Zaynab Dosso trains in Nanjing (© Dan Vernon)
After a thrilling first day of action, World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 excitement continues on day two – Saturday 22 March.
Nine champions will be crowned. The women’s pole vault is the first final, taking place during the morning session, while the day’s competition will close with the women’s 60m final. The men’s heptathlon also gets under way.
Another inspired performance for Dosso and Kambundji?
Zaynab Dosso and Mujinga Kambundji were separated by just 0.01 at the European Indoor Championships, Dosso clocking a world leading 7.01. They renew their rivalry in Nanjing.
Speaking at the pre-event press conference, Italy’s Dosso explained the significance of that win. “Mujinga is not just a great competitor for me but also a great inspiration and a person that I admire,” she said. “Being able to defeat her was also an inspiration.”
They will begin their campaign during the heats in the morning session. Should all go to their plan, they will then contest the semifinals and final during the evening session.
Duplantis eyes 100
Defending champion and world record-holder Mondo Duplantis already has a total of 98 pole vault clearances at six metres or higher. He could potentially achieve a milestone 100th six-metre clearance on Saturday.
He would love to claim his third successive world indoor title and then cap it with another world record to go with the 11 he has already achieved – his latest being 6.27m in Clermont-Ferrand.
Also looking to build on his strong season so far is Emmanouil Karalis, who cleared a Greek record of 6.02m in Clermont-Ferrand.
Two lap thriller
Competition should be fierce in the women’s 400m.
Henriette Jaeger, Alexis Holmes and Amber Anning are separated by just 0.13 when it comes to season’s bests, Jaeger leading the way on 50.44, and Martina Weil had the indoor run of her life in the heats in Nanjing as she clocked an indoor PB of 51.67.
Now they prepare for the final, in which they will go up against Rosey Effiong and Justyna Swiety-Ersetic.
Holloway on the hunt
Two-time world indoor 60m hurdles champion Grant Holloway will be looking to maintain a win streak that has seen him undefeated in indoor hurdles races since 2014, including all preliminaries and in combined events.
Including the 55m hurdles and 60m hurdles, he has won 91 consecutive indoor races.
Looking to deny him another bit of history will be recently crowned European indoor champion Jakob Szymanski and Holloway’s compatriot Cameron Murray. Holloway leads the season top list with 7.36 ahead of Szymanski’s 7.39 and Murray’s 7.41.
Ingebrigtsen targets first half of double
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen has frequently doubled up on the continental stage, but in Nanjing he will attempt to do it at the World Indoors for the first time.
After running in the 1500m heats on Friday, he contests the 3000m final on Saturday on the hunt for a first world indoor title to go with his two Olympic and two world outdoor titles.
