by Stuart Weir
Alja Del Pointe, 2021 European Athletics Indoor Champs, photo by European Athletics
It all came down to this. On the final day in the 36th European Athletics Indoor Championships, Alja Del Pointe, a Swiss sprinter who competed 15 times at the 60m (heats and finals), in 2021, and two times at the 200m distance, put it all together in one paradigm changing event.
Alja Del Pointe, 2021 European Athletics Indoor Champs, photo by European Athletics
Alja Del Pointe won the EA Indoor Championships Women’s 60m on Sunday, 7 March 2021 in Torun, Poland. She did it in the midst of a pandemic, and she ran 7.03, the Wold leader, erasing the EL of 7.08 by Dina Asher-Smith, GB, and the WL of 7.07 by Javianne Oliver, USA. Alja also equalled the Swiss national record.
Alja Del Pointe, 2021 European Athletics Indoor Champs, photo by European Athletics
In the final, Alja Del Pointe had a good start. She began pulling away early from the field, and winning by .19, a space of some magnitude. Del Pointe took gold in 7.03, Lotta Kemppinen, Finland, 7.22, and Orlan Ombissa Dzangue, France, 7.23.
Her incredulity at how her dreams had been made reality can be seen in the photos! Enjoy!
Ajla del Ponte was running her 15th indoor race this year and it was by some distance her fastest. She ran a world-leading 7.03. Her previous best in 2021 had been 7.14. She summed up her race: “Amazing, a lot of emotions right now. It is my first title [crying]. I felt that I was going strong. I heard all the Swiss Team cheering for me. And just told me to run, run, run. The last years were tough, so now it is really a good feeling to win this title. I knew I could run 7.03 all season, I had it in the legs. To do it with this margin with so many fast girls is great”.
Alja Del Pointe, 2021 European Athletics Indoor Champs, photo by European Athletics
