Ethiopian middle-distance runner Gudaf Tsegay (© Jean-Pierre Durand)
Just five days after smashing the world indoor record in the 1500m, Gudaf Tsegay broke into the all-time top 10 in the 800m to highlight the Meeting de L'Eure at the Jesse Owens Arena in Val-de-Reuil, France, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze meeting on Sunday (14).
Out fast from the gun, Tsegay followed the pacesetter through the first 400m in 58.28, then forged on alone, reaching 600m in 1:28.12 before closing with another sub-30-second lap to cross the line in 1:57.52 to move up to ninth on the world indoor all-time list. Her performance was also a national indoor record and second to Maria Mutola's 1:57.06 on the African all-time list.
"I'm so happy because before the competition I was focused on training - hard work morning and evening," said Tsegay, who raced over the distance indoors for the first time.
"I'm just so happy. This 1:57, and before it was world record. I'm so happy."
Grant Holloway powered to his third victory in as many meetings this year, dominating a strong field with a 7.41 performance. It was the slowest clocking of the season for Holloway, who came within a scant 0.02 of Colin Jackson's 7.30 world record in Lievin five days ago. But underscoring the 23-year-old world outdoor champion's dominance at the moment is that nobody else has run faster this season.
On this occasion he finished a hefty 0.24 clear of runner-up Gabriel Constantino of Brazil who clocked 7.65. Aaron Mallett of the US was nearly as fast, clocking 7.66 for third.
Hugues Fabrice Zango produced another strong performance in the triple jump, reaching 17.51m in the third round, his third-best performance of the season.
In a fiercely fought men's 1500m, Getnet Wale edged Ethiopian compatriot Lamecha Girma by 0.06 in 3:35.54 with 800m standout Elliot Giles of Great Britain third in 3:36.90.
Tobi Amusan looked on her way to victory in the 60m hurdles until she hit the fifth hurdle and tumbled to the track, opening the way for Elvira Herman to nab the victory in 8.04.
Javianne Oliver of the US capped the meet with a 7.14 win in the 60m, her third victory in 2021.
Haratyk dominates shot put in Lodz
European champion Michal Haratyk moved up one place on the Polish indoor all-time list after winning the shot put in Lodz at the Orlen Cup – a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze meeting – on Friday (12).
The 28-year-old dominated the competition and all five of his valid throws would have been enough to win. He opened with 21.09m and improved to 21.22m in the third round before launching his shout out to 21.83m in round four. After a foul in the fifth round, he ended his series with 21.50m.
It’s an 18-centimetre improvement on his previous best, set when winning the 2019 European indoor title, and moves him above double Olympic champion Thomasz Majewski on the Polish indoor all-time list.
Norway’s Marcus Thomsen was third with 20.51m and Polish indoor record-holder Konrad Bukowiecki was third with 20.32m.
Two-time world champion Sam Kendricks won the pole vault with a season’s best of 5.86m, but he was pushed all the way by Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines. Kendricks held an early lead, going over 5.72m on his first try, but Obiena then got over 5.80m with his first attempt to take the lead.
Kendricks responded with a first-time clearance at 5.86m, then Obiena cleared it on his third attempt, setting an outright national record and moving to third on the Asian indoor all-time list. Neither man went higher, Obiena bowing out with three misses at 5.91m and Kendricks exiting with three failures at 6.02m.
There was excitement earlier in the competition as 16-year-old Belarusian Matvey Volkov set a world U18 best of 5.60m. He went on to attempt 5.72m but retired after two misses.
World indoor silver medallists Jarret Eaton and Christina Clemons were victorious in the 60m hurdles finals. Eaton sped to a season’s best of 7.51 to win the men’s event from US compatriot Aaron Mallett (7.60), while Clemons was a similarly convincing winner of the women’s contest in 7.91. Poland’s Karolina Koleczek set a PB of 8.01 in second place.
Elsewhere on the track, US sprint veteran Mike Rodgers won the men’s 60m in 6.52 – his fastest time in three years – while Lamont Marcell Jacobs crept a little closer to the Italian record by placing second in 6.53.
European indoor champion Ewa Swoboda won the women’s 60m in a season’s best of 7.22 and Alessia Trost cleared a season’s best of 1.94m to take the high jump.
Pozzi powers to victory in Luxembourg
World indoor 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi opened his 2021 campaign in Luxembourg, emerging from the final with a 7.57 victory.
The Briton was beaten in his heat by training partner Paolo dal Molin of Italy, 7.67 to 7.68, but he turned the tables in the final with Dal Molin placing second in 7.60.
From a local perspective, Luxembourg’s Charles Grethen produced the highlight of the meeting as he revised the national 1500m record for a third time this year. The 28-year-old held off a strong challenge from Kenya’s Cornelius Tuwei to win by 0.26 in 3:38.65.
The men’s 800m was even closer as Kenya’s Collins Kipruto just held on to win in 1:46.83 from Spain’s Mariano Garcia (1:46.86). Kipruto’s compatriot Josephine Chelangat Kiplangat won a similarly close women’s 1500m, clocking 4:09.40 to finish 0.06 ahead of teenager Edinah Jepitok.
Belgium’s Thomas Carmoy cleared an indoor PB of 2.28m to win the men’s high jump, while Bob Bertemes provided another ‘home’ victory, taking the men’s shot put with 20.65m.
German duo Christina Hering and Jennifer Montag were victorious on the track. Hering won a close 800m in 2:03.17, while Montag’s enjoyed a larger winning margin in the 60m, stopping the clock at 7.26.
Bosse clocks 1:16.61 over 600m in Gent
Pierre-Ambroise Bosse, the 2017 world 800m champion, moved down in distance to win the 600m in 1:16.61 at the IFAM Gent Meeting, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze meeting in the northwestern Belgian city on Saturday (13). Bosse's performance was the second fastest in the world this year.
Belgium's Isaac Kimeli won the 3000m in 7:44.17 over Swede Suldan Hassan, who clocked 7:50.44.
On the infield, Tina Sutej of Slovenia topped a meeting record 4.53m to take the pole vault before bowing out with three misses at 4.63m.
