ATHLETICS RESULTS - UNIVERSIADE 2011 / World University Games, Shenzhen

Universiade or World University Games (WUG) is an event organized by FISU (Federation Internationale du Sports Universitaire) and held every two years. WUG is the second largest multi-sport event in the World, after the Olympics. Summary:
Date: August 16 - 21, 2011 (athletics)
Location: Shenzhen, China
Event size: >170 countries / 13,000 athletes & officials
Athletics full result are as follow;

UNIVERSIADE, SHENZHEN 2011 – ATHLETICS RESULTS (MEN)
EVENT	Round 1	Quarterfinal	Semifinal	Final
100 meters	Results	Results	Results	Results
200 meters	Results	Results	Results	Results
400 meters	Results	-	Results	Results
800 meters	Results	-	Results	Results
1500 meters	Results	-	-	Results
5000 meters	-	-	-	Results
10000 meters	-	-	-	Results
Half Marathon	-	-	-	Results
3000m Steeple.	Results	-	-	Results
110m Hurdles	Results	-	Results	Results
400m Hurdles	Results	-	Results	Results
20km Walk	-	-	-	Results
50km Walk	-	-	-	x
4x100 meters	Results	-	-	Results
4x400 meters	Results h1  h2	-	-	Results
	Qualifying Round		Final
High Jump	Group A               Group B		Results
Pole Vault	-		Results
Long Jump	Group A               Group B		Results
Triple Jump	Group A               Group B		Results
Shot Put	Summary		Results
Discus Throw	Group A               Group B		Results
Hammer Throw	-		Results
Javelin Throw	Group A               Group B		Results
	Day 1		Day 2
Decathlon	(100m)      (LJ a  b)      (SP a  b)   (HJ a  b)      (400m)		(110mh)    (DT a b)     (PV a b) (JT a b)     (1500m)     (Results)
Courtesy of AdrianSprints.com

UNIVERSIADE, SHENZHEN 2011 – ATHLETICS RESULTS (WOMEN)
EVENT	Round 1	Quarterfinal	Semifinal	Final
100 meters	Results	Results	Results	Results
200 meters	Results	Results	Results	Results
400 meters	Results	-	Results	Results
800 meters	Results	-	Results	Results
1500 meters	Results	-	-	Results
5000 meters	Results	-	-	Results
10000 meters	-	-	-	Results
Half Marathon	-	-	-	Results
3000m Steeple.	Results	-	-	Results
100m Hurdles	Results	-	Results	Results
400m Hurdles	Results	-	-	Results
20km Walk	-	-	-	Results
50km Walk	-	-	-	x
4x100 meters	Results	-	-	Results
4x400 meters	-	-	-	Results
	Qualifying Round		Final
High Jump	-		Results
Pole Vault	Group A               Group B		Results
Long Jump	Group A               Group B		Results
Triple Jump	Group A               Group B		Results
Shot Put	-		Results
Discus Throw	-		Results
Hammer Throw	Group A               Group B		Results
Javelin Throw	-		Results
	Day 1		Day 2
Heptathlon	100mh    (HJ a b)    (SP a b)   200m		(LJ a b)   (JT a b)  800m
Courtesy of AdrianSprints.com

Read more...

Richard Thompson 100m 9.85s (+1.0) Video

Olympic silver medalist Richard Thompson became the fastest man in Trinidad and Tobago when he run 9.85s (+1.0) in the 100m during the Sagicor-NAAA National Open Track and Field championships 2011, at the Hasely Crawford stadium, Port of Spain, TRI on August 13, 2011. The achievement, which ranked him 9th fastest in all-time lists, eclipses Ato Boldon's national record 9.86s which set 4 times during late 1990's. Thompson's previous record was 9.89s set en route to win the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Keston Bledmen took silver in 10.06s while Aaron Armstrong bronze in 10.07s. Olympic silver medalist Marc Burns came 4th in a time of 10.09s, beaten Emmanuel Callender (10.12s) who finished 5th, slightly ahead of Darrel brown (10.13s) in sixth position.

Read more...

Chi Cheng The Greatest Asian Sprinter of All Time

Bronze from the 1968 Olympics

Chi Cheng is no doubt, the greatest Asian female sprinter of all-time. She conquered the World during her prime by producing seven World records over 100 yards, 100 meters, 200 meters, 220 yards, 100m hurdles. Within 1964 to 1970, she created a total of 44 Asian records. Chi Cheng's 100 yards record 10.10s set in Portland on 13 June 1970 lasted almost 40 years and only beaten by Veronica Campbell (9.91s) on 31 May 2010. She also won 77 gold medals in international competitions.

At age of 18 in 1962, she competed at a provincial games in Taiwan and breaks 4 national records. The records were from 80m hurdles (11.9s), High Jump (1.57m), Long Jump (5.58m) and Pentathlon (4,142pts).

Following the achievements she received scholarship from the government to study and training at the United States in February 1963. In the USA, she guided by coach Vincent Reel (said to be her husband ??) and has improved very fast. She participated in her second Olympics in 1964 at Tokyo. However, she didn't win any medal after finished 17th at heptathlon in 4,449pts and 11.1s at 80m hurdles.

Nevertheless, in 1968 Olympics at Mexico City, she won bronze medal from the 80m hurdles in a time of 10.51s, merely behind Australians Pam Kilborn (10.46s) and Maureen Caird (10.39s). She also entered the 100m dash and had done 11.4s during the semifinals before finished seventh in the finals in 11.5s. Wyomia Tyus won the final race in a World record time of 11.0s. A month before the games she equaled the previous 100m WR of 11.2s in Denver, USA, although she pulled her muscles (both legs) and had a knee surgery in 1967.

Chi Cheng's most successful year was in 1970. She set five World outdoor records, at 100 meters (11.0s), 200 meters (22.4s), 100m low hurdles (12.8s), 100 yards (10.0s) and 220 yards (22.6s). She also won 66 medals at outdoor events and 21 at indoor events. During the 1969-1970, out of 154 events (sprints, hurdles, long jump, relays) entered, she only lost once.

She was expected by coaches, writers, journalists, commentators, and fans to win at least one gold medal at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Obviously she has a great chance to do so in 100m or 100m hurdles. But unexpectedly, she did not compete due to injury setbacks and had to undergo surgery, in which reportedly "not successful" and forced her to retire earlier.

Chi Cheng has won two gold medals from two the Asian Games. In the 1966 Asian Games in Bangkok, she leaped 5.95m in long jump to win the gold medal. At the 1970 Asian Games, also held in Bangkok, she won the century dash in 11.6s, half of a second ahead of silver medalist. She ran the 400m hurdles but stopped at 330m due to a severe thigh cramp.

Her stunning performances brought her many honours in 1971. She has been named "Athlete of the Year" by the Track and Field World and at the same time voted as "Global Athlete of the Year" by the Associated Press. In 2000, Che Ching was voted "Female Asian Athlete of The Twentieth Century" by the Asian Athletics Association as well as described by the IAAF as "Asia's Legendary Female Sprinter".

Chi Cheng's Biodata / Profile

Full Name: Chi Cheng
Nationality: Chinese Taipei / Taiwan
Born: 15 March 1944, Hsin-chu County, Taiwan
Height: 1.72m (5-8)
Weight: 136 pounds (62kg)
College: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California
Club: Los Angeles Track Club
Coaches: S.S.Kwan (Junior- at Taiwan), Vincent Reel, 1914-1999 (Senior- at California, USA)

Appearance at:
Olympic Games: Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968
Asian Games: Bangkok 1966, Mexico City 1968

Personal Bests:
60 yards: 6.5i (Toronto CAN, 05.02.1970)
100 yards: 10.0h / 10.10 (Portland USA, 13.06.1970)
100 meters: 11.22s +1.9 (Vienna AUT, 18.07.1970)
200 meters: 22.62s +0.8 (Munich GER, 12.07.1970)
220 yards: 22.4s (Los Angeles USA, 04.07.1970)
440 yards: 52.5s (Orange USA, 20.06.1970)
50 m hurdles: 6.9i (Vancouver CAN, 21.02.70)
60 y hurdles: 7.6i (New York USA, 1970)
80 m hurdles: 10.51s (Ciudad de Mexico MEX, 10.10.1968)
100 m hurles: 12.93s 0.0 (Munich GER, 12.07.70)
High Jump: 1.585m (Westminster USA, 18.05.1963)
Long Jump: 6.35m (Claremont USA, 28.03.1970) & 6.42i (New York USA, 17.02.1970)

References / recommended reading
Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: The Twentieth Century 1912-2000
Asian Athletics All-Time Rankings as at 2000 (contact: HHubbeling@t-online.de)
The International Track & Field Annual

Read more...

Michael Johnson Still the Best - TOP 3 Races Ever

You may argue when i say he is the best track and field athlete of all-time, but you cannot argue the fact that he is the greatest 400m runner of all-time, the greatest 200-400m combined of all-time, and the greatest athlete during the last decade of the 21st century (1990's), too.

I love the way this man sprinting, unique style, upright stance, and very steady. He was coached by Clyde Hart, who is regarded as the greatest quarter-miler coach of all-time. He is 78 years old in 2011 and coached for more than 45 years. If you wonder he has produced the likes Jeremy Wariner, Greg Houghton, Sanya Richards etc.

Johnson's best times are 19.32s at 200m (1996 Olympics - WR at the time), and 43.18s at 400m (1999 World championships - present WR). He also holds the World record best at 300m in 30.85s. He won 8 gold medals at the World championships and 4 at the Olympics ... (just to list a few). Here is my Michael Johnson's TOP 3 races of all-time;

1- Michael Johnson's 400m World Record (43.18s) at 1999 WCh, Seville

2- Michael Johnson's 200m World Record (19.32s) at 1996 Olympics, Atlanta

3- MJ's 400m Semifinals (43.95s - "shutting down" at 300m), 1999 WCh

Extra- You can also watch "The Greatest Moment of Michael Johnson's Career"

Read more...

Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Athlete Performance - TIPS for Exercise, Training During Ramadan

During the month of Ramadan it's estimated that around 500 millions of adult Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to sunset. Generally, 'fasting' means you can't drink, eat, smoke, and have sex during the daylights. That will require those who fast to change the timing of food and fluid intakes, as well as sleep cycle.

One day of fasting seems to have no or a little effect on performance. However, thirty consecutive days of fasting may affect various performance factors including strength, speed, and endurance.

Previous studies have mentioned that Ramadan fasting contributed a fall in aerobic capacity, endurance, and ability to perform exercise at 75% of maximum vo2 max. There was also study that reported some decrements in general fitness components (speed, agility, endurance) and skill test (dribbling) following the fasting (1). The reasons of aforesaid decrements might be lack of fluid and food intake and sleep loss , in which subsequently increase fatigue.

However, recent study demonstrates that there were no clear effects in speed, power, agility, endurance and dribbling skill following Ramadan fasting (7). A study found that Ramadan fasting did not affect the physical performance of athletes, in fact improved performance (2). 

A study was carried out to investigate the effects of Ramadan fasting on anaerobic power, anaerobic capacity and the removal rate of lactate in sprinters, thrower (athletics), and wrestlers (3). Results from this study suggested that Ramadan fasting may not produce adverse effects on body composition, anaerobic power, anaerobic capacity, and LA metabolism during, and after high intensity exercise if there is no change in total daily caloric intake (food and fluid), and no change in total sleeping hours or if everything are maintained as before Ramadan (3).

During Ramadan fasting, proper periodisation of training is important for maintaining and optimising the performance of athletes. Adjustment of training can have a remarkable effect on performance. High-level athletes can maintain performance during Ramadan if physical training, diet, and sleep are well-controlled (9).

Recommendation / Tips for Exercising During Ramadan

First of all, there is no reason to stop your regular exercise during Ramadan;

Exercise in the morning is okay as long the neuromuscular is already activated and ready to practice;

Exercise in the afternoon/evening (normally 2 hours before break fast) is okay but you may control  the training variables (volume, set, repetition) to adapt the physiological change occurred during Ramadan;

From the scientific research, experienced athletes may be able maintain the normal training loads (with some adjustments) when fasted in Ramadan's month;

Heavy gym session or weight training is preferably be done 1 and a half hour after first meal of post fasting so you can lower the risk of muscle damage;

Other reason to exercise at evening is you can consume your supplement foods as usual;

If your aim is to lose weight, the best time to perform the workouts is 1 - 1.5 hours prior to break-fast (evening);

You may drink heap of waters during sunset to dawn (not dawn to sunset, of course !!);

Maintain the daily calorie intake (food & fluid) as before Ramadan (very important);

Make sure that you consume protein with the pre-fasting and post-fasting meals;

Taking extra multivatamin, protein shake, protein bar are also very helpful;

You should ensure adequate sleep and good nutrition to preserve performance and general health.

It's clear that you don't really need to make an excuse regarding your practice or training during Ramadan. However to keep your body (and mind), fit and healthy, good diet, sleep etc as mentioned above should be adhered, or your training's performance may decline as reported from the scientific studies. Kindly remember that training impact from week 1 to week 4 of fasting month may be different (increase), thus adjustments of diets and workouts are vital.

References
(1) Impact of Ramadan on physical performance in professional soccer players
(2) Influence of Ramadan fasting on physiological and performance variables in football players: Summary of the F-MARC 2006 Ramadan fasting study
(3) Influence of Ramadan fasting on anaerobic performance and recovery following  short time high intensity exercise
(4) Effect of Ramadan fasting on 60 min of endurance running
(5) Effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting on aerobic an anaerobic performances
(6) Is diurnal lifestyle altered during Ramadan in professional Muslim athletes
(7) The influence of Ramadan on physical performance measures in young Muslim football
(8)  Effects of Ramadan on physical performance: chronobiological consideration
(9)  Influence of Ramadan fasting on anaero bic performance and recovery following short time high intensity exercise

Read more...