Adam Kszczot on his way to winning the 800m at the Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe (© Jean-Pierre Durand)
After winning five straight 800m titles in Dusseldorf, Polish middle-distance runner Adam Kszczot has rightfully earned the title of Mr PSD Bank Meeting. He’ll be gunning for a sixth consecutive win at the meeting on 1 February, the second stop of the 2017 IAAF World Indoor Tour.
Kszczot, the silver medallist in the event at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015, will compete in Dusseldorf for the 12th time, and will again butt heads with a familiar opponent, countryman Marcin Lewandowski for the 54th time since 2008. Kszczot, twice a European 800m champion indoors and outdoors, leads 32-21 in their head-to-head tally, with two recent victories over his rival, in 2013 and 2015, coming on the Dusseldorf track.
The field will also include Erik Sowinski of the US, the bronze medallist at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Portland 2016, and Amel Tuka of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who struck bronze at the 2015 World Championships.
Nicholas Kipkoech is also expected in the chase. The 24-year-old Kenyan, who raced to world U18 bronze in 2009, has a 1:43.37 performance to his credit outdoors, just 0.07 slower than Kszczot’s lifetime best.
Organisers for the IAAF
2017 IAAF World Indoor Tour calendar
28 Jan – Boston, USA
1 Feb – Dusseldorf, GER
4 Feb – Karlsruhe, GER
10 Feb – Torun, POL
18 Feb – Birmingham, GBR
