Issue Two - Americans reach the Olympic Trials

Tikhon and Moreno still tops among International throwers

World-leader Yipsi Moreno (CUB) winning the 2003 World Championship (IAAF).

SEATTLE - As the Olympics inch ever closer, hammer throwers continue to prepare for the games. Ivan Tikhon (BLR) threw 84 meters at the Belarus Cup last month but the mark has yet to be submitted to the IAAF. Since then he has proved consistant with some more great marks. In late June he threw 83.36m in Stayki and then he preceeded to win the Belarus national title last week with a throw of 83.97m. Tikhon's series in the latter meet included three throws over 83 meters. Second behind Tikhon was Vadim Devyatovskiy (BLR). Devyatovskiy threw a personal best of 82.91m and had five throws over 80m. Fourty-one year old Igor Astapkovich (BLR) took third with a season best throw of 82.23m, his best throw since 2001.

Adrian Annus (HUN) has stayed within close range of Tikhon with a throw of 83.65m to win his national title in Debrecan last month. He easily won the meet over young Krisztian Pars (HUN) and had two other throws over 82 meters. Annus also had another win over Pars and several other good throwers at the Rethimno meet in Greece in June. Another Athens contender, Koji Murofushi (JPN), has won his his last two meets and has 4-0 record this season. Murofushi launched some of the best throws ever on US soild at the Prefontaine Classic in mid-June. Murofushi threw a season best of 82.65m and had four throws over 82 meters. He followed that win up with another win in Prague. While his best mark of 81.92m was shorter than the 84.86m he threw in Prague last season, Murofushi still beat good competition. Lastly, its seems that training with Yuri Sedych in the off season has helped Olli-Pekka Karjalainen (FIN). After breaking the world junior record, Karjalainen has spent the past five seasons around 80 meters. Recently he has broken through with a personal best and national record of 83.30m thrown in mid-July.

On the women's side Yipsi Moreno (CUB) has started to throw against more international competition and has continued to dominate. She has won her first eleven meets of the season and still holds a personal best of 75.18m from April. In the past month her biggest win was in France at the Meeting Lille Metropole. Yipsi only threw 72.65m, but held off Manuela Montrebrun, Olga Kuzenkova, Irina Sekachova, and several other top throwers.

Recently, however, several other throwers have moved closer to Moreno. Olga Tsander (BLR) threw a persoanal best and national record of 74.72m at her national championships in early July. That meet was a big breakthrough for Tasnder who has been throwing around 70 meters for a few years. Irina Sekachova (UKR) also has thrown a national record this season. Her toss of 74.16m was the best in a string of eight meets over 70 meters. If either can produce a 74m throw outside of their home nation, they could threaten Moreno for the Olympic Gold. Erin Gilreath (USA) has proved to be the top American and has also been very consistant. Currently Gilreath holds the eight best mark in the world and will be in the mix of things in Athens.

Junior throwers converge on Grosseto
This week also featured great junior competition at the World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy. Mariya Smolyachkova (BLR) was the class of the women's field. While she had a down day in qualifying, only throwing 60.47m, she returned the next day to win convincingly with a toss of 66.81m. That mark was new meet record, but was short of the national junior record of 70.39m she set last month. Nataliya Zolotukhina (UKR) had the opposite problem as Smolyachkova. Zolotukhina had a good qualifying day (she led qualifiers with a throw of 64.35m), but struggled in the finals and only managed 10th place. Her best effort of 55.55m in the finals was well of of her personal best. Americans Laci Heller and Kristen Callan failed to make the finals. Wenxiu Zhang (CHN), the world junior recorld holder, choose not to compete at the meet.

The men's competition has not commenced yet and will feature some top throwers. Andrey Azarenkov (RUS) leads all qualifiers with a personal best and national junior record of 80.27m thrown back in February. Mohsen El Anany (EGY) is close behind with a best of 77.23m. Two athletes to watch are Nick Owens (USA) and Sergej Litvinov Jr. (BLR). Nick Owens set the national junior record on his way to winning the national junior title last month in College Station Texas. His toss of 71.43m ranks Owens twelfth entering the meet and puts him within shooting distance of making the final round, a large feat for an American hammer thower. Litvinov is the son of Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder Sergej Litvinov. Litvinov has only been training in the hammer for two years and is showing great progess. Before throwing the hammer, Litvinov was a successful athlete in Judo. Litvinov has thrown 71.09m this season.

US men fight for Olympic Berth
Since the last issue, two more Americans have thrown the Olympic 'B' standard. A.G. Kruger, coached by four-time Olympian Jud Logan, threw the standard at a small meet in June. Paddy McGrath threw 75.37m in New York in early June. James Parker, who already had thrown the 'B' standard, also had a great month. He improved his personal best to 77.78m at the Prefontaine Classic, and then again to 79.20m at the High Performance meet in Utah. The latter mark surpassed the Olympic 'A' standard and moved Parker to number five on the all-time US list.

All these marks set the stage for the US Olympic Trials. Since only one athlete has met the 'A' standard, that meant that only one athlete, the winner, would likely be able to represent the US at the Olympics. Things were became hectic early in the qualifying round as Paddy McGrath fouled out of the competition. Kruger lead the qualifiers with Parker in second with Kevin McMahon and Michael Mai both making the final day of competition. However, in the final, it was all Parker. Parker took the lead early and held on to win with a throw of 77.58m. Despite a personal best throw of 76.02m by Kruger, Parker will represent the US in Athens. Travis Nutter took third place. All of the 'B' qualifiers have until early August to meet the 'A' standard of 78.65m and secure a spot on the Olympic team.

On the competition Parker commented that "My job is to compete, so it's actually a good thing. I couldn't sleep for three days. It's such a relief to have done well." Kruger, who is closest to meeting the 'A' standard said, "I knew James (Parker) would probably throw close to 260 [feet], so I had to step up my game. I was only off a little today.'

Women set for exciting Trials final

Erin Gilreath (USA) with coach Larry Judge in 2003

The women's competition at the Olympic trials will have a different story line. As opposed to the men, five women have met the Olympic 'A' standard of 67.50m. Erin Gilreath, Anna Mahon, Dawn Ellerbe, Bethany Hart, and Jackie Jeschelnig have surpassed the mark so far surpassed this season. A slew of athletes have thrown past the 'B' standard and could make the Olympic team by placing in the top three and then surpassing the 'A' standard in the next few weeks. Erin Gilreath looks to have the best shot at making the team. she has had a great last month with two more meets over 70 meters and wind over the best Americans. Throughout the season she has only lost once and has thrown over 70 meters five times. Last Monday, Gilreath was the top qualifier for Thursday's final at the Olympic Trials.

A look at Gilreath's early progression shows a personal best of 57m in 2002, 64.83m last season, and now an American record of 72.12m this season. The key to her success: "I take A LOT of throws, and I think that makes a difference." As a shot put and discus thrower in high scool, Gilreath took three years off of thrower before she met up with Coach Larry Judge at the University of Florida. She originally thought she would throw the shot put at Florida, but Judge introduced her to the hammer and the rest is history. "When I got to Florida I knew that I only had 2 years of [collegiate] eligibility to make something happen. So I just really dedicated myself to throwing. Totally bought in to the program at Florida and I've been successful."

Gilreath's preperation this season has been different than many other top throwers. So far she has competed in over twelve meets, many more than most elite throwers have thrown in at this time of the season. "I think that competition is the best way to gauge your training and it also helps you get better prepared for meets in the future," Gilreath commented. While she does not lack competitive experience, she does lack experience against international competition. She has only thrown in one meet outside of the US this season. Gilreath mentioned, "I'm looking forward to competing against some of the big names internationally...Last I checked there were 3 people ahead of me on the world list and only one of them has been consistent at a really high level, all of her highest marks being on her home soil as well. When you say that they are above me you're just making something bigger than it really is; it's a competion. And I take all competitions seriously. That's all I have to do."

As stated above, the competitors for the US team will be decided at Thursday's final. Ten of the twelve competitors have a thrown an 'A' or 'B' standard and have a legitamate shot of making the Olympic team.

Related Information
Top Lists/Rankings
» IAAF 2004 Top Lists (Men | Women)
» IAAF Hammer Rankings (Men | Women)

Recent Results
» World Junior Champs (ITA) 13-18 July 2004
» Lahti meet (FIN) 14 July 2004
» NC Minsk (BLR) 8-10 July 2004
» NC Debrecen (HUN) 9-10 July 2004
» Olympic Trials (USA) 9-18 July 2004
» Memorial Odlozila (CZE) 28 June 2004
» Meeting Lille Metropole (FRA) 26 June 2004
» Klim Meet (BLR) 26 June 2004
» Provo High Performance (USA) 23-26 June 2004
» Vardinoyannia EAA Meeting (GRE) 23 June 2004
» European Cup 19-20 June 2004
» Pre Classic (USA) 19 June 2004

Upcoming Meets
» Olympic Trials (USA) 9-18 July 2004
» World Junior Championships (ITA) 13-18 June 2004
» Olympic Games (GRE) 18-29 August 2004

Multimedia (from the Prefontainte Classic)
» Koji Murofushi (82.65m, 1.2mb, .mov format)
» James Paker (77.78m, 1.2mb, .mov format)
» Vadim Khersontsev (75.53m, 1.1mb, .mov format)
» Stuart Rendell (75.26m, .9mb, .mov format)

News articles
» Moreno - 75.00m hammer release in Pauda IAAF 5 July 2004
» Tikhon throws 83.36 world lead IAAF 3 July 2004
» Slesarenko and Murofushi top the results in Prague IAAF 29 June 2004
» Owens sets American Junior Record USATF 25 June 2004
» Murofushi dominates Pre Classic Hammerthrow.org 19 June 2004