Mitton earns first title of WIC Glasgow 24 as Vicente injury tips pentathlon

With her last throw in the women’s shot put, Canada’s Sarah Mitton confirmed her hold on the first gold medal of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24.

For the first half of the opening final in the Glasgow Arena it looked as if the title might be destined for Germany’s 25-year-old Yemisi Ogunleye, who comfortably surpassed her personal best of 19.57m with a first-round effort of 20.19m, looking shocked by her prowess.

But she was overtaken, by the narrowest of margins, as Mitton produced a fourth-round effort of 20.20m and, with three concluding fouls, she never looked able to respond.

Confirmed as winner before her final effort, Mitton created a fog of chalk as she clapped her hands in the air, beaming widely before stepping up to register a relaxed and flourishing finale with 20.22m.

Two-time world outdoor champion Chase Jackson, nee Ealey, was some way off her best but did enough to take bronze with 19.67m, one place ahead of New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche, who set a personal best of 19.62m.

Meanwhile, with the long jump and 800m to come later today, Belgium’s 27-year-old Noor Vidts looks set to make a successful defence of the pentathlon title she won two years ago in Belgrade, although she finished the morning session trailing Finland’s 20-year-old Saga Vanninen by 38 points.

The Finn, twice world U20 champion, moved into top spot after producing by far the best shot put of 15.01m, totalling 2883 points after the first three disciplines.

Vidts, whose final two events appear stronger than those of her young rival, threw the second farthest, 14.26m, to reach the break with 2845 points, with Chari Hawkins of the United States third on 2773 and Verna Mayr of Austria fourth on 2735.

The dynamic of the pentathlon had changed in traumatic circumstances during the second discipline of high jump as 22-year-old Maria Vicente, who some regarded as favourite to win, exited early after incurring an achilles tendon injury.

Having cleared 1.67m and 1.70m first time, Vicente – who had produced the fastest time of 8.07 in the opening 60m hurdles – faltered just shy of take-off as she attempted 1.73m and clutched at her left ankle before subsiding tearfully on to the landing pit.

Vicente, the 2017 world U18 champion, had beaten her own Spanish record earlier in the year with a world-leading total of 4728 and had looked ready to push Vidts – who has also won European indoor silver and bronze – all the way.

Vidts, whose 60m hurdles personal best of 8.15 had come in winning this title two years ago, was only fourth on this occasion with 8.27, with second place going to Hawkins in a personal best of 8.16.

But she emerged from the high jump as overall leader on 2034 points after finishing second overall on 1.79m, with Hawkins, who cleared 1.76m, joint second on 2021 with Vanninen.

World 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles qualified for tonight’s men’s 60m semifinals as he won his heat in 6.57, but will need to work some more on his start to earn the medal he has in mind.

As expected, the rival who he beat by 0.01 to the US indoor title, world record-holder Christian Coleman, showed his starting prowess to post the fastest time of 6.49 despite slowing down at the end, leaving shaking his head. Gamesmanship? Or was he expecting something even closer to his 2018 world record of 6.34?

Lyles was only sixth fastest as Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya and Japan’s Shuhei Tada clocked 6.52 – a national record for the latter. Emmanuel Eseme looked impressive as he set a Cameroon record of 6.54 and Ackeem Blake of Jamaica clocked 6.55.

Home hope Jemma Reekie did nothing to dispel the feeling that she can win her first senior international title in the arena she knows so well as she topped the women’s 800m heat times with 1:59.45.

She was pushed all the way by Italy’s Eloisa Coiro, who reduced her indoor personal best from 2:01 to finish second fastest qualifier for tomorrow’s semifinals in 1:59.76.

But the Ethiopian challenge remains clear to the athlete who is now being guided by Britain’s Sally Gunnell – at one time Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth 400m hurdles champion, as well as world record-holder – and her husband Jon Bigg.

Habitam Alemu, who tops the world list with 1:57.86, was a convincing winner of her heat in 2:00.50, and her compatriot Tsige Duguma also looked ominously strong in winning her heat in exactly the same time.

Mariano Garcia went quickest in the first round of the men's 800m, winning his heat in 1:45.81 to keep the defence of his title on track.

Isaiah Harris was second in that race, clocking 1:46.12, while his US compatriot Bryce Hoppel will also advance after winning heat one in 1:46.15.

Femke Bol, one of the hottest favourites in Glasgow having lowered her own world indoor 400m record to 49.24 earlier this year, qualified with ease in 52.00 for tonight’s semifinals, finishing one place ahead of the US athlete who came past her to win the world 400m mixed relay title in Budapest last year as she faltered and hit the deck. Alexis Holmes was second in 52.53.

No such difficulty for the Dutch athlete today. Her teammate and training partner Lieke Klaver was fastest, winning her heat in 51.31, with Susanne Gogl-Walli following her home in an Austrian record of 51.43.

Norway’s Olympic and world 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm, European indoor 400m champion in this arena four years ago, and again last year in Istanbul, justified his late decision to run his first competition of the season here as he won his heat in 46.68.

That qualified him as sixth fastest for tonight’s semifinals with Matej Krsek of the Czech Republic fastest in 46.07.

Rusheen McDonald of Jamaica set a personal best of 46.25, and Joao Coelho was fourth fastest in a Portuguese record of 46.35. 

Defending champion Jereem Richards finished fourth in his heat but hung on to a semifinal place thanks to his time of 47.04.

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics