Cubans dominate athletics at Pan American Games with 12 golds
http://www.gbmnews.com/articles/1028/1/Cubans-dominate-athletics-at-Pan-American-Games-with-12-golds/Page1.html
News Hound
Your servent relentlessly hunting for interesting news stories around the world. By News Hound
Published on 07/29/2007
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: Yeimer Lopez set a Pan American Games record in the 800 meters Saturday, helping Cuba dominate track and field with 12 total gold medals.
Brazilians Fabiano Pecanha and Kleberson Davide were first and second for most of the race until Lopez blew by them on the final turn at the Joao Havelange stadium and won in 1 minute, 44.58 seconds. Davide finished second in 1:45.47 and Pecanha was third 1:45.54.
Lopez broke the record of 1:45.05, set by Canada's Tadili Achraf at the 2003 games in Santo Domingo.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: Yeimer Lopez set a Pan American Games record in the 800 meters Saturday, helping Cuba dominate track and field with 12 total gold medals.
Brazilians Fabiano Pecanha and Kleberson Davide were first and second for most of the race until Lopez blew by them on the final turn at the Joao Havelange stadium and won in 1 minute, 44.58 seconds. Davide finished second in 1:45.47 and Pecanha was third 1:45.54.
Lopez broke the record of 1:45.05, set by Canada's Tadili Achraf at the 2003 games in Santo Domingo.
Cubans dominate athletics at Pan American Games with 12 golds
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: Yeimer Lopez set a Pan American Games record in the 800 meters Saturday, helping Cuba dominate track and field with 12 total gold medals.
Brazilians Fabiano Pecanha and Kleberson Davide were first and second for most of the race until Lopez blew by them on the final turn at the Joao Havelange stadium and won in 1 minute, 44.58 seconds. Davide finished second in 1:45.47 and Pecanha was third 1:45.54.
Lopez broke the record of 1:45.05, set by Canada's Tadili Achraf at the 2003 games in Santo Domingo.
"I did not expect to have this time even though I was prepared for that. If it wasn't raining, I would have made a better time, but this result pleases me a lot," Lopez said.
Cubans excelled in athletics, winning 30 total medals. The Brazilians finished second with 8 golds and 22 overall medals. The United States had six gold and 24 total.
The men's marathon will be run on Sunday.
Cuba's Dayron Robles won the men's 110 hurdles in 13.25 seconds, just 0.08 seconds off the Pan Am record set by Cuban Anier Garcia in 1999 in Winnipeg. David Payne of the United States took silver and Cuba's Yoel Hernandez won bronze.
Cuba also was the surprise winner of the women's 1,600-meter relay. The United States led for most of the last two legs, but Cuba's Indira Terrero streaked past American Nicole Leach in the home stretch to win gold in 3:37.51. Mexico grabbed silver with 3:27.75, while the Americans took bronze in 3:27.84.
Guillermo Martinez gave Cuba its fourth gold in the javelin, with a toss of 77.66 meters. American Mike Hazle took silver with 75.33, and Brazil's Alexon Maximiano won bronze with 75.04.
The United States finished 1-2 in the discus throw, with Michael Robertson taking gold with a throw of 59.24 meters. Adam Kuehl won silver with 57.50 meters, edging out third-placed Dariusz Slowik of Canada by 0.13 meters.
"It was a difficult event because it was rainy," Robertson said. "The disc was wet and was sliding from my hands. But the result ended up being good."
Americans also finished 1-2 in the men's 3,000 steeplechase, with Josh McAdams overtaking Michael Spence on the back stretch to take gold in 8:30.49. Spence stumbled on the final hurdle to finish second in 8:32.11, and Cuba's Jose Alberto Sanchez was third.
Many athletes suffered in the cool, rainy weather of the South American winter, with temperatures of 17 degrees (62 Fahrenheit).
Brazilian fans cheered the dramatic victory of Sabine Heitling in the women's 3,000 steeplechase. Running in second for most of the race, she streaked to the lead on the last lap and won with a personal best of 9:51.13.
Mexico's Talis Apud also saved a surprising kick to take silver in 9:55.43, just 0.27 seconds ahead of Brazilian Zenaide Vieira, who slowed down at the end thinking the silver was secure.
Brazil also took gold in the men's pole vault, with Fabio Silva clearing 5.4 meters. Mexico's Giovanni Leonardo won silver with a jump of 5.3, and German Chiaraviglio was bronze with 5.2.
Brazil's big surprise was in the men's 400 relay, where Sandro Viana outsprinted Canada's Brian Barnett in the final stretch to take gold in 38.81. Canada won silver in 38.83 and the United States was bronze with 38.88.
But Jadel Gregorio's victory for Brazil in the triple jump was no surprise. One of the world's elite jumpers, Gregorio won gold with 17.27 — the only jumper to top 17 meters. Cuba's Osniel Tosca won silver with a jump of 16.92, and fellow Cuban Yoandris Betanzos was bronze with 16.90.
"It was a good jump but I still hope to improve," said Gregorio, ranked second in the world. "I want to hit by personal best of 17.9."
Jamaica picked up its lone gold of the afternoon in the women's 400 relay, with Peta Gaye Dowdie holding off a charge by American Mikele Barber to win in 43.58. The United States was .04 seconds behind for silver and Cuba took bronze.
The Bahamas joined the gold medalists with a victory in the men's 400 relay in 3:01.94. The United States was silver in 3:02.44, edging out the Dominican Republic, which finished .02 seconds back for bronze.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/29/sports/LA-SPT-Pan-Ams-Athletics.php
Brazilians Fabiano Pecanha and Kleberson Davide were first and second for most of the race until Lopez blew by them on the final turn at the Joao Havelange stadium and won in 1 minute, 44.58 seconds. Davide finished second in 1:45.47 and Pecanha was third 1:45.54.
Lopez broke the record of 1:45.05, set by Canada's Tadili Achraf at the 2003 games in Santo Domingo.
"I did not expect to have this time even though I was prepared for that. If it wasn't raining, I would have made a better time, but this result pleases me a lot," Lopez said.
Cubans excelled in athletics, winning 30 total medals. The Brazilians finished second with 8 golds and 22 overall medals. The United States had six gold and 24 total.
The men's marathon will be run on Sunday.
Cuba's Dayron Robles won the men's 110 hurdles in 13.25 seconds, just 0.08 seconds off the Pan Am record set by Cuban Anier Garcia in 1999 in Winnipeg. David Payne of the United States took silver and Cuba's Yoel Hernandez won bronze.
Cuba also was the surprise winner of the women's 1,600-meter relay. The United States led for most of the last two legs, but Cuba's Indira Terrero streaked past American Nicole Leach in the home stretch to win gold in 3:37.51. Mexico grabbed silver with 3:27.75, while the Americans took bronze in 3:27.84.
Guillermo Martinez gave Cuba its fourth gold in the javelin, with a toss of 77.66 meters. American Mike Hazle took silver with 75.33, and Brazil's Alexon Maximiano won bronze with 75.04.
The United States finished 1-2 in the discus throw, with Michael Robertson taking gold with a throw of 59.24 meters. Adam Kuehl won silver with 57.50 meters, edging out third-placed Dariusz Slowik of Canada by 0.13 meters.
"It was a difficult event because it was rainy," Robertson said. "The disc was wet and was sliding from my hands. But the result ended up being good."
Americans also finished 1-2 in the men's 3,000 steeplechase, with Josh McAdams overtaking Michael Spence on the back stretch to take gold in 8:30.49. Spence stumbled on the final hurdle to finish second in 8:32.11, and Cuba's Jose Alberto Sanchez was third.
Many athletes suffered in the cool, rainy weather of the South American winter, with temperatures of 17 degrees (62 Fahrenheit).
Brazilian fans cheered the dramatic victory of Sabine Heitling in the women's 3,000 steeplechase. Running in second for most of the race, she streaked to the lead on the last lap and won with a personal best of 9:51.13.
Mexico's Talis Apud also saved a surprising kick to take silver in 9:55.43, just 0.27 seconds ahead of Brazilian Zenaide Vieira, who slowed down at the end thinking the silver was secure.
Brazil also took gold in the men's pole vault, with Fabio Silva clearing 5.4 meters. Mexico's Giovanni Leonardo won silver with a jump of 5.3, and German Chiaraviglio was bronze with 5.2.
Brazil's big surprise was in the men's 400 relay, where Sandro Viana outsprinted Canada's Brian Barnett in the final stretch to take gold in 38.81. Canada won silver in 38.83 and the United States was bronze with 38.88.
But Jadel Gregorio's victory for Brazil in the triple jump was no surprise. One of the world's elite jumpers, Gregorio won gold with 17.27 — the only jumper to top 17 meters. Cuba's Osniel Tosca won silver with a jump of 16.92, and fellow Cuban Yoandris Betanzos was bronze with 16.90.
"It was a good jump but I still hope to improve," said Gregorio, ranked second in the world. "I want to hit by personal best of 17.9."
Jamaica picked up its lone gold of the afternoon in the women's 400 relay, with Peta Gaye Dowdie holding off a charge by American Mikele Barber to win in 43.58. The United States was .04 seconds behind for silver and Cuba took bronze.
The Bahamas joined the gold medalists with a victory in the men's 400 relay in 3:01.94. The United States was silver in 3:02.44, edging out the Dominican Republic, which finished .02 seconds back for bronze.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/29/sports/LA-SPT-Pan-Ams-Athletics.php