by Alfonz Juck
Genzebe Dibaba, photo by PhotoRun.net
Genzebe 2:33.06, Taplin 45.19
MADRID (ESP, Feb 24): Last EA Permit meet of the indoor season 2017 in Madrid saw Genzebe Dibaba trying to break the 1000 m World Indoor record 2:30.94 by Maria Mutola in 1999. She ended with 2:33.06 national indoor record and 8th best performer ever. It was her first ever race at the distance. Gudaf Tsegay second 2:38.05 PB. Second fastest of the year by Bralon Taplin of Grenada in the 400 m 45.19 (indoor PB) over Luguelin Santos 45.80 NR. Adam Kszczot confirmed his top shape before European Indoors with 1:46.38 800 m win over Moroccan Mostafa Smaili 1:47.13 and Andreas Bube of Denmark 1:47.30. Home favorite wins for Orlando Ortega 7.51 in the hurdles and legendary Ruth Beitia with season best 198 (she tried at 201) in high jump. Spanish wins also in both long jumps by Eusebio Caceres 788 and Juliet Itoya 648. New Congo indoor record for Franck Elemba in shot put with 20.85 clearly beating home putters Borja Vivas 20.05 and Carlos Tobalina 20.01. Cuban Alexis Copello topped a strong triple jump field with good 17.10, second French Harold Correa 16.94 equaled PB, third Latvian Elvijs Misans 16.77 (equaled overall PB) and only fourth 2008 Olympic winner Nelson Evora 16.75. Yunier Perez won the 60 m in 6.60 over Dutch Solomon Bockarie 6.62 PB. Other winners were Algerian Abderrahmane Anou in the 1500 m 3:42.69, Venezuelan Andrea Purica 60 m 7.30, Italian Ayomide Folorunso 52.97 PB in the 400 m, Moroccan Rababe Arafi 4:14.55 in women 1500 m, new PB for Ukrainian Hanna Plotitsyna in the women hurdles 7.98 and 447 in women pole vault by top two, Ukrainian Maria Kylypko and Belarussian Irina Yakaltsevich.
RunBlogRun opines: Genzebe Dibaba, at this time of the year, is merely human. Her 2:33.06 pails in comparison to the 2:31.94 by Laura Muir. That would be a fun duel to see, Muir and Dibaba over 1000 meters.
