Posted: July 8, 2006

Athletics: Meeting Gaz De France Notebook

By Bob Ramsak
© 2006 TRACK PROFILE Report, all rights reserved

PARIS – Scattered news and notes prior to this evening’s Meeting Gaz de France here in Paris...

Powell Promises Quick Time

Co-world 100 meter record holder Asafa Powell has changed quite a bit over the past 12 months. At early season press conferences last year, he appeared shy and quiet, a man of few words. 12 months later the 23-year-old is hardly a boastful sort, but certainly more relaxed with the crowded press rooms he’s been subjected to since lowering the world record to 9.77 last year.

"For sure I can run 9.77 here," he said. "It’s possible. Why not?"

Powell said he’s not sure when his eagerly-anticipated match-up with world and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin will transpire, but said that he isn’t disappointed that the American with whom he shares the world record won’t be taking to the blocks tonight.

I don’t show up at these track meets to compete whether he’s here or not. I’m still coming out there to run, and to win, whoever’s in the race."

Powell also said he hopes to shed a few ghosts that are lingering in his memory from his last appearance in the Stade de France, when he was disqualified along with American Jon Drummond in a false start. "That’s also why I’m here," he said, smiling, "to erase all those bad memories from the 2003 world championships."...

Isinbayeva’s Debut

After what she dubbed as her traditional three-month hiatus from competition, World and Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva is excited about resuming competition in Paris.

"Now I feel that I’m 100 percent ready," the Russian said, adding that there will be a few visible changes in her technique and style that she has worked on with coach Vitaliy Petrov at her training base in Formia, Italy. The primary difference is in her approach, she said, with her shoulders held higher, enabling her to increase her speed.

She also noted that competition among her rivals will be more intense this year, singling out Monika Pyrek of Poland as a prime example. "I know that she can be consistent at 4.80, since I’ve seen her jumping in training." Pyrek, the reigning world championships silver medallist, too, trains with Petrov.

She didn’t add much to her world record collection tally over the indoor season, but was not at all disappointed. "In Moscow," she said, referring to the World Indoor Championships, "the only goal was to win. The technique changes were very new then, so I wasn’t very worried about heights."...

Phillips "Absolutely not" Happy With Season Thus Far

World and Olympic long jump champion said he was "absolutely not" satisfied with his season thus far. He hasn’t won a competition since early May, and in his last two outings, was handily defeated by this year’s revelation, Panamanian Irving Saladino.

"But now, I think my body’s ready," he said. Last year at this time, Phillips virtually ignored the long jump in favor of sprint training, much the same attitude he’s taken this year.

"I’ve kind of ignored the long jump again and now a couple athletes have come and jumped pretty far so now my attention is definitely primarily focused on the long jump. I’m looking forward to jumping really far."

Phillips welcomes the addition of the young Saladino into the fray, who has proven remarkable consistency in the 8.45-8.55 range.

"It’ll just help take me to another level as well because over the last three years I’ve practically been by myself. It’s very exciting. It makes the event more exciting when you have more than one person jumping really far. It definitely turns the light on for me to jump even farther. Because that’s what I’ve been waiting for."

And, on the ongoing Gatlin-Powell match-up, Phillips chimed in: ‘Personally, I’d like to see the best two in the world race. But I guess financially things aren’t quite right. They both deserve to be financially rewarded." Phillips was non-committal about who he thought was the better sprinter. "They’re both great, phenomenal athletes. I guess soon we’ll all get to see who’s best whenever they race."...

Last month’s quadruple NCAA champion Xavier Carter, or, the ‘X-Man," will make his Golden League debut next Friday at Rome’s Golden Gala, where he’ll contest the 400. Carter won his professional debut on Thursday in Luzern, Switzerland, winning the 100 in 10.11...

Everyone knows that the FIFA World Cup is a big deal. Obviously, with ‘Les Bleus’ in the final Sunday night, it’s particularly huge here in France. The French sports daily, L’Equipe, a paper with more track & field reporters than probably any other daily on the planet, usually gives ample pre-meet coverage to the Gaz de France, more often than not with a cover story. Obviously, not this weekend. This morning’s preview stories were given a two-page spread, on pages 24 and 25 of the 28 page edition...

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