by Stuart WeirStuart Weir provided us with a preview and now, the review of the Glasgow Indoor GP, the fourth of the four events of the IAAF World Indoor Tour. As Stuart gently reminds us, the Emirates Arena was being closely scrutinized as a potential host for a European Indoor Champs (I love Euro Indoors!).
With some fine performances, and Stuart’s pithy commentary, it is like one is almost there.
Thanks Stuart, see you in Portland.
Mo Farah, photo by PhotoRun.net
The Emirates Arena in Glasgow was on its best behaviour for the Glasgow Indoor Athletics Grand Prix. Representatives of European Athletics were in the stadium to assess the suitability of Glasgow to host the 2019 European Indoor Championships. I am sure they were impressed. In contrast to the 2015 venue in Prague, every Glasgow seat affords an excellent view of the track in the modern arena. The capacity of just over 5,000 is smaller than some but creates a great atmosphere.
There were some great performances by the 40 World and Olympic medallists competing. My only reservation was that the Grand Prix as opposed to International Match format deprived us of those wonderfully exciting 4 by 400 relays round the tight bends.
That the event was the final leg of the IAAF World Indoor Tour added extra spice. Omar Craddock won the first event of the day, the Triple Jump. To his prize for winning in Glasgow, he added the IAAF World Indoor Tour series prize of $20,000.
The women’s long jump hung in the balance. Lorraine Ugen was in head to head battle with Shara Proctor – with the winner in Glasgow taking the series title and the $20,000. After round one Ugen led by 5 centimetres with a jump of 6.55. In the fourth round Proctor jumped 6.57 but Ugen countered with 6.73. In round 5, Proctor’s 6.76 seemed to put her in the box seat for the prize money only for Ugen to find a 6.80 jump. When Proctor could only manage 6.72 in the final round, the money belonged to Lorraine Ugen.
Double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah held off a challenge from Kenya’s Augustine Choge to win the 3,000. A more surprising British win came in the men’s 60 metres when Sean Safo-Antwi powered home to victory clocking an impressive 6.56 seconds, just one hundredth of a second clear of the European Indoor champion Richard Kilty. 39 year old Kim Collins ran an impressive 6.51 in the heat but sadly limped home in last place in the final.
The Netherlands’ reigning 200m world champion Dafne Schippers stormed to a new stadium record in the women’s 60m, clocking 7.10 seconds to take the tape ahead of Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson.
Local girl, Laura Muir, continued her recent run of form as she set a new indoor personal best to finish second behind Canada’s world silver medallist Melissa Bishop in the women’s 800m. The Scottish fans raised the roof as Muir tried hard to catch Bishop down the home straight but the 22-year-old had to settle for second place and a time of 2:00.70.
Jamaica’s Commonwealth champion Stephanie Ann McPherson who had won that Commonwealth title in Glasgow won the 400 in 52.05 while reigning world indoor champion, Pavel Maslak, won the men’s race in 46.02. Maslak’s compatriot, Adam Kszczot, won the men’s 800.
To underline the international nature of the field, Morocco’s Abdelaati Iguider smashed the stadium record as he sprinted to victory in the men’s 1,500m. The 28-year-old clocked 3:34.94 to finish ahead of Djibouti’s world indoor champion, Ayanleh Souleiman (3:36.30). Kenya’s Nancy Chepkwemoi knocked more than two seconds off the stadium record as she took the win in the women’s 3,000m in 8:49.06. China’s Wenjun Xie (7.63) won the men’s 60 metres hurdles while victory in the women’s high jump went to St Lucia’s Lavern Spencer . Germany’s Paralympic champion Markus Rehm leapt 8.10m to take victory in the men’s long jump
There was less than 0.1 seconds between the top three in the women’s 60m hurdles as world indoor bronze medallist Tiffany Porter took the third spot in 7.99 seconds. The USA’s world leader Kendra Harrison won with a new stadium record of 7.92, with her compatriot Nia Ali second in 7.98.
My appetite for the World Championships in Portland are now well and truly whetted!
