Sifan Hassan, photo by PhotoRun.net
KARLSRUHE (GER, Jan 31): There were world leads aplenty (in 6 out of 11 events) at the Karlsruhe Indoor Meeting (IAAF Permit) staged, for the first time, in the Messe Karlsruhe hall. The top marks started in the heats, with Dafne Schippers and Dina Asher- Smith, 19, both winning their first round 60m races in WLs of 7.12 (and personal bests) and Dimitri Bascou improving his WL to 7.53 in the heats of the 60mH. Bascou and Asher-Smith backed up their strong opening races by matching their performances in the final, although Schippers false started. Jessica Young (7.18) and Verena Sailer (7.22) ran SBs to take 2nd and 3rd in the 60m. It was close for 2nd in the men's 60mH between Xie Wenjun (7.62), Lawrence Clarke (7.63 equaled PB) and Jarret Eaton (7.63). In the women's 1500m, European champion Sifan Hassan sprinted past Ethiopia's Axumawit Embaye to clock a WL and NR of 4:02.57 (also European indoor U23 best), beating the Ethiopian's 4:02.92 PB. Both were well ahead of the rest. In the men's race, Ilham Tanui just pipped Nixon Chepseba on the line to set a WL of 3:38.05. Chepseba clocked 3:38.12, with Marcin Lewandowski next in 3:38.68. In the women's 3000m, Yelena Korobkina took charge in the latter stages to set a WL of 8:47.61, with the former world leader Laura Muir running a PB of 8:49.73 for 2nd. Young pole Sofia Ennaoui ran also PB 8:53.22 for 3rd. There was also a WL in the men's long jump, Spain's Eusebio Caceres reached out to a PB of 8.16 in the final round to surpass Julian Howard who jumped his first indoor 8 metre effort of 804. The eagerly anticipated return of World 60mH record holder Susana Kallur went well. She took 4th in the final with 8.14, the same time as in the heats. The win went to the fast finishing Cindy Roleder in 8.03, over Anne Zagre (8.10 PB) and Eline Berings (8.13). In a tight long jump, Funmi Jimoh saved her best (671) for last to beat Erica Jarder and World leader Sosthene Moguenara (both 669). After Dusseldorf, there was a switching of places for Ryan Whiting and Christian Cantwell in the shot, with the latter winning this time by 5cm in 20.77. Three others went over 20m: Tomas Stanek (20.14), Asmir Kolasinac (20.04) and Borja Vivas (20.03). ). Nobody could match the closing speed of Paul Kipsiele Koech, who won the 3000m in 7:45.41. Germany's Richard Ringer came closest with 7:46.18 PB, he was followed by Yegor Nikolayev (7:48.36), Florian Orth (7:49.48 PB) and Johan Cronje (7:52.33 PB). The meet concluded with Renaud Lavillenie attempting a new WL of 601. His winning mark was a meet record of 586 on this occasion, for an easy win over Aleksandr Gripich (573 PB). World champion Raphael Holzdeppe no-heighted at 540.
(Editor's note: Karlsruhe on my list for 2016).
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