Blog actu > Spikesmag décerne ses prix...
Le 22/12/2009 à 18:46News (in English...) 2009
It was a spectacular year of athletics action and spikesmag.com was there every step of the way. We thought we'd take you through our 2009 award winners...
The "Rub Your Eyes In Disbelief" award
Joint winners: Sebastian Bayer and Usain Bolt
Bayer, the German long jumper landed the European Indoor title in Turin with a jaw-dropping 8.71m – the second longest indoor leap in history and a new personal best by more than half-a-metre. Some questioned the measurement system, but it all proved perfectly valid.
For Bolt, rubbing your eyes in disbelief happened on an almost weekly basis during a summer in which he was the dominant figure in world sport. The highlights? Well that's obvious, world 100m and 200m records of 9.58 and 19.19, respectively, at the World Championships in Berlin.
The "After The Lord Mayor’s Show" award
Joint-winners – Carmelita Jeter and David Rudisha
Jeter enjoyed a stunning breakthrough season in 2009, but left her best until deep into the season. After winning a second successive World Championship 100m bronze medal in Berlin she climbed to third on the all-time women’s 100m list with a stunning 10.67 at the World Athletics Final in Greece. She then ended her season with a blistering 10.64 to leapfrog Marion Jones and become the second fastest women in history.
Rudisha was, surprisingly, eliminated from the 800m semi-finals in Berlin but ended the season on fire. The 20-year-old Kenyan recorded impressive wins in Zurich, Brussels and at the World Athletics Final and also climbed to fourth on the all-time list with a sensational 1:42.01 in Rieti.
The "Silliest New Rule" award
Winner: Devil Take The Hindmost
European Athletics introduced a controversial rule for the endurance races at the inaugural European Team Championships in Portugal, whereby the athlete at the back of the field on designated laps was removed from the race. The result? Chaos. Not unsurprisingly, the rule has been dropped for next year’s event in Bergen.
The "Smartest New Rule" award
Winner: New false start rule
From 1 January next year the IAAF has agreed to adopt a zero tolerance approach to false starts. In future, every false start committed will lead to automatic disqualification – at the moment the first false start is charged to the field. The new stance should improve athlete discipline, aid the schedule of the timetable and add a new element of drama.
The "Gamble Of The Year" award
Winner: Steve Hooker
The Aussie called it is his ‘death or glory tactic’ and against all the odds he landed the World pole vault title. His hopes of winning gold in Berlin appeared to be shattered after he suffered a tear to his adductor muscle just over a week before the World Championships. He was supposed to be out for three weeks, yet he defied the pain to pull off an unlikely win. He jumped just twice in the final. Failing with his first attempt at 5.85m, before clearing 5.90m with his second. Job done.
The "I've Got The Craziest Fans" award
Winner: Christina Obergfoll
She may only have finished fifth in the women’s javelin at the World Championships, but you never would have known it. A battalion of the German’s fans in matching uniforms made their voice heard in the Olympic Stadium and later that night down the Kurfurstendamm. They drank, did the conga and partied, despite the Olympic bronze medallist failing to climb the podium on this occasion.
The "Perfectly Judged Race" award
Winner: Linet Masai
The unanimous decision goes to the slender Kenyan, who landed victory in the women’s 10,000m at the World Championships in Berlin with a stunning late burst. Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar appeared race favourite as they entered the home straight only for her compatriot Meselech Melkamu to hit the front. Melkamu, however, prematurely celebrated victory and Masai’s surge took her to a memorable victory.
The "I’m indestructible" award
Joint winners: Valerie Vili and Usain Bolt
The pair proved invincible in 2009. Bolt was unbeatable, in finals at least. Vili, of New Zealand, won all 13 finals and has not lost a women’s shot put competition since September 2007.
The "Life Begins At 37" award.
Winner: Steffi Nerius
A competitor so old she has competed in the colours of East Germany, Steffi Nerius signed off her career in glorious style by winning her first world title aged 37. Competing some 16 years after making her World Championship debut, a first round throw of 67.30m proved too good for the rest. It was the perfect finale to a long and distinguished javelin career.
The "If At First You Don’t Succeed" award
Joint winners: Ezekiel Kemboi and Sanya Richards
Kemboi, the Kenyan steeplechaser, finally delivered the World title after winning successive silver medals in the 2003, 2005 and 2007 editions. For Richards, her 400m gold medal brought an end to a miserable run at major championships in one-lap finals, stretching back to the 2005 World Championships.
The "Best Vest Ripping Celebration" award
Winner: Robert Harting
Germany’s world discus champion is a unanimous decision in this category for launching himself into a frenzied post-competition celebration that left his kit in tatters. Mind you, he did have good reason to go mental – he’d just won the world title with a PB in his home city of Berlin.
