World pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis competes at the 2023 ISTAF Indoor meeting in Berlin (© Getty Images)
Mondo Duplantis and Reece Prescod achieved meeting record-breaking performances, while Shanice Craft threw a world indoor discus best at the ISTAF Indoor, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting, in Berlin on Friday (10).
Swedish pole vault star Duplantis cleared 6.06m before attempting a world record of 6.22m, while Britain’s world relay medallist Prescod ran a PB of 6.49 to win the men’s 60m, matching the fastest time in the world this year.
In the team discus exhibition event, Germany's three-time European bronze medallist Craft launched the 1kg implement 65.23m for a women's world indoor best.
The 29-year-old's first-round 64.50m had also been a world best but she went event farther in round two with 65.23m. She again surpassed 65 metres with 65.20m in round three and closed her series with 63.71m. Her compatriot Kristin Pudenz, the Olympic and European silver medallist, was second with 63.24m.
Germany's Daniel Jasinski achieved the top performance for the men's team, throwing 62.81m. The women's quartet won the team contest with 31 points to the men's 21.
In the men's pole vault, Duplantis was back in action after trying to add a centimetre to his own world pole vault record on his season opener in Uppsala at the start of this month, eventually winning with 6.10m for his best-ever season debut. Returning to the runway eight days later, the 23-year-old entered the competition in Berlin at 5.60m and cleared that height, 5.82m and 5.91m on his first attempts. He had the competition won at that point and had the bar raised to 6.06m, which he also managed on his first try to improve the meeting record he set last year by 3cm.
He then tried 6.22m in an attempt to set the sixth world record of his career so far. Although he was unsuccessful this time, Duplantis has now taken his career total of six metre-plus clearances to 57 and achieved a mark in Berlin that only four other athletes have ever managed, indoors or outdoors.
Philippines’ world bronze medallist Ernest John Obiena finished second and Australia’s Commonwealth Games champion Kurtis Marschall was third on countback, both athletes clearing 5.82m.
In the sprints, 2018 European 100m silver medallist Prescod took 0.04 off the PB he set at this meeting in 2019, clocking 6.49 to win a clash against Germany’s Joshua Hartmann (6.53 PB) and Julian Wagner (6.56).
Reece Prescod on his way to a men's 60m meeting record at the ISTAF Indoor in Berlin (© Getty Images)
It improved the meeting record set by Kim Collins in 2015 by 0.01.
There was a British double in the 60m finals, Daryll Neita winning the women’s race in a PB of 7.05, 0.01 off the British record set by Dina Asher-Smith in Karlsruhe at the end of last month.
Tristan Evelyn was second in a Barbadian record of 7.14 and Germany’s Gina Luckenkemper third in 7.16.
Jamaica’s Britany Anderson won the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.85, while the men’s final was won by Britain’s David King in 7.63.
Olympic and world champion Malaika Mihambo delighted the home crowd with a long jump victory, secured with a last round 6.81m leap. Either of her two valid attempts would have been enough to win, the German 29-year-old also leaping 6.72m in the first round.
Italy’s Larissa Iapichino was second and Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers third on countback, as both athletes leapt a best of 6.69m in the fifth round.
