European Indoor Championships (6th-8th March)

[Rineanna]

The European Indoor season comes to a climax this Friday, with the start of the European Indoor Championships in Turin.

The startlists have been posted on the front of T&FN, but for convenience sake:

Men's: http://www.european-athletics.org/index ... 4&Itemid=2

Women's: http://www.european-athletics.org/index ... 5&Itemid=2

...and the timetable: http://www.european-athletics.org/index ... 5&Itemid=2

So has anyone any predictions for the medallists?

Mine are:

Women:
60m: Russian Cleansweep, led by Geflikh
400m: Possibly another Russian Cleansweep
800m: Piccione with Okoro in Second
1500m: Alminova to destroy the field
3000m: Alminova to do the double (if she doubles), followed by Augusto and Cullen in no particular order
60mh: Onyia to finally win gold, followed by O' Rourke and Claxton/Davin.
HJ: Vlasic to put Friedrich back in her box! :lol: Not sure about that...
LJ: Russian 1-2, with Balta for Bronze
PV: Spiegelburg to upset Golubchikova
TJ: Potopova and Sestak to follow through to their season's rankings.
SP: Lammert-Hinrichs-Heltne
Pentathlon: Bogdanova to destroy all before her.
4x400m: Russia could race walk and still win Gold. Belarus, then GBR.

Men:
60m: Chambers followed by two Italians
400m: Gillick to get the hat trick, Wissman, Licciardello.
800m: Borza
1500m: Spanish cleansweep
3000m: Mo and Bob for a sprint finish.
60mh: Borisov over Sedoc
HJ: Ukhov if he doesn't do a Birmingham or see a pub.
LJ: Tsatsoumas-Bayer-Sdiri
TJ: Home one-two. Tamgho 3rd.
PV: Gerasimov, Lavillenie, Straub
SP: Polish Gold.
Hept: Sintnicolaas to dislodge the incumbent
4x400m: Italian Gold, Russia, Poland with Germany disqualified

[nevetsllim]

Here goes

w60 - Polyakova, Sailer, Efmitova
w400 - Krivoshapka, Antyukh, Fraser (but more realistically Phyhda)
w800 - Zbrozhek, Okoro, Petlyuk (but five or six can realistically win)
w1500 - Fernandez, Alminova, Rodriguez
w3000 - Alminova, Bekele, Augusto
w60H - Onyia, O'Rourke, Krasovska (hopefully)
HJ - Friedrich, Vlasic, Gordeyeva
PV - Spiegelburg, Golubchikova, Battke
LJ - Kucherenko, Balta, Mey
TJ - Potapova, Sestak, Udmurtova
SP - Heltne, Lammert, Legnante :?
Hep - Bogdanova and not sure about the others :?
4x400 - RUS, GBR, BLR

m60 - Chambers :roll: Williamson, Cerutti
m400 - Gillick, Wissman, Licciardello
m800 - Borza, Marco, Czepiewski
m1500 - Casado, Silva, Ruiz
m3000 - Farah, Bayrak, Espana
m60h - Doucoure, Sedoc, Borisova
HJ - Ukhov, Thornblad, Spank
PV - Not sure - Ecker again, the new Frenchie and Gerasimov :?
LJ - Tsatoumas, Sdiri, Rutherford
TJ - Tamgho, Donato, the Bulgarian chap
SP - Majewski, Sofin, Bartels
Hept - hopefully Sebrle but probably not
4x400 - GBR, RUS, POL

[Rineanna]

Interesting to note that even with the majority of the women's pentathlon heavy hitters, like Sotherton, Dobrynska and Chernova, missing from the start line on Friday, Lithuania's '04 Olympic Silver medallist Austra Skujyte will compete in the Shot as opposed to the multi events.

Also, Romania's uber-flexible Angela Morosanu, primarily a 400mh, is entered in the 60m and 60mh.

[AS]

Interesting to note that even with the majority of the women's pentathlon heavy hitters, like Sotherton, Dobrynska and Chernova, missing from the start line on Friday, Lithuania's '04 Olympic Silver medallist Austra Skujyte will compete in the Shot as opposed to the multi events.

But Sotherton is listed to start...

[Rineanna]

Interesting to note that even with the majority of the women's pentathlon heavy hitters, like Sotherton, Dobrynska and Chernova, missing from the start line on Friday, Lithuania's '04 Olympic Silver medallist Austra Skujyte will compete in the Shot as opposed to the multi events.

But Sotherton is listed to start...

http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/march- ... urin-team/

Kelly Sotherton (Birchfield Harriers), Jade Johnson (Herne Hill Harriers) and Chris Warburton (Notts AC) have all withdrawn from the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team for this weekend’s European Indoor Championships in Turin, Italy.

[AS]

Interesting to note that even with the majority of the women's pentathlon heavy hitters, like Sotherton, Dobrynska and Chernova, missing from the start line on Friday, Lithuania's '04 Olympic Silver medallist Austra Skujyte will compete in the Shot as opposed to the multi events.

But Sotherton is listed to start...

http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/march- ... urin-team/

Kelly Sotherton (Birchfield Harriers), Jade Johnson (Herne Hill Harriers) and Chris Warburton (Notts AC) have all withdrawn from the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team for this weekend’s European Indoor Championships in Turin, Italy.

I stand corrected... although Skujyte presumably didn't know this when choosing SP option...or she is only in SPing shape...

[LopenUupunut]

I find it hard to bet against Berings in w60mH. She already has three sub-8 clockings this year and appears to be in 7.90 form (which should be enough to win).

m60 - British sweep
m800 - Borza, Marco, Kszczot
mLJ - Novotný, Bayer, Gomis

[Powell]

I find it hard to bet against Berings in w60mH. She already has three sub-8 clockings this year and appears to be in 7.90 form (which should be enough to win).

Is she really better than Onyia, though? And don't forget Derval O'Rourke, she hasn't raced much this winter, but she knows how to do it in major championships.

[Brettboy]

Skujyte did that great shot PB recently, but the pentathlon event is made for the likes of Sotherton and Bogdanova with no JT! Bogdaniva should walk that, but will be interesting to see who follows...most likely Kurban and Tyminska, if the latter's form really is ok like Powell has posted. I kind of like to see Kesselschlager medal as she's coming to the end of her career, but equally it's great to see the young Schulz back.

Russia will win the mens 4x4 over GBR I'm sure.

Would like to see Spiegelberg beat Golubchikova but think the Russian may prevail. It's quite a strong German team in the field, and they should medal in the mens and women's PV, women's SP and could medal in the men's LJ & mens SP.

Nice to see Antyukh back in the team.

Really hope Okoro and Meadows can challenge from a Brit perspective.

[nevetsllim]

Interesting to note that even with the majority of the women's pentathlon heavy hitters, like Sotherton, Dobrynska and Chernova, missing from the start line on Friday, Lithuania's '04 Olympic Silver medallist Austra Skujyte will compete in the Shot as opposed to the multi events.

Also, Romania's uber-flexible Angela Morosanu, primarily a 400mh, is entered in the 60m and 60mh.

It is a shame - it was the highlight in Birmingham in 2007 but it could be a bit of a damp squib this time.

[Powell]

Bogdaniva should walk that, but will be interesting to see who follows...most likely Kurban and Tyminska, if the latter's form really is ok like Powell has posted.

Yes, Tyminska has been looking OK, I'm just a bit worried about her LJ. She seems to have some sort of a problem this year, fouling nearly all of her attempts, and has a SB of just 6.21, whereas she jumped 6.54 when setting her pentathlon PB last year. If she can fix that in Torino and jump 6.40 or so, she ought to be fine.

[Powell]

Re: European Indoor Championships (6th-8th March)

1500m: Alminova to destroy the field
3000m: Alminova to do the double (if she doubles), followed by Augusto and Cullen in no particular order

With 20 women entered in the 3000, there will be heats in that event, so I doubt anyone will be brave enough to double. You'd have to do the heats of the 1500 on day 1, then the heats of the 3000 on the morning of day 2 before the 1500 final in the afternoon on the same day.

Lidia Chojecka was able to pull it off 2 years ago just because the 3000 was a straight final on day 3.

[Rineanna]

With 20 women entered in the 3000, there will be heats in that event, so I doubt anyone will be brave enough to double. You'd have to do the heats of the 1500 on day 1, then the heats of the 3000 on the morning of day 2 before the 1500 final in the afternoon on the same day.

Lidia Chojecka was able to pull it off 2 years ago just because the 3000 was a straight final on day 3.

Please let her choose the 1500m, so Cullen and Augusto can battle it out for the medals! Although, after her Stuttgart performance, the 3000m may be her baby for this championships.

although Skujyte presumably didn't know this when choosing SP option.

True. I just think she may be kicking herself now that she sees the depleted start list.

[lalala]

The GB team seems ludicrously weak to me...is this one of the smallest we've ever sent to a Euro Indoors?

[Kai88]

But is it really that important to send a large or decent team to this event, at the end of the day it doesn't mean a great deal to the British athletes as funding will not be based on performances done at these champs.

I would rather see a full strength team going to the Worlds outdoors this summer, these champs will no doubt be forgotten by in the most part come the summer.

Of course each athlete is different and for some, ie Mo Farah who would no doubt take great pride in winning his first 'major' title. But the summer meets and champs is at the end of the day what its all about. For some the risks are too high or just simply doesn't fit in.

I think the team is a decent size, and i think will still do fairly well.