Schippers clocks 22.02 world lead in Hengelo

Dafne Schippers clocked a world-leading performance in the 200m to highlight the FBK Games in Hengelo, an IAAF World Challenge meeting, on Sunday (22).

Competing on home turf for the first time this outdoor season, the world 200m champion clocked 22.02 (-0.3m/s) in rainy conditions to win by more than a second and improve on her previous seaons’s best of 22.25 which paced the world for the past four weeks.

“This was much better than my first race in Gainesville,” said Schippers, who also eclipsed the previous stadium record of 22.46 set by LaVerne Jones-Ferrette in 2009.

“It was my third race of the weekend," added Schippers, who clocked a wind-assisted 10.94 in Manchester two days ago. "This means that I’m in good shape and that’s important, because I hope that I can do four races at the Europeans in Amsterdam and eight in Rio.”

Jodie Williams of Great Britain was a distant second in 23.06 with USA’s Tiffany Townsend third, clocking 23.12.

Schippers raced earlier as part of the Dutch ‘A’ squad in the 4x100m relay which was disqualified in a race won by a Chinese quartet in 43.36.

Likewise, two-time Olympic 100m finalist Churandy Martina was also pleased with his two 100m races in his first outings of the season over the distance. The Dutchman won his heat in 10.08 (1.2m/s) and the final in 10.12 (-0.4m/s).

"I knew that things were going well in training,” Martina said, “but you never know how that will translate in races, so I’m very happy with the results from today."

Ghanaian Sean Safo-Antwi edged Ramon Gittens from Barbados for second, each credited with 10.24. Kim Collins was a few ticks back in fourth, clocking 10.28.

Rainy conditions sets the tone

Given the conditions, the two 5000m contests produced solid performances. Ethiopia's Olympic silver medallist Dejen Gebremeskel won the men’s race by nearly four seconds in 13:00.99, the third fastest run of the season.

World junior cross-country champion Letesenbet Gidey, still just 18, took the women’s race in 14:58.45, nearly 10 seconds clear of Kenyan Irene Cheptai.

Phylicia George wasn’t too bothered by the rain that set the tone for much of the meeting. The Canadian won the 100m hurdles in 12.88, well clear of Germany’s world silver medallist Cindy Roleder, who clocked 12.98, with her compatriot Nadine Hildebrand third in 13.05.

Germany’s Gregor Tabor won the men's 110m hurdles in 13.46, just ahead of Briton Lawrence Clark and Jeff Porter of the US, who clocked 13.50 and 13.51 respectively.

Running in a downpour, Anyika Onuora of Great Britain won the 400m in 52.20, ahead of Poland’s Justyna Swiety, who clocked 52.31.

In the men’s race, Javon Francis of Jamaica prevailed in 45.35, turning back Dutchman Liemarvin Bonevacia (46.21) and 2004 Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner (46.33).

In a tight women’s 1500m encounter, Besu Sado of Ethiopia bested Dutchwoman Maureen Koster 4:05.30 to 4:05.48.

World youth champion Willy Tarbei won the 800m in 1:45.87, outsprinting Brazil's Lutimar Abreu Paes and Dutch favourite Thijmen Kupers, who clocked 1:46.04 and 1:46.27 respectively.

Jumpers encountered a difficult afternoon and early evening. Pole Sylwester Bednarek topped 2.21m to take the men’s high jump while China’s Li Ling took the women’s pole vault at 4.50m.

Chris Carter of the US won the triple jump with 17.12m, the lone jumper to beat the 17-metre barrier.

Another victory for China came in the men’s long jump courtesy of Wang Jianan who sailed 7.91m to top Ignisious Gaisah who reached 7.81m.

And in the men’s discus, Rodney Brown took command of the competition in the second round with 65.70m and was never threatened.

Cors van den Brink for the IAAF