Obikwelu stuns Chambers and Lemaitre at Euros
Source: Agencies |
March 8, 2011, Tuesday
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PORTUGAL'S Francis Obikwelu upset defending champion Dwain Chambers and home favorite Christophe Lemaitre to seize the 60 meters title at the European indoor championships in Paris on Sunday.
Lemaitre suffered from one of his notoriously bad starts and Obikwelu, the 2004 Olympic 100 silver medallist, sailed to victory in a national record of 6.53 seconds.
"I've had injuries for such a long time, and to come back and win, it's incredible," Nigerian-born Obikwelu, 32, told reporters. "I'm honored to be here, this is a great day of joy. I was hoping to be in the top three, but I never thought I was going to win."
Chambers' season's best of 6.54 was only good enough for silver and Lemaitre slumped on his haunches shaking his head with the disappointed Paris crowd agog at his third-placed finish after he had dominated qualifying.
French fans did have something to cheer, however, when Teddy Tamgho broke the indoor triple jump world record for the second time in two months to triumph in the final with a leap of 17.92. "At home, with the public giving me wings, I couldn't fail to win," he beamed.
The French men's 4x400 relay team then sped to victory as the hosts finished the championships with five golds in total, one less than dominant Russia, who won the women's 4x400.
Helen Clitheroe had earlier given Britain its second gold of the three-day extravaganza when she edged Russia's Olesya Syreva in the women's 3,000. Her compatriot Mo Farah had successfully defended his title in the men's event on Saturday.
Compatriot Jenny Meadows had to settle for silver in the women's 800 after Yevgeniya Zinurova pipped her to the line and Darya Klishina continued Russia's strong performance with a 6.80 leap to take the women's long jump crown.
A Polish one-two in the men's 800 final wowed the capacity crowd at the Bercy complex by the Seine with world indoor bronze medallist Adam Kszczot this time seizing victory in front of European outdoor champion Marcin Lewandowski.
Another Pole Anna Rogowska took women's pole vault gold.
Lemaitre suffered from one of his notoriously bad starts and Obikwelu, the 2004 Olympic 100 silver medallist, sailed to victory in a national record of 6.53 seconds.
"I've had injuries for such a long time, and to come back and win, it's incredible," Nigerian-born Obikwelu, 32, told reporters. "I'm honored to be here, this is a great day of joy. I was hoping to be in the top three, but I never thought I was going to win."
Chambers' season's best of 6.54 was only good enough for silver and Lemaitre slumped on his haunches shaking his head with the disappointed Paris crowd agog at his third-placed finish after he had dominated qualifying.
French fans did have something to cheer, however, when Teddy Tamgho broke the indoor triple jump world record for the second time in two months to triumph in the final with a leap of 17.92. "At home, with the public giving me wings, I couldn't fail to win," he beamed.
The French men's 4x400 relay team then sped to victory as the hosts finished the championships with five golds in total, one less than dominant Russia, who won the women's 4x400.
Helen Clitheroe had earlier given Britain its second gold of the three-day extravaganza when she edged Russia's Olesya Syreva in the women's 3,000. Her compatriot Mo Farah had successfully defended his title in the men's event on Saturday.
Compatriot Jenny Meadows had to settle for silver in the women's 800 after Yevgeniya Zinurova pipped her to the line and Darya Klishina continued Russia's strong performance with a 6.80 leap to take the women's long jump crown.
A Polish one-two in the men's 800 final wowed the capacity crowd at the Bercy complex by the Seine with world indoor bronze medallist Adam Kszczot this time seizing victory in front of European outdoor champion Marcin Lewandowski.
Another Pole Anna Rogowska took women's pole vault gold.
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