161 times in less than 20 seconds
In 1968 Tommie Smith was the first athlete to run the 200m in less than 20 seconds. At the Mexico Olympics he ran a handtimed 19.8, which later became recognised as the first electronically measured world record on the distance in 19.83. In 1979 that mark was obliterated by Pietro Mennea in 19.72, also ran at height in
Since 1968 41 athletes were capable of running the 200m inside 20 seconds. All together they managed to do that 161 times. In his long athletics career Michael Johnson did it no less than 23 times. 10 sub 20 seconds marks have been registered at the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme and that is a record as well. Lausanne and Stuttgart own 9 sub-20", Athens has 8 marks, Atlanta 7 and London and Monaco 6 each. Remarkable is that 9 different athletes managed to run below 20" in Brussels. That proves that the King Baudouin stadium is the fastest 200m track in the world. Usain Bolt with the men (19.57) and Merlene Ottey with the women (21.64) ran the fourth fastest 200m races of all time in Brussels.
Sub 20 seconds performances at the Belgacom MVD
1 19.57 Usain Bolt JAM 2009
2 19.79 Tyson Gay USA 2006
3 19.88 Joshua J. Johnson USA 2001
3 19.88 Wallace Spearmon USA 2007
5 19.89 Michael Johnson USA 1991
6 19.92 Frank Fredericks NAM 1996
7 19.93 Michael Johnson USA 1999
8 19.96 Caetano Robson da Silva BRA 1989
9 19.97 Xavier Carter USA 2006
10 19.99 Ato Boldon TRI 1996
'About 4% of our clients aren't bothered about Friday or Sunday. About 45% felt more like a SUnday afternoon for a change. However, as a clear majority has chosen to not have a change at all, we have decided, after consultation with the International Federation, to keep things as they are."
In 2011 the 35th edition of the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme will take place on Friday 16 September. The reason for this date rather late in the season (and the main reason for having this questionnaire) is that the 2011 World Championships Athletics are organised from 27 August to 4 September in Daegu, Korea.
"By experience we know that athletes need at least eight days to recover from such a strenuous event as well as to get used to the time difference of eight hours", according to Wilfried Meert. "We simply didn't have another choice and had to move to mid September."
In 2010 the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme is scheduled on Friday 27 August. About 10,000 tickets have been ordered already for this 34th edition, which will as well be the final event for the new "Diamond League" series.
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| Usain Bolt. (picture Philippe Fitte) |
The announcement of the signing of this swathe of the sport's elite performers took place, along with the opening of the IAAF Diamond League website - www.diamondleague.com - during a sparkling launch ceremony and dinner which began at 20:30hrs (GMT +1hr), Saturday 21 November in the Salle d'Or of the Fairmont Hotel.
The IAAF Diamond League is composed of 14 meetings spread across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the USA, and will showcase 32 athletics disciplines which have been carefully distributed amongst the meetings. In each discipline there will be an IAAF Diamond Race with points available throughout the season. Winners of each Diamond Race get a Diamond Trophy which will include 4 carats of diamonds but more importantly, they will have showed season long consistency to earn the unchallenged honour of being the World Number 1.
Starting in 2010, the IAAF Diamond League will offer more athletes, more earning opportunities with prize money totalling 6.63 MILLION dollars. The IAAF Diamond League will be discussing central contracts with at least the top two athletes in each discipline to secure exciting 'head to head' confrontations between the world's best on a regular basis throughout the IAAF Diamond League season which in 2010 stretches from mid-May to the end of August.
BOLT, GAY & POWELL THROUGHOUT THE SEASON
The IAAF Diamond League is especially pleased to confirm that with the racing commitments of Bolt, Gay and Powell secured, every one of the 14 meetings will see at least one of these sprint stars compete; many meetings will have two of them in action and a lucky few will have the three fastest men on show.
Across all disciplines the details of exactly which athlete is competing in which meetings next year will be delivered in further announcements between now and the first meeting of the IAAF Diamond League in Doha on 14 May 2010. The Belgacom Memorial Van Damme concludes the brand new IAAF Diamond League on 27 August 2010.
| IAAF Diamond League - 2010 Calendar |
| Doha (QAT) - Fri 14 May Shanghai (CHN) - Sun 23 May Oslo (NOR) - Fri 4 June Rome (ITA) - Thu 10 June New York (USA) - Sat 12 June Eugene (USA) - Sat 3 July Lausanne (SUI) - Thu 8 July Gateshead (GBR) - Sat 10 July Paris (FRA) - Fri 16 July Monaco (MON) - Thu 22 July Stockholm (SWE) - Fri 6 Aug London (GBR) - Fri 13 and Sat 14 Aug Zürich (SUI) - Thu 19 Aug Brussels (BEL) - Fri 27 Aug |
At her first appearance in 2004 Yelena Isinbayeva set a world record with 4.92m. Ever since she loves to come back every year to the King Baudouin stadium.
Isinbayeva is well placed now to chase Maria Mutola's record. The Russian plans to continue pole vaulting at least until the Games in London 2012. Maybe she can target 10 victories at the BMVD ?
Maria Mutola won both the 800m and the 1000m in
Number of victories at the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme :
8 : Maria Mutola (MOZ) - 800m, 1000m
7 : Merlene Ottey (JAM) - 100m, 200m
6 : Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) - Pole Vault
5 :
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| Usain Bolt (picture belga) |
The American Sanya Richards issued a second highlight with a world year best and a stadium record at the 400m. In 48.83 she beat the British Christine Ohuruogu and the Jamaican Shericka Williams and secured herself a part of the Jackpot.
Richards shares that jackpot with the Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele (5000m) and the Russian pole vault jumper Yelena Isinbayeva. They won their respective sixth event in a Golden League meeting and secured their 1/3rd of 1 million dollar.
Bekele won the 5000 meter in 12:55.31, the third best time of the season, it sufficed Isinbayeva to cap 4m70 in the pole vault. The Russian, who at the Worlds in Berlin surprisingly enough could not win a medal but took revenge last week in Zürich by improving her own world record (5m06), tried 5m07 three times, but failed.
AUDIENCE FAVOURITE BOLT IMPROVES STADIUM RECORD AT 200M
The sprint events displayed very fast times. The Jamaican Asafa Powell won the 100 meter in 9.90 and beat the American runner up at the worlds Tyson Gay (10.00) and his compatriot diens Darvis Patton (10.08). At the women's race the American Carmelita Jeter won in 10.88, beating the Jamaican world champion and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.98) and the Jamaican Kerron Stewart (11.05).
With 19.57 Usain Bolt, the chouchou of the audience, broke Tyson Gay's stadium record at the 200 meter. The American Wallace Spearmon came in second (20.19), the Azeri Ramil Guliyev third (20.47). Before and after the race Bolt treated the audience with quite a show and the audience adored him for it!
AFRICAN RECORD AND WYB FOR BURKA AT 2000M
At the 2000m the Ethiopian Gelete Burka aimed at the world record, no less and despite the chilly conditions she seemed able to reach that goal for a long time, but she had to settle for 5:30.19, an African record and a world year best.
Fireworks and a gig by the Flemish/Belgian band Clouseau concluded a splendid 33rd edition.
After an exciting end of the 2009 Golden League meetings Yelena Isinbayeva, Kenenisa Bekele and Sanya Richards can share the 1 million dollar jackpot among them. They each won their respective 6 Golden League events.
9.45pm - 2000m (W)
Burka had to run the ultimate lap on her own and in the chilly weather conditions she could not break the WR. In 5:30.19 the Ethiopian does establish an African record and a world year best. The Kenyan athletes Vivian Cheruiyot (5:35.46) and Mercy Cherono (5:35.65) completed the stage.
The women are preparing for the 2000m. Gelete Burka, who fell in the final 200m of her worlds race, has been training especially for this event and aims to break the WR, no less. Will the Memorial end in a WR, just like it began?
9.25pm - 5000m (M)
Bekele is going all out, the audience supports him fully. He will not hit a world record and finishes in 12:55.33. Together withv Richards and Isinbayeva he secures his share of the jackpot. Another Ethiopian, Imane Merga, is second (12:55.66), Vincent Chepkok is third (12.55.98).
Kenenisa Bekele is the man to look out for at the 5000m, he is still in the running for the Jackpot.
9.15pm - 200m (M)
19.57 for Usain Bolt! He improves the stadium record of Tyson Gay (19.79). The Jamaican is ahead of the field from start to finish. The American Wallace Spearmon is second (20.19), the Azeri Ramil Guliyev third (20.47).
The absolute highlight of the evening is about to happen: the 200m for men, including Usain Bolt, the ultimate athlete of the moment. What is he capable of on the fast Brussels track? The Jamaican seems very relaxed before the start.
9.10pm - high jump (F)
Blanka Vlasic wins the high jump. She made no error until 2 meter. The Russian Anna Chicherova also passes 2 meter, but needed more attempts. In the pole vault event favourite Yelena Isinbayeva secured her victory already as well.
9.05pm - 100m (F)
The American Carmelita Jeter wins in a time of 10.88, before the Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.98) and Kerron Stewart (11.05).
8.55pm - 400m (M)
The American Jeremy Wariner easily wins the 400m in 44.94. He beats Renny Quow (45.55) and Michael Bingham (45.70).
The men prepare for the 400m. It is getting colder in the stadium and the crowd warms itself on some Mexican waves.
8.45pm - 100m hurdles (W)
Brigitte Foster-Hilton from Jamaica only just wins the event in 12.48, ahead of the Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (12.49). Another Jamaican, Delloreen Enis-London, is third (12.71). The Belgian European champion indoor Berings is sixth (13.08).
The rain has stopped.
8.35pm - 800m (M)
1:45:80 is the time of the Kenyan David Rudisha who beats is compatriot Alfred Kirwa Yego is (1:46.36) and the Canadian Gary Reed (1:46:82).
8.25pm - 100m (M)
Powell dominates the races and despite the rain and headwind (0.4 m/s) wins in 9.90. Gay is second in 10.00 and another American, Darvis Patton, finishes third in 10.08.
The stadium is exploding as the 100m is about to happen. The American Tyson Gay and the Jamaican Asafa Powell are the race favourites. It has started to rain.
8.15 - 400m (W)
After a world record the Memorial now sees a world year best and a stadium record for Sanya Richards. She beats the British Christine Ohuruogu and the Jamaican Shericka Williams in 48.83.
As the women prepare for the 400m, Vlasic as well as 6 other women cap 1m90.
8.05 - 110m hurdles (M)
World champion from Barbados Ryan Brathwaite wins the 110m hurdles in 13.30, the Jamaican Dwight Thomas is second (13.38), the American Joel Brown third (13.39).
7.55pm - 800m (W)
The American Anna Willard passes the Russian Maria Savinova in the ultimate meters. Even the British Jenna Simpson passes by her. Willard wins in 1:59:14.
7.55pm - 4 x1500m (M)
After a world record a wordl year best for Sanya Richards. She wins in 48.83 and secures her share of the jackpot. The British Christine Ohuruogu is second, the Jamaican Shericka Williams finishes third.
The Kenyan runners Biwott, Rono, Gathimba and Choge take off over 2.5 seconds of the previous world record, which had been standing since 1977.
Last lap for the Kenyan team! Supported by an extatic crowd concluding runner Choge goes all the way. And the new world record is a fact: 14:36.23. The first WR of the evening! Already a round of beers for the entire audience, offered by AB-InBev!
7.43pm - 4x1500m (M)
In the meantime the women started the high jump. All eyes are on Blanka Vlasic.
The Kenyan four are doing fine and are still within WR pace. The audience and the African drum babd push the athletes forward.
7.35pm - 4x1500m (M)
At the first change the Kenyan team is already 1 second faster than the previous world record!
The main part of the evening only just started and the Memorial already sees an attempt to break a world record. Four Kenyan athletes will try and break the old record on the 4x1500m: 14:38.80.
7.32pm - 3000m steeplechase (M)
The Kenyan Paul Koech runs clear of his compatriot Richard Mateelong. The Fin Jukka Keskisalo is third. Koech wins in 8:04.05. The Belgians finish at the back.
7.25pm - polsstokspringen (W)
The pole vault for women has started. Of course the Russian Yelena Isinbayeva is the athlete everybody is looking forward to.
7.20pm - 3000m steeplechase (M)
The Kenyan David Langat leads after 1 km.
The opening event of the Memorial is about to start: the 3000m steeplechase not only has a strong field of Kenyans, but also two Belgians.
7.05pm - opening ceremony
A lot of atmosphere for the presentation of the athletes. They are driven around the stadium in open cars. Of course most applause goes to the Belgian athletes, but the crowd goes crazy for Usain Bolt, helped in this by the music of Bob Marley.
The audience honours Fons Brydenbach, Belgium's best 400m runner ever, who died earlier this year.
The Koning Boudewijn stadium is filling up. For the time being the weather looks ok, it is dry and there is currently not much wind. Which is good news for the athletes! The opening ceremony starts at 7.20 and the first event after that is the 3000m steeple for men.
| Bolt: 'New track is a smooth run' |
"I'm always very focused during the race, but before and after I'd rather have it more relaxed. It is part of my nature to add a show element and the audience loves it. In the future I would like to keep improving, run faster and break records. But first I'm aching for a holiday in my homeland of Jamaica."
| Powell: 'Where did all those Jamaican flags come from?' |
Bolt's compatriot Asafa Powell participated in Brussels for the fifth time and won the 100 meter. "Because Usain did not run the 100m, I kept the honour of Jamaica high", he joked. "The rain and cold made a real fast time impossible, but still I am happy with my 9.90. Great audience here as well, I wonder where they got all those Jamaican flags", he concluded.
Tyson Gay spoke about how he missed out on his start. "It made me lag behind and I could never make up that gap. I did not really miss Bolt as I have fought great duels with Asafa as well", the American said. Gay had to settle for second place.
| Choge: 'Audience treated us on a unique atmosphere!' |
"Participating in Brussels is truly unique. The audience always treats us on an incredible atmosphere. As well the organisers always deliver the most perfect welcome, as an athlete it motivates you even more", Choge concluded.
| Berings: 'This is what I have been dreaming of as a little girl!' |
High performance and entertainment go hand in hand when Usain Bolt appears on the track. This time Bolt stretched his arms like wings when he crossed the line. The way in which Bolt put this 200m under his belly reinforces the debate on his limits. "I don't care about limits," replies Bolt to refuse that debate. "I just work hard and I always try to improve."
The three fastest times ever run are fabulous world records.: the one of Michael Johnson in the Olympic final in 1996 (19.32) and those of Bolt himself at the Beijing Games (19.30) and at the Berlin World Championships (19.19). When Bolt gets on his way, barriers will be broken. In Brussels, the stadium record of Tyson Gay (19.79) was litteraly smashed.
In 2008 Bolt just fell short of breaking the 100m world record, this year he started cruising at about 30m before the finish line. That is why the 200m world record is still in the books today.
With 9.90 Asafa Powell sets the fifth fastest time ever run at the Belgacom MVD. Powell himself was already faster in Brussels three times, that is how impressive his Brussels record is. "I very much enjoy the atmosphere in Brussels and I always rise to the occasion here. This race ws not the perfect one, but I'm happy with the result." Tyson Gay (10.00) and Darvis Patton (10.05) had to settle for second and third.
It was Jamaica on top with Powell in the 100m and Bolt in the 200m. "Where do all these Jamaican flags come from ?" wondered Asafa Powell. Because Usain, Asafa and the other Jamaican sprinters are so massively popular of course.
The women's 100m was a true World Championships revenge race with 7 out of 8 Berlin finalists lining up. Carmelita Jeter exactly knew what she had to do after being left in her blocks in Berlin and settling for bronze there. She earned her revenge in delivering a gun to tape perfect and dominant race. Jeter an the fastest 100m in Brussel since Marion Jones in 2000. The fastest ever Jamaican at the Belgacom MVD was Merlene Ottey with ? 10.89.
Jeter already won the 100m in Zürich last week, but her Brussels win apparently gave her a lot more satisfaction. In front of 47.000 spectators Carmelita made a clear statement that she and the American sprint have to taken into account.
