Diniz walks through thunderstorm to 50km Euro-title

By John Bagratuni Aug 10, 2006, 12:30 GMT

Gothenburg, Sweden - Unheralded Frenchman Yohan Diniz defied a torrential thunderstorm in the late stages to win the European championship title on Thursday in the men's 50-kilometres walk.

Diniz improved his personal best by almost four minutes when he caught up with long-time leader Trond Nymark of Norway shortly before the 45km mark to win in 3 hours 41 minutes 39 seconds, cat.

Veteran Spaniard Jesus Angel Garcia, the 1993 world champion, came second in 3:42:48 and Yuriy Andronov of Russia took third in 3:43.46.

Nymark finished empty-handed in fourth place while the big pre-race favourite, Russian world record holder Nizhegorodov, was disqualified before the 20km mark.

'I am full of joy. I changed my technique after being disqualified at the world championships last year. I let the others exhaust themselves early on and accelerated after the 30km mark,' said Diniz, admitting that 'no one had me on the radar screen.'

He added in reference to the weather: 'The thunderstorm may have destabilised the others, but for me it was a welcome refreshment.'

Torrential rain and thunder set in when the walkers had passed the 40km mark and led to a postponement of the decathlon long-jump portion and to an early end of pole vault qualifying - with all 16 remaining athletes allowed into Saturday's final, including 2002 champion Alex Averbukh of Israel and German hope Tim Lobinger.

'It is a rare experience, but a very wise decision by the competition management,' said Lobinger.

Ahead of the long jump, defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Roma Sebrle of the Czech Republic clocked 10.98 seconds in the opening 100m decathlon run for 865 points. Francois Gourmet of Belgium led the way with 917 points for 10.75 seconds.

In other preliminary action, home favourite Susanna Kallur posted a fast 12.70 seconds in the 100m hurdles heats, with German Kirsten Bolm second overall on 12.83 and Kallur's twin sister Jenny third with 12.92 seconds.

'I ran this fast because I hadn't raced in quite a time. My race felt very easy. It felt really good to run so fast to sense the high speed,' said Susanna Kallur, who is the European season-leader with 12.52 seconds.

Bolm beat Jenny Kallur in her heat and hopes to do the same to Susanna in the final, saying 'nothing is impossible.'

Unless there is an unlikely dead heat in the final only one Kallur will be able to win, while the Belarussian Turava sisters could leave Gothenburg with two titles.

Alesia Turava dominated the women's 3,000m steeplechase heats in 9:37.01 minutes the day after her sister Ryta won the 20km walk.

'She is older and we said that if I achieve something she must do better. Now she only has one choice - to win, too,' said Ryta Turava.

Michael Rimmer of Britain dominated the 800m heats in 1:47.10 and world and Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania needed all three attempts to make the discus final with a qualification-leading 64.53m.

The evening session will see five finals: the men's 200m, 400m hurdles, and the women's 400m, 800m and discus.