Browsing: Athletics

There was inspiration aplenty to be found in the venue for today’s Wanda Diamond League press conference, the splendidly decorated main salon of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, with its soaring painted ceiling and marble statues.

But when it came down to athletics, the assembled world champions and world record-breakers confessed that it was their competitors who gave them the most motivation to create their own masterpieces.

World 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan could have been deflated by the news overnight that her two-day-old world record of 29:06.82 had been vanquished by her Ethiopian rival, the world silver medallist Letesenbet Gidey, who soared to 29:01.03 at the Ethiopian Olympic trial held in Hengelo last night.

But Hassan said she relished the challenge, insisting that the developing rivalry between the two women was good for the event, good for the sport, and good for her.

She revealed that her manager had told her after her triumph in Hengelo on Sunday that Gidey would “go for the world record” at the same venue two days later.

“It makes me happy,” she said of Gidey’s performance.

“I want the 10,000m to be an event that people want to watch. I want it to be an event that’s exciting.

“Letesenbet is a very good athlete, she’s a very nice athlete and I really like her. She’s really sweet. People think I am not happy (about losing the world record) but I am really happy about it because I want distance to be more exciting.”

“I’m not surprised, and I’m actually happy about it!”@SifanHassan on losing her 10,000m world record just two days after getting it. #FlorenceDL #DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/GwBppBKWGP

— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) June 9, 2021

Hassan said she hoped their respective performances would make the Olympic women’s 10,000m final one of the showpiece events of the Games.

“I am happy she ran faster than me because it will make me work harder for the Olympics and I will enter the event more excited. Congratulations to her.”

For similar reasons, Hassan is stepping down to the 1500m in Florence tomorrow, racing what she describes as her “favourite” event, even though she intends to do the 5000m-10,000m double in Tokyo.

She has not raced the 1500m since her triumph at the World Championships in Doha in 2019, and she is excited by the challenge of taking on the Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and the European champion Laura Muir over the metric mile.

“I am really in good shape for my endurance but my speed is not yet quite good,” she said.

“I haven’t really raced the 1500 for two years but I am really happy to be here and take the opportunity, no matter what happens.”

World 5000m record-holder Joshua Cheptegei is similarly delighted by the impressive field assembled for his event, with seven sub-13 minute men assembled, alongside the young European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the Gateshead Diamond League winner Mohammed Katir of Spain.

Cheptegei is having his first hit-out over the distance since he set the world record of 12:35.36 at the Monaco Diamond League meeting last September, and said he felt his form had improved since his season debut over 3000m at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava last month.

“I come here with new energy and new momentum,” he said.

“I am pretty sure the body is much better than in Ostrava and I can target a time of 12:40, or better.”

World 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith was asked for her reaction to dual Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s sizzling 10.63 clocking in Jamaica last week, the fastest women’s 100m time in more than 30 years, and said she was inspired by such a performance.

“Shelly-Ann is absolutely amazing and I sent her a message saying it was amazing. The run itself was phenomenal. My coach sent me a video and said, ‘Look at her leg speed. That’ is what I’m talking about. You need to move your legs like that’. Obviously I am a competitive and I am always going to back myself but you can’t ignore the fact that Shelly-Ann is an amazing athlete.”

Asher-Smith said she was “still getting back into the swing of things” after taking a year out of top-flight competition during the pandemic last year but was confident that she would arrive at the Tokyo Olympics ready to race at her peak.

High jumpers Mutaz Essar Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi already have a well-established mutual admiration club and hope their friendly rivalry will take them to greater heights tomorrow.

Asked what advice they would give each other, Tamberi, the Italian favourite, addressed his friend and said: “I don’t have anything to teach to this guy because he’s the best high jumper ever, but it doesn’t mean you are unbeatable, remember.”

World champion Barshim is still searching for his best form this year, with a best of 2.30m so far this season, but hopes his meeting with Tamberi and this year’s world leader Ilya Ivanyuk (2.37m) will help him find it.

“With a strong field you are going to perform much better,” Barshim said.

“There’s pressure, but I love that pressure – it only makes me better.”

World long jump champion Malaika Mihambo is also determined to step up a level in Florence after a subdued start to the season by her standards.

She takes on a high-quality field including fellow seven-metre jumpers Chantel Malone and Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova, two-time world triple jump champion Caterine Ibarguen, world indoor champion Ivana Spanovic and world silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk.

“It’s the challenge that gives you the power to give your 100 percent,” she said.

Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics

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In a country that loves its throwing, Marcin Krukowski and Wojciech Nowicki put on an exhibition for local fans on the second evening of the Paavo Nurmi Games – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – in Turku, Finland, on Tuesday (8).

In cool, damp conditions, Krukowski signalled his intent in the second round of the men’s javelin with a throw that looked to sail beyond 90 metres, but it was ruled a foul after his hand slipped over the line as he landed on the rain-soaked track.

But minutes later he launched the spear 89.55m to add almost a metre and a half to his Polish record, enough to hand him a comfortable win over 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (82.84m) of Trinidad and Tobago and Rocco van Rooyen of South Africa (82.55m), along with moving him to 22nd on the world all-time list.

“I can throw further, I can add some metres,” said Krukowsi. “I didn’t feel I hit the javelin hard, it was a smooth and nice throw. Moving forward it’s about not doing stupid things. I got a small injury in my knee so I lost some timing recently but now I’m getting it back and I feel strong and confident.”

His goal for the Tokyo Games?

“A gold medal,” said Krukowski. “It’s the Olympics and anything can happen.”

His Polish compatriot Nowicki took an impressive win in the men’s hammer with a series of outstanding consistency, going beyond 79 metres on five of his six throws. His biggest, 80.77m, was a season’s best that came in the fifth round and gave him the win by more than a metre from France’s Quentin Bigot, who threw a PB of 79.70m.

“I felt good, the weather was good, the circle was good so I tried to make a good result,” said Nowicki, who will remain in Finland ahead of his next competition in Espoo. “For me this circle is a little better when it’s wet. Today I didn’t imagine I would throw 80 metres; when I woke up I felt 78, 79, but I was happy and I hope to do the same at the Olympic Games.”

Hammer winner Wojciech Nowicki at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Turku

Four-time world champion Pawel Fajdek had a night he will be keen to forget, fouling his first five attempts before salvaging third place in the last round with a throw of 78.29m. Sweden’s Ragnar Carlsson set a PB of 76.87m in fourth.

Finland’s Senni Salminen drew the biggest cheer of the night when soaring out to a national record of 14.51m (0.4m/s) in the third round of the women’s triple jump, also smashing the meeting record by 22 centimetres in the process and adding 29 centimetres to her previous best. That handed her victory by a wide margin over Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams (14.29m), with Finland’s Kristina Makela third with 14.26m.

“I knew I was in good shape but 14.51, it’s big,” said Salminen, who fell to her knees in ecstatic celebration once she saw the distance. “I was about to cry during my last jump when I got a standing ovation. The crowd was amazing.”

Finland very nearly had another home win in the final race of the evening as Annimari Korte took second in the 100m hurdles in 12.91, edged by Hungary’s Luca Kozak who clocked 12.90 (0.7 m/s). Belgium’s Anne Zagre was third with 13.13.

There was an impressive home win in the men’s 3000m steeplechase as Finland’s Topi Raitanen came from behind over the last barrier to take victory in 8:19.57, just a second outside the meeting record, ahead of Denmark’s Ole Hesselbjerg (8:20.42). Sweden’s Emil Blomberg was third in 8:21.38.

Kenya’s Cornelius Tuwei outkicked compatriot Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich to win the men’s 800m, 1:44.42 to 1:44.59, with Poland’s Mateusz Borkowski third in a PB of 1:44.85.

Poland’s Malwina Kopron coped with conditions best in the women’s hammer, with a thunderstorm raging during the competition and a soaked circle proving tricky for throwers. She opened with a season’s best of 75.40m which proved more than enough for victory, a mark she was unable to improve in subsequent attempts. France’s Alexandra Tavernier was next best with 72.80m with two-time Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk third with 72.42m.

France’s Mouhamadou Fall rose to the occasion in the men’s 100m, getting the better of USA’s Mike Rodgers to win in 10.26 (0.1m/s), with Rodgers clocking 10.33 and Switzerland’s Silvan Wicki third in 10.36.

Britain’s Imani Lansiquot came from behind to edge victory in the women’s 100m, overtaking Finland’s Lotta Kemppinen to win in 11.40 (-0.7m/s) to 11.41. Italy’s Vittoria Fontana was third in 11.46.

There was another British win in the 110m hurdles as David King set a PB of 13.37 to take victory, with Poland’s Damian Czykier next best in 13.50 and Norway’s Vladimir Vukicevic third in 13.59.

“I haven’t run quicker than 13.50 since 2017 and I’m so happy,” said King. “In Hengelo [where King clocked 13.57] I had some good signs but tonight I started well and finished well, it all came together.”

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Mazur took the men’s long jump with a best of 7.90m, with Finland’s Kristian Pulli second with 7.82m and Colombia’s Arnovis Dalmero third with 7.75m. In the women’s pole vault Elina Lampela gave the 2,500-strong crowd reason for celebration as she cleared 4.41m to take victory ahead of Fanny Smets of Belgium (4.31m) and Switzerland’s Andrina Hodel (4.31m).

Kamila Licwinko of Poland and Australia’s Eleanor Patterson took a joint-win in the women’s high jump, which was staged during a torrential downpour. Licwinko had the better record at 1.88m and Patterson the better record at 1.85m, and they were equal at other heights up to and including their best clearance of 1.93m. Because they had the same number of overall failures, they shared the spoils, with Ukraine’s Yuliya Levchenko third with a season’s best of 1.91m.

Barr breaks meeting record, Stahl and Hussong dominate throws

Ireland’s Thomas Barr and Sweden’s Daniel Stahl produced the standout performances on the first evening of action in Turku.

Barr clocked 48.39 to edge a thrilling race with Estonia’s Rasmus Magi in the 400m hurdles, the Irishman clocking his fastest ever time outside a championship and his quickest since winning a European bronze medal in 2018. Magi led until the final barrier before being passed by Barr on the run to the line, but the Estonian was rewarded with a big season’s best of 48.58, with Dutch athlete Nick Smidt third in 49.64.

Thomas Barr on his way to winning the 400m hurdles at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Turku

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Barr after taking more than a second off the meeting record. “I thought if everything went right, 48-mid was where I was at but I’ve felt my rhythm come back quickly and I felt really strong over the last few hurdles. It was a brilliant race.”

Barr finished fourth in the 2016 Olympic final and he’s hopeful he can again challenge for a podium position in Tokyo.

“Normally I’m still only warming up at this time of year,” he said. “Considering how compressed this season was, I didn’t have much room for error so I’m back on the horse just in time. Since Rio the 400m hurdles has gotten a lot harder, but in an Olympic final, or in any major championship final, anything can happen, so if I’m there or thereabouts, I’ll be ready to mop up the spillage.”

Stahl proved a class apart in the men’s discus, the world champion – who spent his summers in Turku through his childhood – giving himself more happy memories of the Finnish town when launching a throw of 68.11m to in the fourth round, good enough for a comfortable win over rival Andrius Gudzius of Lithuania (66.88m) and Lukas Weisshaidinger (66.77m).

“It was pretty good, I’m pretty happy with the 68-metre throw,” said Stahl. “I was a little bit tight and I felt a little slow in the first three rounds but then I hit it better.”

Daniel Stahl in action in the discus in Turku

Stahl has a long list of competitions in the weeks before the Olympics in Tokyo, where he hopes to emulate his success at the 2019 World Championships.

“I just need to compete more and get that feeling, there’s nothing better,” he said. “I’m really excited now about Tokyo. Everyone is going to get the vaccine and I’m going to get my second one in a couple of weeks so it feels great. Since I started in 2011 my coach and I said we’d target the Olympic Games in 2020 and now that it’s going ahead in 2021, I’m really, really happy about it.”

Christin Hussong continued her fine run of form in the women’s javelin, the German putting the competition to bed in the second round with a meeting record of 66.63m. That was enough to hand her victory with ease, with Latvia’s Lina Muze next best with 61.34m and Madara Palameika third with 60.04m.

Christin Hussong in action in the javelin at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Turku

“It was a really good throw for me,” said Hussong. “I’ve thrown over 66 metres five times now (this year) and I think my technique is better than last year – that’s the reason why. I’m really happy with that.”

Asked about her hopes for the Tokyo Olympics, Hussong said she has a straightforward mission. “My goal is a medal. Which medal, we’ll have to see. There are a lot of girls throwing over 65, 66.”

Two more meeting records fell on the first day of action in Turku.

Bahrain’s Winfed Yavi was a clear winner of the women’s 3000m steeplechase, coasting to victory in a meeting record of 9:17.55 ahead of Ireland’s Michelle Finn, who smashed her PB by nine seconds to run an automatic Olympic qualifier of 9:29.25. Kenya’s Fancy Cherono took third with 9:33.49.

Kenya’s Mary Moraa was a class apart in the women’s 800m, the 21-year-old kicking to victory in 1:59.95, the first sub-two-minute clocking of her career and the first witnessed in Turku.

“My aim was to run under two minutes but I was not expecting it,” said Moraa. “We have national trials next week and I’m confident, I’m very happy and strong and God-willing, I will make the Olympics.”

In the men’s triple jump Portugal’s Tiago Pereira saved his best for last, jumping 16.91m to take the win in his final attempt, which demoted Tobia Bocchi to second, though the Italian was delighted to set a PB of 16.73m. Sweden’s Jesper Hellstrom took third with 16.40m.

Hungary’s Anasztazia Nguyen edged victory in the women’s long jump, her third-round effort of 6.51m giving her the win ahead of Britain’s Abigail Irozuru (6.50m), with Finland’s Maria Huntington third with 6.32m.

Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics

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Seven refugee athletes will compete in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, part of a squad of 29 announced today (8) by the International Olympic Committee.

Competing under the Olympic flag as the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, the athletes will take part in 12 sports at the postponed Olympic Games from 23 July to 8 August, with athletics represented by the largest squad.

The team includes Rose Nathike Lokonyen, the team’s flag-bearer at the 2016 Games in Rio, and Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, another veteran of the 10-member 2016 team. Originally from South Sudan, the two live and train at the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation camp in Ngong, Kenya. Lokonyen will compete in the 800m and Lohalith in the 1500m.

Loroupe, a former marathon world record-holder, three -time world champion and 2000 Olympian, will reprise her role as team’s Chef de Mission.

Heading the men’s squad is Tachlowini Gabriyesos, the 23-year-old Eritrean native who clocked 2:10:55 at the Hahula Galilee Marathon on 14 March to become the first refugee athlete to better an Olympic qualifying standard. His run in Sapporo will mark the third marathon appearance for Gabriyesos, who trains with the Emek Hefer Club in Tel Aviv.

Jamal Abdelmaji Eisa Mohammed, a Sudanese refugee who has trained with the Alley Runners Club in Tel Aviv since 2014, will compete in the 5000m. Mohammed, 27, competed on the World Athletics Refugee Team (ART) at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and 2019 World Championships. More recently, he represented the ART at the European 10,000m Cup in Birmingham last weekend, finishing fifth in the B race in 28:52.64. He set his 5000m lifetime best of 13:54.28 in 2019.

Paulo Amotun Lokoro, another South Sudanese refugee based at the camp in Ngong, will also be making his second Olympic appearance, again competing in the 1500m. Lokoro, 29, improved his personal best to 3:47.03 in 2019, and competed on the World Athletics ART at the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships and 2019 World Championships.

Dorian Keletela, a Congolese refugee based in Portugal, will compete in the 100m. Keletela, 22, competed in the 60m at the European Indoor Championships in March, the first refugee athlete to compete at those championships. Keletela has a 10.46 lifetime best set in 2020.

James Nyang Chiengjiek, another member of the squad in Rio who will compete in the 800m in Tokyo, rounds out the squad. He’ll be moving up from the 400m event he contested at the last Olympic Games.

Three coaches will be part of the athletics delegation: Francis Obikwelu, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist in the 100m; veteran middle distance coach Joseph Domongole from Kenya; and Alemayehu Gebrmeskel from Israel, who will coach the distance events.

The athletes were selected from a group of 55 refugee athletes currently supported by the IOC through the Olympic Scholarships for Refugee Athletes programme. At the Opening Ceremonies on 23 July, the team will be the second delegation to enter the stadium, sending a powerful message of inclusion, solidarity and hope to the world while bringing further awareness to the plight of more than 80 million people who are currently displaced worldwide.

IOC President Thomas Bach announces the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Tokyo 2020

“Congratulations to all of you,” IOC President Thomas Bach said, addressing the athletes.

“When you, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and the athletes from the National Olympic Committees from all over the globe, finally come together in Tokyo on 23 July, it will send a powerful message of solidarity, resilience and hope to the world. You are an integral part of our Olympic community, and we welcome you with open arms.”

UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi also offered his congratulations.

“I am thrilled to congratulate each of the athletes who have been named in the Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020,” he said.

“Surviving war, persecution and the anxiety of exile already makes them extraordinary people, but the fact that they now also excel as athletes on the world stage fills me with immense pride. It shows what is possible when refugees are given the opportunity to make the most of their potential.”

The full delegation will meet for the first time as a team at the Aspire Academy in Doha on 12 and 13 July before flying to Japan on 14 July. During the Games, the team will be hosted by Waseda University, which will provide accommodation and training facilities, before the athletes move to the Olympic Village for their respective competitions.

The IOC Refugee Olympic Team will compete in Tokyo under the French acronym EOR, which stands for Equipe Olympique des Réfugiés. In all other competitions, refugee athletes compete as part of the World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team (ART).

Bob Ramsak for World Athletics

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