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Greek Athletics mired in dreadful season
By HellenicAthletes Staff
| Wednesday, July 22 2009 11:00:15 PM |
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Long-jumper Louis Tsatoumas looks to be the sole Greek track athlete with any shot at a medal next month at the IAAF world championships in athletics.
Consistently jumping in excess of 8 metres all season long, Tsatoumas will have to overcome his perennial big stage jitters, however, if Greece is to not return home empty handed. The native of Kalamata will also have to score a season best if he is to stay with the likes of Dwight Philips of the US and Irving Saladino of Panama, who have been recording jumps in excess of 8.5 metres consistently this year.
With the Greek championships scheduled for August 1-2, there could still be some surprise performances prior to Berlin. But with solid Greek results few and far between all season long, the chances are not encouraging. It has not helped matters, either, that the rising star hurdler Kostas Douvalidis as well as triple-jump champion Piyi Devetzi have been injured most of the season.
Others have also not had the type of season Greek fans have come to expect, like that of 400m hurdler Pericles Iakovakis. He was not in top shape at the recent Tsiklitiria meet, where he finished in 6th place, well off his personal best. In fact, in a reflection of how poorly 2009 has gone, only 12 Greek athletes competed at that event, the showcase meet in Greece in athletics.
It is expected the Greek team for Berlin will number about 25 if injured stars like Devetzi are able to compete. Otherwise that number will be lower for what may be a Greek athletics season to forget.
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