News

A great time comes to its end

After more than 4 weeks of common training Chinese delegation will be heading home on Dec, 21. Everyone was excited from the great time and took huge benefit from the common training.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Grayman got married

James and his beautiful wife Dannigo last month at their wedding in Antigua. All the best from all the centre athletes and coaches.

 

Great first training week of Chinese High Jumpers

A very successful first training week of Chinese and WHJC athletes comes to an end. Despite hard work there was a lot of fun in  the common daily training sessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese delegation at WHJC

From Nov, 18 till Dec, 21 a Chinese squad will join WHJC Cologne.

Daegu finalists Guowei Zhang (2.31m) and Xingjuan Zheng (1.95m) will work with coach Wolfgang Ritzdorf and his athletes   to prepare for London 2012. They are accompanied by another 4 high jumpers.

 

 

 

 

 

Great season final for James

After a long and successful season James "Blackcat" Grayman finished 4th in the PanAmerican Games in Mexico with a 2.24m clearance.

Before coming back to Cologne James will go back home and will get married in November.

All the best!!!

 

 

 

Two medals for William

After winning the title at the Indian Ocean Island Games William also took his chance at the All Africa Games in Maputo .

Coming 3rd was the first medal for William in a big international competition and will give him a lot of confidence for the upcoming Olympic season.  

 

 

 

William Woodcock on his way to Indian Ocean Island Games

After a new season best of 2.17m in a heavy rain competition William now is on his way back home to Seychelles to compete in the Indian Ocean Island Games. He aims not only for the title but also for a new PB.  

 

 

 

 

James Grayman came 2nd in the Central American and Caribbean Champs

With a new Season best of 2.25 m James took the silber in the CAC Champs in Puerto Rico, just 3 cm awy from the B-standard for Daegu.

There are two chances left: Viersen (7.8.) and Leuven (13.8.).

 

 

Six athletes at the Centre

It's getting full in Cologne training group. 4 new athletes will join Kabelo and Karim Lotfy at the high jump centre.

 

Elena Brambilla, Italy, 1.87 m is the first permanent female athlete at the centre.

 

 

   James Grayman, Antigua & Barbuda, 

   2.27m;  arrived March, 22

 

 

 

 William Woodcock, Seychelles, 2.20 m

 After a break at home William is back at the centre

 

 

 

 

   Gobe Takobana, Botswana, 2.20 m  

    Came in February and is the rookie

 

 

Bronze Medal for Kabelo in Commonwealth Games

A good season for Kabelo ended with a bronze medal for Kabelo in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.

Despite some health problems Kabelo cleared 2,26m to come 3rd behind Bahamas jumpers D. Thomas and T. Barry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Continental Cup Split

The World Cup in Split ended with 2.25m and a 4th place for Kabelo in the men's high jump. Despite beatingsome of the best athletes it was a little biz disappointing as there was a good chance to win.

But the year's highlight is still coming up: the Commonwealth Games in India in October.

 

African Championship Nairobi

As a third time in a row Kabelo was the winner of the African Champs to be held in Nairobi. The title makes him a member of team Africa for the Continental Cup in Split, September 4-5.

 

IAAF Grand Prix Dakar

Kabelo was the winner of the first World Challenge meet in Dakar with a winning height of 2.26m. He now is waiting for his first Diamond League appearance in New York, June 12.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Training camp in Mauritius

Our high jumpers were invited to an IAAF training camp for African high jumpers to be held in Mauritius, April 1-12. Together with athletes from Mauritius, Seychelles, Senegal and Sudan we spend 12 days of extensive tarining under perfect conditions. The training camp ended with a competition, where Kabelo cleared 2.26m in his winning jump.

 

Kabelo finished 6th at the World Indoor Champs in Doha

Although it was a big success that Kabelo took 6th position in the men's high jump final with a 2.28m clearance  at the end there was some disappointment. Really close jumps on 2.31m proofed that the podium is within reach.  

Let the outdoor season come.....

 

 

New Athlete at WHJC

Young Egyptian Mohamed Abou Taleb, born 1990, is the latest athlete at the centre. Mohamed arrived beginning of December as the African Junior Champion. "I never trained that much - it's really tough. But I like it and I am happy to be part of such an outstanding training group".

While the indoor season will come a little bit too early Mohamed will focus on the African Champs beginning of August in Nairobi

 

 

Eike Onnen at WHJC

German 2.34 m high jumper Eike Onnen is a new member of WHJC training group. Eike is a multiple German Champion, winner of the European Cup 2007 and finalist at WC Osaka 2007. After 2 years of injury problems Eike will try a new start in a new environment heading for the World Indoor Champs and European Chamionships in 2010. "It's a great training group. We have a lot of fun and it's a litlle bit of competition already in training" EIke said after his first month in Cologne

 

 

 

 

Kabelo in WCC final despite an ankle twist 

Despite a swollen ankle Kabelo made the final with an unexpected 2,30m jump in the qualifying  of the  IAAF World Championship in Berlin. 2,30m was not only a season best but also his first clearance of that height in Europe. Unfortunately he paid for it with new pain that didn't allow him to jump properly in the final. Nevertheless it was a great success in his young career.

 

 

 

New partner for World High Jump Centre

IAAF World High Jump Centre announced a new partnership this morning. "It's a great pleasure for us to welcome Nordic Sport as a new partner in our Centre" director Wolfgang Ritzdorf said. "Nordic support will allow us to optimize the training and support system in our team. That's great news for the upcoming indoor season".

Nordic Sport is happy as well.

“2008 was a fantastic year for the company Nordic Sport in Skellefteå/Sweden. 

As an extra nice finish of the year, the company has now launched a partnership with the IAAF World High Jump Center, German Sport University Cologne, Germany.  It is an incredible pleasure that Nordic Sport obviously was the first choice for the IAAF World High Jump Center” said Dennis Österberg, Marketing Manager at Nordic Sport.

British World Class High Jumper at WHJC

Martyn Bernard, 23 year old British high jumper is a new member of the IAAF World High Jump Centre. Martyn was competing in the Olympic final in Beijing, is a medallist in both Commonwealth Games and European Indoors and the 2008 winner of the prestigious high jump meet in Eberstadt.

While first training sessions were quite tough Martyn is ready to open the season on January 14th together with the other centre athletes in the Cologne meeting.

Karim world leading junior with new national record


With a new national record of 2.25 m in the junior's competition in Eberstadt Karim took the lead in the world junior top list. The organizers invited him to take part in the men's competition on Sunday where he did another 2,20m. Karim now is ready to go for a medal at IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz next week

World High Jump Centre at work

WHJC athletes went for a recreational measure last Tuesday. With the support of Institute of Outdoor Sports and Environmental Science (special thanks to Mr. Edwin Jakob) they took a two hours canoeing session (unfortunately with extended need for swimming). Nevertheless it was a great afternoon before heading for next competitions.

Kabelo's world leading performance of 2.34 m

With his winning jump of 2.34 m at the African Championships in Addis Ababa Kabelo did not only set a new PB and NR, but also took the lead in the IAAF top list. Although circumstances were not easy (it was during the last two laps in the men's 5000 m and there was almost no gap between the runners) he managed to improve his PB by 4 cm. Now all focus will be on the Olympics in August.

Other World High Jump Centre athletes Boubacar Sere, Karim Lotfy and William Woodcock took positions 3, 4 and 5

Outstanding awards for Kabelo

In a glamorous ceremony  last Saturday in his hometown Gaborone Kabelo was awarded both Sportsman of the Year and Sportperson of the Year. Kabelo received the awards from President Festus Mogae.

 

 

Guests at ATC Cologne / World High Jump Centre

The World High Jump Centre was host of a couple of outstanding high jumpers from all over the world in the last 2 years. Nicole Forrester (CAN; 1.97 m); Tora Harris (USA; 2.33 m); Jesse de Lima (BRA; 2.30 m); Nikki Pali (ISR; 2.30 m) and Michael Mason (CAN; 2.30 m) - all of them spend some time at the WHJC to train and to share knowledge and experience.

We were happy to have them here and look forward to meeting them and other athletes of the high jump family in the near future.

Another National Record at the end of indoor season

19-year old Egyptian high jumper Karim Lotfy set another NR of 2,24 m last Friday in Chemnitz. With this height he took the lead in the World Juniors' ranking and is looking forward for the World Junior Championships in Poland in July.  

Next major competition will be the Afriocan Championships first weekend of May in Ethiopia

Great season opening of Karim Lotfy

18-year old Egyptian high jumper Karim Lotfy opened the indoor season with three new national records. In the first competition in Cologne (January, 10) he set a two new records. After clearing 2,18m he finished with a 2,21m clearance.

In the regional championship 10 days later  (Levekusen, Januaray, 20) he set a new standard of 2,22m. Now Karim's focus is on the World Junior Championships in July.

 

 

 

ATC Cologne was appointed IAAF World High Jump Centre

Dr. Elio Locatelli, IAAF Member Service Department Director, Prof. Dr. Walter Tokarski, Rector Geman Sport University and Dr. Wolfgang Ritzdorf, Co-Director ATC Cologne opened the IAAF World High Jump Centre during a press conference on November, 13.

Kabelo Kgosiemang (Botswana; 2.30m), Boubacar Serre (Burkina Faso; 2.22m), William Woodcock (Seychelles; 2,18m) and Karim Lotfy (Egypt; 2,17m) are the first athletes to permanently live and train at Cologne

Kabelo came 9th in the final

Kabelo finished a very sucessful season with a 9th place in the men's final at the World Championships in Osaka. It was a big step forward on his way to the Beijing Olympics