Official bulletin of the 14th SPAR European Cross Country Championships. 464 athletes from 30 countries in the final entries

Transcription

1 Newsletter Toro 2007 Official bulletin of the 14th SPAR European Cross Country Championships # 4-3rd DECEMBER 2007 SUMMARY CONTENTS Final entries...pág. 1 Great names in Toro...pág. 2 Press conference in Diputación...pág. 3 We interview Sergiy Lebid...pag. 4 PUBLISHED BY Organising Committee Toro 2007 COORDINATION Marco Alonso Ignacio Mansilla 464 athletes from 30 countries in the final entries On the 1st December the results of the final entries of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, to be held next 9th December in Toro s Monte La Reina Course, were announced. 464 athletes from 30 countries have been entered to take part in these Championships, which will have an official programme of six races (senior, U23 and junior, both in men and women s category). Teams can enter a maximum of eight athletes per event of which only six will be allowed to take part in the race. The final starting list will be announced after the celebration of the Technical Meeting on the 8 December, starting at 12:00 hours in the European Athletics Club in Monte La Reina Course. Athletes have been entered by the following countries: Armenia, Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. The record of participating countries was established in the Malmö 2000 edition with 31, while the biggest number of athletes was reached last year in San Giorgio su Legnano with 468 athletes. By categories, the most numerous one is the Junior one, with 96 athletes in men category and 91 in women. It is followed by U23 category with a figure of 85 men and 74 women while the Senior races will be the ones with least participation (63 and 55 athletes respectively). Regarding the participant countries, only five will compete in all categories. They are France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy and Spain. One of the races of the last edition, held in the Italian city of San Giorgio su Legnano. 1

2 Great names of European Cross Country running in Toro Do you know that? Last weekend it was celebrated in the Zamora Fair (IFEZA) Innovaduero, Spanish-Portuguese Fair of New Technologies and Active Tourism. With a total budget of euros, this Fair counted with the presence of 40 companies of this sector of active tourism, renowable energies, telecommunications and computing. The presentation of this exhibition was celebrated last 27th November in Diputación de Zamora. Zamora s City Major Rosa Valdeón, and Promotion Councillor Antonio Silván have signed a collaboration agreement to build a Congress, Fairs and Exhibitions Centre in Zamora. The future building will be located next to Laboral University facilities. Pevafersa will construct in Toro the most important galvanizations factory in Spain. The foreseen investment is 12 million euros and it will create 30 jobs. The main objective of this project is to reduce the construction costs. We have to remind that in this moment these works are made in some Spanish factories and the final product is more expensive due to the transportation costs. All of them will benefit the reduction of the final price. In the final entries of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships we can find important names which, without any doubt, will offer us an unforgettable competition. If we review all the categories of the official programme for example in the Senior men s race the main attraction will be Ukrainian Sergiy Lebid, the man who has achieved more victories in the history of the competition: six in Ferrara 1998, Thun 2001, Medulin 2002, Edinburgh 2003, Heringsdorf 2004 and Tilburg 2005 editions, being also the only athlete who has taken part in all editions of the Championships from its origins in Alwick In Toro he will face Spanish Alberto García and Jesús España, European champions in Munich 2002 and Göteborg 2006 along with Chema Martínez, metres European champion in Munich. Portugal will present in its team the bronze medallist in in Athens 2004 Olympic Games Rui Silva, while in the Italian team we can underline Gabriele Di Nard, a veteran athlete that will run his eleventh Europeans. At the same time in the Senior women s race one of the most outstanding athletes is the double European Champion, Spanish Marta Domínguez, who will have to compete against two Cross Country European Champions: British Hayley Yelling (Heringsdorf 2004) and Ukrainian Tetyana Holovchenko (San Giorgio su Legnano 2006) and also an experienced woman like Serbian Olivera Jevtic, with five bronze medals in this competition. In addition, one of the countries with a strongest team will be Portugal, which includes Fernanda Ribeiro, Olympic, World and European champion in metres, or Ines Monteiro and Jessica Augusto, Alberto García and Sergey Lebid will face each other again in Toro. European Champions in the junior race in 1999 and In the other categories there will be also important names. For example, in the Junior men s race we can find some athletes who classified among the first ten last year in San Giorgio. Among them Romanian Ciprian Suhanea, bronze medallists there, or Ukrainian Dymtro Lashyn, sixth classified. They will have to face local star Mohamed Elbendir, who will fight for the medals with the support of his fellow countrymen. In the women s race British Stephanie Twell will defend her European title. The last category will be U23 in which we will find a European Champion, Italian Andrea Lalli, who won in 2006 in the junior race, while among the women we can underline Romanian Ancuta Bobocel and Spanish Marta Romo. Current European champion Tetyana Holovchenko will compete in Toro. 2

3 Press conference in Diputación de Zamora On the 19th November a press conference was held for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Diputación de Zamora (provincial government), with the participation of Fernando Martínez Maillo, Diputación president, Jesús Andrés Sedano, Toro city major, and José María Odriozola, Spanish Federation president. Martínez Maillo underlined the importance of these Championships for Zamora s province: when I was informed about this competition I knew that it was an important opportunity that we can not let go. For Zamora s province is a great opportunity and for Toro a showcase at all levels. We can not count all days with such an event like this in Zamora. In addition we have to remind that this competition will be celebrated for the first time in Spain and this is why the repercussion of the event will be even longer. Diputación de Zamora s president reminded us of the prestige of Spain in organisating athletic events that he hope it will be increased by the Toro s competition. At the same time Toro City Major Jesús Andrés Sedano invited all the Zamora s province to enjoy with us with this Cross Country party. We enjoy an incomparable landscape in Monte La Reina course. I m totally sure that the image of the city will be reinforced after this event. Finally, José María Odriozola, RFEA s president, spoke about the chances of the Spanish team in this competition: the expectations are maximum because among the first classified in the Europeans we can also see Spanish athletes and we are confident in José María Odriozola, Spanish Federation president, Fernando Martínez Maillo, Diputación de Zamora president and Jesús Andrés Sedano, Toro major, during the press conference. achieving some podiums also in the individual and in the team s competitions. For example, last year in San Giorgio we obtained some medals which is a very good sign for this edition. I m also confident in the fact that some athletes from Castilla y León can entered the team which will generate a higher expectations. Toro s landmarks Roman Bridge One of the most idyllic images of Toro is the one of its Roman Bridge from the tallest part of the city. The date of its construction is not clear but it s believed to date from the first Century of our Era, in times of Trajano Emperor. The Bridge is located in the widest part of Duero river and it s placed over a rock basement that acts like solid foundations. It is formed by 26 middle point archs of 4,80 metres diameter and with great cushion voussoirs; columns are reinforced by ligth buttresses, its lenght is 176 metres and it s 3,70 metres width. We have to remind that the Roman Bridge, the bull and the holm oak form part of the city shield. The Bridge was located in one of the most important paths of Lusitania province, of great importance in the Roman era. One part of this path is called Silver road. Some historians defend that the name proceeds from the Latin Via Lata (long road) being the reason of this name the fact that it was the longest path of the region, crossing the present provinces of Badajoz, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora, Valladolid, Segovia, Madrid, Guadalajara, Soria y Zaragoza. The distance of this road was 632 Roman miles (928 kilometres). 3

4 We interview: Sergiy Lebid: I hope to bring a medal with me from Toro Oliver Divljak With less than a week to the disputing of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Toro (Spain) we continue our series of interviews with the main stars of this competition's history. We will proceed with Ukranian long-distance runner Sergiy Lebid who has not only participated in all events of the competition so far but is also the most outstanding star in the history of this the Europeans as he has been the champion for six times and has achieved the most individual medals (eight medals). - You have participated in all editions of the European Cross Country Competition. What makes this competition so interesting and important for you? - I think it is an essential event for all European runners and even more important for me because I have started my season a lot of times yet competing at the Europeans of cross country. The event always gives me a very good idea of how I'm feeling and how my preparation worked out. - In 13 years you have won 6 gold medals and one silver/bronze medal each. That means that you have not only achieved the most individual medals but also have won the competition more often than anybody else. Do you have any specific memory that you kept in mind after all those competitions? - The first time is always the most remarkable one; although I will never forget the edition when I won my first gold medal, in Ferrara That really is unforgettable. Ukrainian Sergiy Lebid winning in the Medulin 2002 edition. Sergiy Lebid Born on 15th July ,79m/63kg. - Last year you ended up in 11th place which for you is not a very good performance in cross country. What happened: Was it just not your day or is the competition getting tougher each year with youngsters athletes? - It was not my day. In fact I had been suffering from an injury since October 2006 and therefore was not able to prepare well enough for the event which influenced my performance tremendously. A lot of young and good athletes have been coming out recently. On the one hand they make the competition tougher for me but on the other hand it becomes more interesting like that. It is also crucial for our sport to have new talent. - What is your goal for the Championship in Toro? - I hope that I can achieve a better result than last year. On my Most important achievements: - European Cross Country Champion in Ferrara 1998, Thun 2001, Medulin 2002, Edinburgh 2003, Heringsdorf 2004 and Tilburg European bronze medallist in 5.000m in Munich Performances: m: 3:38.44 (05) m: 13:10.78 (02) m: 28:09.71 (06) return to Ukraine I at least want to have a medal in my hands. - Who do you think are going to be your major rivals in this year's edition? - I think that Spanish and French athletes, who have great cross runners, have good chances to perform well. - Why didn't you participate in the World Championships in Osaka in the long-distance events? - Due to a foot injury I unfortunately could not prepare for the World Championship - During the World Championships in Osaka not a single European participated in the m competition. How do you thereupon judge the current situation of long-distance running in Europe as well compared to the global situation in this discipline? - Africans are dominating the stage of long distance running on track. For this reason I think that many young European athletes, even those with a lot of talent, decide to try out their luck in a different distance where they have better expectations. - How did your year go so far? Are you satisfied with your performance during the season? - I'm not satisfied at all! Due to my injury I was not capable of training throughout the whole season. It can only get better from this point on. - With 32 years you're one of the veterans in the European long distance running. How much longer do consider competing? - I am still in very good shape and feeling good. Most importantly I'm still yearning for more victories and until I keep that feeling in me, I will definitely continue competing... 4

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