Posted: June 16, 2006

Athletics: European Cup Matches The Athletics Focus In Europe This Weekend

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

by Bob Ramsak

With nearly 2000 athletes taking part, the athletics focus in Europe this weekend will be on the two-day European Cup First and Second League matches which begin on Saturday in four cities scattered around the continent.

In First League action in Prague, Czech Republic and Thessaloniki, Greece, teams will by vying for promotion to next year's SPAR European Cup. In Prague's Group A contest, the host Czechs along with the Swedes appear to be the favorites in the men's side of the program. Mattias Klasson of Sweden, who improved his personal best to 1:46.46 this season, will start as favorite in the 800, while Matthieu Van Diest of Belgium, brings a season's best of 3:38.62 to the start line in the 1500. The fiercest contest could be the 3000, where Günther Weidlinger of Austria and Christian Belz of Switzerland will face off.

In the women's race for promotion, the Czechs, along with Italy and Belarus are expected to be the key challengers.

In Thessaloniki's Group B match, the host Greek men's squad is aiming to return to the top tier, but could face a tough challenge from Portugal and The Netherlands. Of interest in the middle & long distance events will be Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Rui Silva, who will be competing in the 3000 for Portugal, and European steeplechase record holder Simon Vroeman who leads the Dutch squad. Silva won the event in last year's competition.

As in the men's competition, the Greek and Portuguese women's squads are the favorites to move up as well. Key individual battles will include Lithuanian Irina Krakoviak and Slovenia's Brigita Langerholc in the 800, and Zivile Balciunaite, Bulgarian Daniela Yordanova and Krisztina Papp in the 3000. Balciunaite, also from Lithuania, will contest the 5000 as well, where she'll face Portugal's Fernanda Ribeiro. Slovenia's Olympic 800m bronze medallist Jolanda Ceplak will make her first outing of the year, but will only compete in the 4 x 400 relay.

In the Second League Group A match in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, the men's race for promotion to the First League looks to be a close contest between Denmark, who narrowly missed promotion the past two years, host Slovakia and Ireland.

On the women’s side, Croatia will be looking to make an immediate return to the First League after relegation last year. On paper, the most interesting battle will be in the 800 between Lucia Klocova of Slovakia, Dane Rikke Ronholt and Vanja Perisic of Croatia. The three have run 2:00.60, 2:01.30 and 2:01.42 respectively this season, all personal bests.

Among the chief middle & long distance competitors in the Group B match in Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro, represent the host squad, a team that in all liklihood will be competing as a single entity for the final time. Standout marathoner Olivera Jevtic will double in the 3000 and 5000 while former Villanova star Marina Muncan will compete in the 800 just a week after her runner-up finish in the 1500 at the NCAA Championships.

The continent's top nine national squads will compete in the SPAR European Cup in Malaga, Spain, on June 28-29. Usually held the same weekend as the First and Second League matches, the Cup, formerly known as the Super League, was moved to a mid-week time frame to avoid clashing with the FIFA World Cup, an event now dominating broadcast and newspaper sports coverage not only in Europe, but throughout much of the world.

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