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News from the Caribbean as of
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Cuba's Calatayud ends season on a winning note at IAAF World Cup
Monday, September 18, 2006
by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com
ATHENS, Greece: Cuban World champion Zulia Calatayud found that extra strength again in the final metres of the home straight to hold off another determined finish from Kenya’s African champion Janeth Jepkosgei and become the first Americas female 800m winner at the IAAF World Cup in Athletics since 1989.
After sitting behind the pacemakers for the opening lap, the Cuban took the lead in the homestretch and held off Jepkosgei, the Commonwealth Games champion to win the race in 2:00.06, a close 3/100s of a second ahead of her challenger.
Though not satisfied with the timing, Calatayud said she was pleased at winning a World Cup title, especially after a slow start to her season, which saw her missing the IAAF World Indoor Championships in early March.
"This is another important win for my career," said Calatayud, who has announced that she will end her season this weekend. "I am not satisfied with the time, but what is important is the victory."
Last weekend Calatayud also featured in another thrilling finish with Jepkosgei at the 4th IAAF World Athletics Finals in Stuttgart, Germany and came out on top. Her win over the Kenyan in the World Cup in Athens on Saturday, puts the Caribbean runner going up 6-2 over Jepkosgei in their rivalry.
Currently ranked at number three in the world in the 800m, Calatayud will finish the season with a best time of 1:56.91, a time that puts her third behind the world leader and world no. 1 ranked, Jepkosgei, at 1:56.66 and arguable the world’s finest female runner in the event, Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique, at 1:56.77.
Other than her top time this year, the 26-year-old, Cuban has notable timings of 1:57.94, 1:58.18, 1:59.02, 1:59.35 and 1:59.44.
In her six major starts in this campaign, Calatayud finished on top three times and third three times to collect a World Ranking Score of 1324-points.
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