Posted: April 7, 2007

Athletics (RRW): Abeylegesse, Pollmacher Take European Cup 10,000M Titles

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com By Bob Ramsak Competing in warm and windy conditions, Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey and Germany's André Pollmächer cruised to victory at the European Cup 10,000m in Ferrara, Italy, today. Taking command over the final two kilometres, Abeylegesse produced an overwhelming victory in 31:25.15 to become the first woman to win back-to-back titles in this competition. In her debut over the distance, Ukraine's Tetyana Holovchenko, the European cross country champion, was a distant second in 31:59.98, with Belgian record holder Nathalie De Vos (32:07.62) third. Briton Jo Pavey, also making her track debut over 10,000m, was fourth in 32:21.19, missing both the 'A' and 'B' qualifying standards for next summer's IAAF World Championships. The 24-year-old Pollmächer, not among the pre-race favorites, outsprinted Austrian steeplechase specialist Guenther Weidlinger over the final 200m to take the men's race in 28:17.17, an improvement over his previous career best of 28:22.56 he set at last summer's European Championships where he finished seventh. In all, only Abeylegesse (A) and Holovchenko (B) run under the qualifying standards for August's World Championships in Osaka. Spain took both the men's and women's titles. Complete Results: MEN - 1. André Pollmächer, GER 28:17.17 PB 2. Gunther Weidlinger, AUT 28:19.11 PB 3. Carles Castillejo, ESP 28:32.70 4. Vasyl Matviychuk,UKR 28:34.98 5. Rui Pedro Silva, POR 28:56.66 DB 6. Daniele Meucci, ITA 28:56.70 7. Ivan Hierro, ESP 29:05.68 8. Sander Schutgens, NED 29:07.41 9. José Rios, ESP 29:16.71 10. Gian Marco Buttazzo, ITA 29:17.10 11. José Ramos, POR 29:22.32 12. Licinio Pimentel, POR 29:29.80 13. Fabio Mascheroni, ITA 29:30.44 14. Michel Butter, NED 29:34.79 15. Anastasios Fraggos, GRE 29:48.78 16. Dusan Markesevic, SRB 29:52.51 17. Michael Skinner, GBR 30:06.41 DB 18. Adonios Papadonis, GRE 30:18.13 19. Christian Pfluegl, AUT 30:29.82 DNF - Simo Wannas, FIN DNF - Mihail Yelasakis, GRE DNF - Cosimo Caliandro, ITA DNF - Mattia Maccagnan, ITA DNF - Khalid Choukoud, NED DNF - Ricardo Ribas, POR DNF - Henrik Skoog, SWE DNF - Wilson Busienei, UGA DNS - Francis Kirwa, FIN Intermediate - 1000m: Busienei, 2:45.07 2000m: Busienei, 5:33.77 3000m: Busienei, 8:21.98 4000m: Busienei, 11:13.87 5000m: Busienei, 14:05.44 6000m: Busienei, 16:59.13 7000m: Weidlinger, 19:47.33 8000m: Weidlinger, 22:36.91 9000m: Weidlinger, 25:28.50 WOMEN - 1. Elvan Abeylegesse, TUR 31:25.15 2. Tetyana Holovchenko, UKR 31:59.98 DB 3. Nathalie De Vos, BEL 32:07.62 4. Jo Pavey, GBR 32:21.19 DB 5. Rosa Maria Morato, ESP 32:23.61 DB 6. Fatna Maraoui, ITA 33:05.79 PB 7. Isabel Checa, ESP 33:09.19 PB 8. Silvia Sommaggio, ITA 33:14.97 9. Renate Rungger, ITA 33:19.75 10. Maria Elena Moreno, ESP 33:29.43 11. Judith Pla, ESP 33:57.28 PB 12. Anke van Campen, BEL 34:13.07 PB 13. Sara Dossena, ITA 34:37.06 DB DNF - Kate Reed, GBR DNF - Hayley Yelling, GBR DNF - Sabrina Mockenhaupt, GER 1980 DNF - Ekaterini Asimakopoulou, GRE 1982 DNF - Anna Incerti, ITA 1980 DNF - Selma Borst, NED 1983 DNF - Jessica Augusto, POR DNF - Zakia Mrisha, TAN DNS - Beata Rakonczai, HUN Intermediate - 1000m: Mrisha, 3:06.78 2000m: Mrisha, 6:11.98 3000m: Mockenhaupt, 9:20.18 4000m: Mrisha, 12:30.70 5000m: Mrisha, 15:39.33 6000m: Mockenhaupt, 18:50.50 7000m: Mockenhaupt, 21:59.09 8000m: Abeylegesse, 25:11.06 9000m: Abeylegesse, 28:21.50 Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest