Sviridov breaks shot put world record in Berlin

Russia’s world and European shot put champion Vladimir Sviridov smashed his own world record on his way to victory on the first of three days of competition at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Berlin, Germany, on Friday (19 June).

Sviridov (F36) threw an impressive 15.21m with his second round attempt in the shot put F35/36 to add 48 centimetres on to the previous mark he set in Nottwil, Switzerland, last year. Germany’s world and European silver medallist Sebastien Dietz (13.92m) finished as runner-up.

Germany’s double European champion Daniel Scheil (F33) meanwhile threw a world best in the javelin F32-34 at the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Sportpark venue, managing 26.96m with his penultimate attempt to further cement his place at the top of the world rankings.

Finland’s Marjaan Heikkinen (F34) got the better of Germany’s current world number one Frances Herrmann (F34) with a winning throw of 16.72m in the women’s javelin F32-34. Russia’s Aida Bronskaia (F36) threw 19.69m to win the women’s F36/40/41 event, with the Netherlands’ Zara Baars (F40) registering 14.75m to take second place.

In a day that saw rain, wind and sometimes sunshine there were also victories in the field for Lithuania’s Ramunas Verbavicius (25.77m), who finished over four metres clear of the field in the men’s javelin F55, and Turkey’s Musa Davulcu (F57) who won the men’s javelin F56/57 (28.13m).

Germany’s world number one Niko Kappel (F41) threw 11.77m with his opening attempt in the men’s shot put F40/41 – a distance that proved unbeatable as he went on to finish more than a metre clear of Great Britain’s world bronze medallist Kyron Duke (F41) in second (10.65m).

Great Britain’s world and European champion Aled Davies threw 14.88m to finish ahead of his rivals in the shot put F42, with Germany’s Frank Tinnemeier (13.44m) second and South Africa’s Tyrone Pillay (12.28m) third. Germany’s Mathias Schulze (F46) managed 13.73m to top the podium in the shot put F44/46.

There was further victory for the host nation in the men’s shot put F20 as Daniel Storch (11.46m) topped the podium; and in the men’s F37/38 event Poland’s European silver medallist Tomas Blatkiewicz (F37) secured the win thanks to an opening throw of 13.61m.

Belarus’s Siarhei Hrybanau (T12) won the men’s shot put F11/12 (14.01m) while his compatriot Aliaksander Tryputs (F53) was victorious in the men’s javelin F53/54 (19.59m).

In the discus throws Russian world champion Sofia Oksem threw a new 2015 world lead for the F12 class as she took victory in the women’s F11-12/20 with a best of 42.08m; the Czech Republic’s Eva Berna topped the podium in the F37 (27.51m); Ireland’s Noelle Lenihan (F38) threw 25.81m to take the title in the F38/44-48 event.

Out on the track it was a day dominated by 100m heats. Germany’s multiple European medallist Marc Schuh crossed the line first in his 100m T53/54 heat clocking 15.58 seconds as he leads the way for the T54 racers through to Saturday’s finals.

Russia’s Paralympic champion Evgenii Shvetcov will head up the T36 racers in the finals after crossing the line in 12.20. Finland’s world, Paralympic and European champion Toni Piispanen (T51) managed 24.02 in his heat while Poland’s double world champion Mateusz Michalski (T13) finished first in his race (11.15) ahead of Germany’s home talent Felix Streng (T44) who clocked 11.32.

There were no surprises as Poland’s Michal Derus (T47) came out strongly to win his heat in 10.84, a time which takes him to the top of the T47 word rankings; South Africa’s world number one Jonathan Ntutu was the first of the T12 sprinters (11.15) followed by his Russian rival Artem Loginov (11.37).

In the women’s 100m heats home favourite Vanessa Low (T42) finished first in her race, clocking 15.92; her chief rival, Italy’s in-form world record holder Martina Caironi, clocked 15.54. South Africa’s Ilse Hayes (T13) won her heat in 12.18 and Great Britain’s 15-year-old European champion Maria Lyle was the fastest of the T35 sprinters as she clocked 14.61.

Margarita Goncharova (T38) finished ahead of her big rival from Brazil, teenager Veronica Hipolito, with the Russian finishing in 13.41, 0.21 seconds ahead of Hipolito.

As the day’s action came to a close three middle distance races took place out on the track. Poland’s world silver medallist Daniel Pek (T20) won the 1,500m T20 in a time of 4:02.95.

Russian Aleksandr Kostin (T13) won the men’s 1,500m race for visually impaired and ambulant athletes, crossing the line in 4:12.02, with his countryman Fedor Rudakov (T12) second (4:13.59).

There was further glory for Russia in the women’s 1,500m as world and Paralympic champion Elena Pautova (T12) took the tape in 4:45.11, a new world lead for 2015, with T11 racer Buitrago Arango of Colombia second in 4:56.48.

Around 400 athletes from 40 countries will be in the German capital for the ninth IPC Athletics Grand Prix of the year, which is supported by Allianz.