by Alfonz Juck
Malaika Mihambo, photo by European Athletics
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, photo by European Athletics
Day 2 was a day to behold in Torun. EME News sent us this report on deep thoughts on Day 2!
EME NEWS (MAR 6, 2021)
STORY OF THE DAY
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk took one of two world leads on the night as she prevailed in a great duel with Malaika Mihambo (the only Doha World Champion competing in Torun) with 6.92m on the penultimate jump.
RESULT OF THE DAY
Lamont Jacobs went to equal fourth on the European all-time list with 6.47 in the 60m, his margin of victory (0.13) being the biggest in European or World Indoor Championships history.
SURPRISE OF THE DAY
Only fifth-ranked on SBs, vaulter Angelica Moser took her first major senior medal, winning gold and adding 9cm to her outright PB with 4.75m.
SUMMARY (6 finals)
Lamont Jacobs was a class apart in the 60m, going away for an Italian record 6.47 – behind only Dwain Chambers, Ronald Pognon and Jason Gardener on the European all-time list. Kevin Kranz (6.60) and Jan Volko (6.61) followed.
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk stole the lead back with the penultimate jump of the competition, logging 6.92m for a world lead. Malaika Mihambo had led since round three with 6.88m, Bekh-Romanchuk herself improving to 6.86m in round five. Khaddi Sagnia was third with 6.75m as previous world leader Larissa Iapichino was only fifth.
Femke Bol, as expected, dominated the 400m, overtaking regular front-runner Lieke Klaver to clock a European lead and new Dutch record of 50.63. Justyna Święty-Ersetic left it late and was slightly off her semi-final time with 51.41, while Jodie Williams performed well on her 400m championships debut with 51.73 PB for bronze.
After needing three attempts to stay in the medals at 4.60m and 4.65m, Angelica Moser set PBs at 4.70m (first attempt) and 4.75m (second attempt) to win a surprise pole vault gold. Tina Sutej (4.70m) was another surprise silver winner and favorites Holly Bradshaw/Iryna Zhuk tied for third (4.65m).
Óscar Husillos stepped up from silver two years ago to win gold in the 400m. He led all the way and held on to clock a season’s best of 46.22. Tony van Diepen (46.25) and European No.1 Liemarvin Bonevacia (46.30) took the other medals.
In the slowest women 1500 m of Euroindoors history, No.1 on paper Elise Vanderelst stayed out of trouble to win with 4:18.44. Holly Archer (4:19.91) and Hanna Klein (4:20.07) were next. Archer was initially DQ’d for jostling/obstruction but, unlike Agueda Munoz, was reinstated on appeal.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I still don’t realise it. I ran the dream final. I took directly the inside lane. I had a lot of energy left, so I pushed. I did not expect to win. It is extraordinary. It’s just crazy, I didn’t expect this at all. It is my first European Indoor Champs and I directly won the title.”
Elise Vanderelst (1500m winner)
MEDALS (21 countries)
BEL 2-1-0, GBR 1-1-3, NED 1-1-1, ESP 1-0-1, CZE+GRE+ITA+NOR+POR 1-0-0
POINTS (29 countries)
GBR 55.5, GER 36, SWE 34, NED+ESP 33, POL 29
AGENTS (by individual gold medals)
Alberto Suarez 2, Alfonz Juck, Daniel Wessfeldt, Helene van der Plaetsen, Zdenek Lubensky, Pavel Voronkov, Marc Osenberg, Caroline Feith, Marcello Magnani, Marc Corstjens, and info about agent of Makovc not available.
WORLD LEADS
Miltiádis Tentoglou (8.35m, long jump)
Nafi Thiam (4904, pentathlon)
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (6.92m, long jump)
Lamont Jacobs (6.47, 60m)
OTHER EUROPEAN LEADS
Femke Bol (50.63, 400m)
TITLE DEFENDERS
yes: Miltiádis Tentoglou (long jump)
no: Alvaro de Arriba (800m), Michal Haratyk (shot), Marcin Lewandowski (1500 m), Lea Sprunger (400 m), Paweł Wojciechowski (pole vault), Jan Volko (60m)
