Nieto rekindles hopes

IRELAND’S Olympians were not just the only ones delighted with their displays at The Mardyke on Saturday.

American high jumper James Nieto achieved the A qualifying standard for the Olympic Games to rekindle his hopes of going to Beijing.

Nieto, who finished fourth in the Olympic high jump in Athens four years ago was runner-up at the US Olympic trials but his best jump of 2.27m was outside the qualifying standard and two athletes who finished behind him already had the standard and were selected.

Nieto immediately challenged the decision and his claim was reinforced on Saturday when he set a new meet record at 2.30m which is also the Olympic A standard.

In the women’s shot putt, Denise Hinrichs (Germany) also achieved the Olympic standard when she won with a throw of 18.35m. And Makelesi Batimala (Fiji) achieved the Olympic 200m standard when she finished second to Laverne Jones-Ferrette (US Virgin Island) in (23.23). Jones-Ferrette was completing a double after winning the 100m in (11.35) while Batimala, who already held the standard at the distance, finished third in the women’s 400m which was won by Aliann Pompey (Gynana) in (51.52) from Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), (52.33).