Russian athletes throw out challenge to world elite
Published: 05 September, 2008, 07:56
Despite the end of the Beijing Olympics the athletics season is not over yet. Russia’s top track and field competition “Russian Challenge” is set to take place in Moscow this Saturday.
This Olympic year the tournament is taglined the “Duels of Beijing stars in Moscow”
The fans will be able to see the likes of Olympic champions Andrey Silnov and Gulnara Samitova-Galkina. Unfortunately, organisers have failed to get Elena Isinbayeva to perform here, but it’s a perfect chance for others to approve themselves.
“The key thing for us was to show our stars here, in Moscow, not elsewhere in Europe,” said Valeriy Balakhnichev, Russian Athletics Federation President.
The tournament's main rivalry will be in the men's pole vaulting.
Olympic silver medalist Evgeny Lukyanenko will aim to do better in Moscow after a disappointing loss to Steve Hooker in Beijing. The Australian, however, won't be here for the challenge. In his abscence American Brad Walker, who's got a personal best at 6.04m , will be Lukyanenko's main rival.
Andrey Silnov and Yaroslav Rybakov, gold and bronze medalists respectively at Beijing, will compete in the high jump.
The Olympic champion believes the competition will be tough.
The tounament's main goal is to give Moscow fans an opportunity to see their track and field heroes perfoming at the Luzhniki Stadium.
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