Athletics: Keep faith in Jackson experience.Byline: Conrad Fenton Colin Jackson
Colin Ray Jackson CBE (born February 18, 1967 in Cardiff, Wales) is a Welsh sprint and hurdling athlete of Jamaican and distant , odds-on for gold in tonight's European Championships 110m hurdles final, surely cannot possibly make as big a mistake as he did at the Commonwealth Games Commonwealth games, series of amateur athletic meets held among citizens of countries in the Commonwealth of Nations. Originated (1930) as the British Empire games, the series is held every four years and is patterned after the Olympic games; women have participated just a week ago. Bidding for his fourth European title, the Welshman is 8-15 with Corals - and deservedly so. Despite being 35, he remains the outstanding European sprinter hurdler. He has backed up his 13.15sec season's best with five other marks all inside 13.2. Stanislavs Olijars, 2-1 with Stan James, matches Jackson on his quickest time of the year, but his best was set at altitude in South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. back in April. His next best is a 13.27sec at sea level - something like a yard down on Jackson when he is on song. On paper the women's 1,500m looks a competitive event, with Britain's Kelly Holmes Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE (born April 19, 1970) is a retired British middle-distance athlete. She won gold medals in the 800 metres and the 1500 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics. , third in the 800m last night, in flying form. But the rankings disguise one big danger, Gabriela Szabo. The little Romanian has ducked out of the 5,000m, her usual event, but as a silver and bronze medallist, and after winning the world title at this distance last season, Szabo has to be the tip for the title. Robert Fazekas dominates this year's men's discus world rankings, not only claiming the best mark of the year, but having seven of the top ten best throws so far this year. That consistency should count in his favour coming into the championships. Lithuania's Virgilius Alekna, the 9-4 second favourite with Stan James, is a dangerous outsider but is not expected to upset the market leader. Take world record-holder Wilson Kipketer to restore himself to the top of the podium at 800m. Kipketer is back to his best, and with his Russian rival Yuri Borzakovskiy having messed about at 400m, no-one should be able to live with the 4-11 shot. Kajsa Bergqvist, the Swede swede: see turnip. with the looks of a model, should find the women's high jump a cakewalk if not a catwalk. Bergqvist has been in supreme form all summer, and has nearly two inches to spare over her rivals. Recommendations C Jackson to win men's 110m hurdles 8pts 8-15 (Coral) G Szabo to win women's 1,500m 6pts 4-11 (Stan James) W Kipketer to win men's 800m 6pts 4-11 (Stan James) R Fazekas to win men's discus 5pts 8-11 (Stan James) K Bergqvist to win women's high jump 3pts 1-3 (Stan James) |
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