Audrey Werro wins the 800m in Bydgoszcz (© Adam Nurkiewicz)
In just her second race of the outdoor season, Audrey Werro broke her own Swiss record at the Irena Szewinska Memorial, winning the 800m in 1:57.25 at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Bydgoszcz on Friday (30).
It was one of five meeting records set in the Polish city, while the likes of Natalia Bukowiecka and Weronika Lizakowska delighted the home crowd by winning their respective events.
Werro, the two-time European U20 champion, followed the pacemaker for the first lap of the 800m, which was covered in 56.83. She then pulled ahead of the rest of the field on the second lap and charged through the line in 1:57.25, taking 0.51 off the Swiss record she set last year. Morocco’s Assia Raziki was a distant second in 1:59.79.
The 21-year-old Werro, who finished fourth at the World Indoor Championships, now moves to second on this year’s world list.
There was another national record from the winner of the men’s 800m, which was won by Ireland’s Mark English in 1:44.34. He finished comfortably ahead of Croatia’s Marino Bloudek, who was second in 1:44.74.
Spanish 800m record-holder Mohamed Attaoui stepped up to the 1500m in Bydgoszcz and took almost three seconds off his PB to win in a meeting record of 3:33.30. Italy’s Federico Riva was second in 3:33.79.
One of the oldest meeting records also tumbled. Sweden’s Fanny Roos threw 19.20m in the opening round of the shot put, which remained the best mark of the day. USA’s Maggie Ewen responded with 19.10m in round two, equalling the old meeting record, but Roos’ mark held on to win.
The meeting record fell in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani was a convincing winner in 9:14.90, crossing the line more than six seconds ahead of her nearest opponent.
The fifth and final meeting record fell in the men's 400m, won by Poland's Maksymilian Szwed in 45.29.
Bukowiecka wins again
World silver medallist Natalia Bukowiecka produced a season’s best of 50.44 to win the 400m at this meeting, one year on from setting a meeting record. Canada’s Lauren Gale was second in 51.00, also a season’s bests.
There was also a Polish victory for national record-holder Weronika Lizakowska in the 1500m. She clocked a season’s best of 4:01.99 to get the verdict ahead of Australia’s Linden Hall (4:02.11).
In the men’s shot put, Payton Otterdahl led a US 1-2 from Roger Steen, 21.59m to 21.39m. The men’s hammer was similarly close as Ukrain’e Mykhaylo Kokhan won with 79.84m ahead of Germany’s Merlin Hummel (79.31m).
The closest finish came in the women’s 100m hurdles, with Hungary’s Luca Kozac winning from USA’s Rayniah Jones, both clocking 12.83. Elsewhere, USA’s Chris Nilsen took the men’s pole vault with 5.82m.
