The field events in Lausanne hold a special place in my heart. I watched Renaud Lavillenie, Sam Kendricks, Mondo Duplantis and Piotr Lisek battle, two years ago. At the other end of the field, Mariya Lasitskene cleared 2 meters plus.
2019 had Piotr Lisek winning the PV, Mariya Lasitskene taking the HJ and some big jumping in the TJ and LJ!
Stuart Weir covers the field events in this column.
The winners of Lausanne DL, photo by PhotoRun.net
Field report
Last year the men's pole-vault in the Athletissima was held on the edge of lake Geneva on the evening before the main event. This year the curtain-raiser was the women's pole-vault in the city centre. Katie Nageotte won her first ever Diamond League event with a PR of 4.82. Anzhelika Sidorova was second the Holly Bradshaw third, each with 4.72.
A delighted Nageotte said, "I feel like you can never go in expecting a win. I knew that if I executed things well I had a really good shot at winning and I wanted to do that but I also know this is a tough competition and so it wasn't going to be handed to me. It feels good, best competition outdoors and I'm really excited with the height that I put on it and just the way that I was jumping. I know that I'm ready to jump much higher but I'm really excited with the way I executed things today."
Christin Hussong, javelin winner, photo by PhotoRun.net
There were two German wins in the first hour of the main program. Christin Hussong won the Javelin with 66.59 and then Christina Schwanitz the shot with 19.04.
Caterine Ibarguen, wins TJ in fifth round, photo by PhotoRun.net
Then Caterine Ibarguen won the triple jump with 14.89. And IAAF's John Mulkeen told me, 8 women jumped 14.35 or more, the first time this has happened outside a major championship. It just seemed a pity that these three field-events started 55-90 minutes before the first diamond race and therefore before most of the crowd had arrived.
Mariya Lasitskene takes the HJ, in 2.02m, photo by Photorun.net
There were three field events later in the program. Mariye Lasitskene (ANA) won the high jump with 2.02. Karyna Taranda (Belarus) was second with a PR of exactly two meters.
Juan Miguel Echevarria leaps 8.32m, photo by Photorun.net
At the pre-event press conference Luvo Manyonga and Juan Miguel Echevarria were asked repeatedly about whether a nine meter jump was feasible this year. In the event Echevarria won with 8.32, Miltiadis Tentoglou was second with 8.19 and Manyonga third with 8.13. The 9 meter jump will have to wait.
Piotr Lisek wins PV in 6.01 m PB! photo by PhotoRun.net
The men's pole vault was full of quality and drama. Piotr Lisek (Poland) won with 6.01 for a world lead, a meeting record and a national record. This column always loves it when a Pole wins the Pole-vault! Sam Kendricks, reigning world champion was second (5.95) and Armand Duplantis third equal on 5.81 with Renard Lavillenie also on 5.81. Wouldn't it be great to see Lavillenie clearing 6 meters for fun again?
Mondo Duplantis, Renaud Lavillenie, Sam Kendicks, photo PhotoRun.net
Leaving aside the scheduling issue, the seven field-events produced a lot of good entertainment in Lausanne.
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