Adriana Rodriguez in the heptathlon high jump at the IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016 (© Getty Images)
One week after taking silver at a continental U18 championships, Sarah Lagger is on course to win gold at a global U20 championships.
The Austrian ends the first day of the heptathlon in second place behind Cuba’s Adriana Rodriguez, but Lagger is stronger than Rodriguez in all of tomorrow’s events and is capable of making up the 181-point deficit.
Rodriguez underlined her status as the best sprint hurdler in the field, clocking a PB of 13.69 in the opening discipline. Although Lagger’s 14.25 was only ninth fastest overall, it was a lifetime best.
Sweden’s Bianca Salming was the top performer in the high jump, clearing a PB of 1.83m to join the fight for medals. Rodriguez was also at her absolute best and sailed over 1.80m to maintain her overall lead, while Lagger’s 1.77m meant that she moved up three places to sixth.
In the shot put, Salming once again came out on top. The Swede threw 13.29m to move into second place in the heptathlon standings, just 50 points behind Rodriguez, who threw 12.65m.
Lagger produced a PB of 13.09m, one of just three women to throw beyond 13 metres, and moved into third place.
But Rodriguez extended her lead again in the final event of the first day as she sped to a 23.95 PB in the 200m, making her the fastest in that event by a significant margin and giving her a day-one tally of 3691.
Belgium’s Hanne Maudens was the second fastest, clocking a PB of 24.58. The European junior silver medallist ends the first day in eighth place overall, but is strong on the second day and is capable of challenging for a medal.
Lagger ran 24.93 in the 200m, bringing her score to 3510. Salming’s 26.13 was among the slowest 200m times, but significantly it was a PB, and so will keep her in medal contention.
“I had a good day – a PB in the hurdles and shot put and a season's best in the high jump,” said Lagger, the world U18 silver medallist. “Tomorrow I hope to have more good performances. A medal would be my dream.”
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
