Sunday, August 7, 2005

Ivanova - 'I will continue ...as I have no rivals' IAAF - Helsinki, Finland - When they named their daughter, a dream must have lain deep in the hearts of the parents of Olympiada Ivanova. "I had no choice - they chose that name themselves," she said, laughing all the way to the bank after her World record breaking victory in the women[base ']s 20km Race Walk at the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Olimpiada Ivanova of Russia celebrates winning the 20km race walk in a new World record time. IAAF Race report and link to results here. "I don't know why they called me that. Yes, they were sports people, but amateurs. They did not compete in the Olympics. My mother is a physical education teacher. She was a gymnast and an athlete. My father was a freestyle wrestler." She was bitterly disappointed not to live up to her name in last year's Olympics, though her World record in Helsinki, and $160,000 which she will collect subject to mandatory anti-doping controls, will surely help assuage that. 10:17:46 PM     comment []

The sacrifice of a friend pays dividend for Perez and Ecuador IAAF - National heroes can arrive in all different shapes and with all different styles and attitudes but modesty is not always their most striking trait. (This article is nice about Jefferson, but gets my prize for the least accurate report seen at the championships so far). 10:15:09 PM     comment []

IAAF Preview - Women's 20km Race Walk The Race Walking events will be contested on the main street of Helsinki, Mannerheimintie, between the Opera and the Parliament. The course passes the National museum and Finlandia Hall. The Street Mannerheimintie is named after Marshal of Finland Mannerheim. The course is a 2-km-long loop on the main street, which has a few long uphill stretches. The second day of the World Championships will start with the women[base ']s 20km Race Walk. As in the men[base ']s events, the Russians are expected to be strong and same goes for the women[base ']s race. 10:00:33 AM     comment []

IAAF report Jefferson Perez clearly has what it takes to produce his best when it matters most. The 31-year-old Ecuadorian produced yet another impressive display of championships race walking to retain his 20km crown despite a determined challenge from Spain[base ']s Francisco Fernandez who had to settle for silver for the second world championships in succession. 9:51:47 AM     comment []

IAAF Day 1 Summary And what can we say about the remarkable comeback of Jefferson Perez, the 31-year-old Ecuadorian who dropped by the medallists in last summer[base ']s Olympics made the latest of his many career comebacks to retain his World 20km crown despite a determined challenge from Spain[base ']s Francisco Fernandez who had to settle for silver for the second world championships in succession. After a below-par 2005 season, the 1996 Olympic champion proved once more that with the retirement of Robert Korzeniowski of Poland he is now world[base ']s ultimate championship race walking performer. 9:49:24 AM     comment []

Men's 20km photo gallery See the Flickr page for 50 shots from the men's 20km walk today/yesterday... it's stupidly late here.... Lto R - Juan Manuel Molina (Spain), Jefferson Peréz (Ecuador), Francisco Fernandez (Spain) 3:46:17 AM     comment []

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