01-06-2012, 01:57 PM
1 July - Oscar Pistorius will compete in the menââ¬â¢s 400m at the Prefontaine Classic tomorrow as the fourth leg of the Samsung Diamond League gets underway in Eugene, Oregon.
Pistorius needs 45.30sec order to qualify for the Olympic Games. He had a hard time achieving the required standard in Ostrava and Hengelo on 25 and 27 May, where he clocked 47.66sec and 46.35sec respectively. The 25-year-old reached his first Olympic Qualifier in Pretoria on 17 March at the Gauteng North Championships where he was timed at 45.20sec.
Olympic Champion Shawn Merritt (USA), World Champion Kirani James (GRN), 400m hurdles Olympic champion Angelo Taylor (USA) and the 400m Olympics silver medallist Jeremy Wariner (USA) will line up with Pistorius in the 400m. All these athletes all have times under 45 seconds this season, with Merrittââ¬â¢s best clocked at 44.19sec.
The Samsung Diamond League Prefontaine Classic will be broadcast on SS7 ON 2 June from 20:30-22:30. For more information and results please visit diamondleague-eugene.com/Home/
Sparkassen Gala, Regensburg ââ¬â 2 June 2012
A host of South African athletes will compete at this meeting in Regensburg on Saturday.
Rynhardt van Rensburg requires 1:45.60 in order to reach his first Olympic Qualifying A-standard time in the 800m. The Free State athlete ran a personal best of 1:46.36 at the SA Senior Championships in Port Elizabeth on 14 April and will need to achieve the A-standard twice before 30 June if he hopes to qualify.
Sergio Mullins will compete in the menââ¬â¢s 100m as well as the 200m while Paul Gorries will double up in the 200m and 400m.
Mapaseka Makhanya is very confident ahead of the womenââ¬â¢s 1500m. ââ¬ÅI am very positive as my last race brought back my confidence. There is no pressure this time,ââ¬Â said Makhanya from Germany. The SA Champion ran a season best (4:12.01) at her previous race in Rehlingen on 28 May. Her aim is to run 4:06.00, the Olympic A-standard.
The womenââ¬â¢s 3000m steeplechase will see Nolene Conrad in action again. Conrad has been doing well in Europe, first running a personal best in the 5000m in Koblenz on 23 May followed by a personal best in the 3000m steeplechase in Oordegem on 26 May. Conrad ran 9:54.42, just slower than Tebogo Masehlaââ¬â¢s SA Record (9:54.19).
For more information: sparkassen-gala.de/
Meeting AtleticaGenève, Switzerland ââ¬â 2 June
Roscoe Engel and Carina Horn will compete in this meeting. Engel is looking for a 10.18sec clocking in order to reach the Olympic qualifying A-standard for the first time. Engel came very close at the National Championships in Port Elizabeth on 14 April when he finished second in 10.20sec.
20.55sec is required for the 200m and with Engelââ¬â¢s personal best of 20.64sec clocked on 5 May in Pretoria; the A-standard could be possible for the 23-year-old. Hornââ¬â¢s best time this season in the 100m was clocked at 11.72sec at the SA Open Championships in Pretoria on 4 May with her best 200m this season timed at 23.54sec at the same meeting.
For more information: atleticageneve.ch/meeting/schedule/
Hyundai Grand Prix Florø Friidrettsfestival -2 June 2012
Ruan de Vries and Estie Wittstock will compete in this meeting.
For more information pleae visit: ftif.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=50&Itemid=69
Meeting Résisprint, Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland ââ¬â 3 June
Athletes competing here include Hannes Dreyer, Lebogang Moeng, Thuso Mpuang, Simon Magakwe, Willem de Beer and Shaun de Jager amongst the men. Speaking from Rome, Magakwe said that he will use the smaller meeting to boost his confidence before moving to the next Diamond League in Oslo on 7 June.
Tsholofelo Thipe, and Wenda Theron will be looking for another A-standard in their events and they are one single good performance away from their qualifying goal. Thipe ran in Marseille on 31 May where she just missed out on qualifying for the 400m where she clocked 51.79sec, just slower than the 51.55sec required. Theron needs 55.50sec in the 400m hurdles.
Pistorius needs 45.30sec order to qualify for the Olympic Games. He had a hard time achieving the required standard in Ostrava and Hengelo on 25 and 27 May, where he clocked 47.66sec and 46.35sec respectively. The 25-year-old reached his first Olympic Qualifier in Pretoria on 17 March at the Gauteng North Championships where he was timed at 45.20sec.
Olympic Champion Shawn Merritt (USA), World Champion Kirani James (GRN), 400m hurdles Olympic champion Angelo Taylor (USA) and the 400m Olympics silver medallist Jeremy Wariner (USA) will line up with Pistorius in the 400m. All these athletes all have times under 45 seconds this season, with Merrittââ¬â¢s best clocked at 44.19sec.
The Samsung Diamond League Prefontaine Classic will be broadcast on SS7 ON 2 June from 20:30-22:30. For more information and results please visit diamondleague-eugene.com/Home/
Sparkassen Gala, Regensburg ââ¬â 2 June 2012
A host of South African athletes will compete at this meeting in Regensburg on Saturday.
Rynhardt van Rensburg requires 1:45.60 in order to reach his first Olympic Qualifying A-standard time in the 800m. The Free State athlete ran a personal best of 1:46.36 at the SA Senior Championships in Port Elizabeth on 14 April and will need to achieve the A-standard twice before 30 June if he hopes to qualify.
Sergio Mullins will compete in the menââ¬â¢s 100m as well as the 200m while Paul Gorries will double up in the 200m and 400m.
Mapaseka Makhanya is very confident ahead of the womenââ¬â¢s 1500m. ââ¬ÅI am very positive as my last race brought back my confidence. There is no pressure this time,ââ¬Â said Makhanya from Germany. The SA Champion ran a season best (4:12.01) at her previous race in Rehlingen on 28 May. Her aim is to run 4:06.00, the Olympic A-standard.
The womenââ¬â¢s 3000m steeplechase will see Nolene Conrad in action again. Conrad has been doing well in Europe, first running a personal best in the 5000m in Koblenz on 23 May followed by a personal best in the 3000m steeplechase in Oordegem on 26 May. Conrad ran 9:54.42, just slower than Tebogo Masehlaââ¬â¢s SA Record (9:54.19).
For more information: sparkassen-gala.de/
Meeting AtleticaGenève, Switzerland ââ¬â 2 June
Roscoe Engel and Carina Horn will compete in this meeting. Engel is looking for a 10.18sec clocking in order to reach the Olympic qualifying A-standard for the first time. Engel came very close at the National Championships in Port Elizabeth on 14 April when he finished second in 10.20sec.
20.55sec is required for the 200m and with Engelââ¬â¢s personal best of 20.64sec clocked on 5 May in Pretoria; the A-standard could be possible for the 23-year-old. Hornââ¬â¢s best time this season in the 100m was clocked at 11.72sec at the SA Open Championships in Pretoria on 4 May with her best 200m this season timed at 23.54sec at the same meeting.
For more information: atleticageneve.ch/meeting/schedule/
Hyundai Grand Prix Florø Friidrettsfestival -2 June 2012
Ruan de Vries and Estie Wittstock will compete in this meeting.
For more information pleae visit: ftif.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=50&Itemid=69
Meeting Résisprint, Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland ââ¬â 3 June
Athletes competing here include Hannes Dreyer, Lebogang Moeng, Thuso Mpuang, Simon Magakwe, Willem de Beer and Shaun de Jager amongst the men. Speaking from Rome, Magakwe said that he will use the smaller meeting to boost his confidence before moving to the next Diamond League in Oslo on 7 June.
Tsholofelo Thipe, and Wenda Theron will be looking for another A-standard in their events and they are one single good performance away from their qualifying goal. Thipe ran in Marseille on 31 May where she just missed out on qualifying for the 400m where she clocked 51.79sec, just slower than the 51.55sec required. Theron needs 55.50sec in the 400m hurdles.