by Alfonz Juck
The Istvan Gyulai Memorial continues to grow in stature. Athletes have told me how much they love the meet, the audience, and the town that hosts the meet. The Gyulai Istvan Memorial will be held on Wednesday, 19 August 2020!
Donavan Brazier, the moments prior to the 800m in Monaco, photo by Etienne Fiacre
SZEKESFEHERVAR (HUN): World 800m champion Donavan Brazier is looking forward to facing Wesley Vasquez over 600m at the 10th Istvan Gyulai Memorial (WACT Gold) on Wednesday although he isn’t specifically targeting the world best of 1:12.81. “I think with Wesley in there it will definitely be a great race. The race will go out plenty fast. The race will take care of itself with the guys in the field. But before a race I just think about winning every time. But with Wesley in there, it’s definitely a good opportunity to run fast,” he said. From World Athletics.
Pawel Fajdek, photo by European-Athletics.org.
SZEKESFEHERVAR (HUN): Both hammer throw competitions on Wednesday will be most probably the best of the year 2020. Four-time world champion Pawel Fajdek is the marquee attraction in the hammer throw but the local focus will fall on 23-year-old Bence Halasz, the 2019 world bronze medallist who improved his career best to 79.88m at the national championships on 9 August, the second farthest throw of the year. Poland’s reigning European champion Wojciech Nowicki, who has thrown 78.52m this year, is also in the field, along with age group standout Myhaylo Kokhan of Ukraine, who was fifth at the World Championships last year and is still just 19. On the women’s side, Joanna Fiodorow of Poland, the silver medallist at last year’s World Championships, and Alexandra Tavernier of France, the 2018 European silver medallist who improved the national record to 74.94m, lead the field. Hanna Malyshik of Belarus, the world leader at 75.45m, is also expected to be in the hunt. From World Athletics.
Orlando Ortega, 2020 Monaco DL, photo by Etienne Fiacre
SZEKESFEHERVAR (HUN): Both sprint hurdles fields feature the world leaders, Orlando Ortega on the men’s side and Nadine Visser the women’s. Ortega prevailed in Monaco, clocking 13.11 in the season’s first big 110m hurdles showdown, just edging Briton Andy Pozzi who clocked 13.14 to equal his lifetime best. Frenchman William Belocian was third with PB 13.18, just a tick ahead of world champion Grant Holloway who was fourth in 13.19. All four have made the trip to western Hungary. Visser meanwhile arrives after four victories in as many competitions, including a 12.68 win at the Continental Tour Gold stop in Turku one week ago. She’ll face European champion Elvira Herman, who’s clocked 12.73 this season, and Sharika Nelvis of the US, who’ll be making her outdoor debut and late entry was popular Finn Annimari Korte. Over the full lap, world leader Femke Bol, who lowered the Dutch record to 53.79 last month, leads the women’s field. She’ll take on European champion Lea Sprunger of Switzerland and Anna Ryzhykova of Ukraine, the European silver medallist. On the men’s side, Rasmus Magi of Estonia is the fastest in field this season at 49.23. From World Athletics.
