortunately they are not showing my favourite TV-show today, just because of the world championships. :(

Yesterday I picked a lot of raspberries that grew close to the flea market. But I only picked a little part of all the berries I saw. I might go back in a few days and pick some more. Mum made a raspberry pie yesterday when I came home and it tasted delicious! :)