This is my daily diary on the European Indoor Champs, as I watch the event remotely, via All Athletics TV and watch the social media.
2023 European Indoors, Day 0 Session 1
Terribly tough rounds in 800m, only two move on!
Men’s 800m,
heat 1, Catalin Tecuceanu, ITA wins in 1:47.24q, and Ben Adrian, ESP, 1:47.32
Men’s 800m, heat 2, crazy second heat! Saul Ordonez was never in the race. Went out in 57 seconds, and came back in 52.88 for Mateusz Borkowski, POL wins in 1:49.88, Jonas Rinne, FIN, 1:50.13! Mark English did not start! #europeanathletics, #istanbul2023,
Men’s 800m, heat 3, Elliot Crestan, Bel wins in 1:47.76 and Andreas Kramer, SWE, 1:47.86, moves on in the third heat.
In men’s 800m, heat 4, Guy Learmouth lead until the last 50m, but Amel Tuka won this heat, in 1:47.23. He is dangerous! Javier Miron, ESP, 1:47.38, Guy Learmouth on the line, 1:47.51. #europeanathletics, #istanbul2023
Men’s 800m, heat 5, Tibo De Smet, BEL, the European leader, leads 400m in 53.47, as Benjamin Robert, FRA goes for the win in 1:47.92, Simone Barontini, ITA, 1:47.94.
In 800m, lots of surprises, Garcia did not compete, Mark English did not compete, Saul Ordonez, Tony Van Dieppen, and Tibo De Smet do not move on in 800m.
Women’s 800m
Women’s 800m, heat 1, Isabelle Boffey made a grand move off the last turn, to win in in 2:03.24q, with Blanka Keri, HUN, 2:03.26q, Annamarie Nissen, DEN, 2:03.70 pb.
Women’s 800m, heat 2, a physical race, Anita Horvat, SLO, 2:03.06q, Gabriela Gajanova, SVK, 2:03.25q, and Lare Hoffman, SUI made a big move on back stretch, finished third in 2:03.24!
Women’s 800m, heat 3, Keely Hodgkinson leads from the beginning, hits 400m in 59.76, wins in 2:01.68q, Massive PB for Matje Kolberg, GER, 2:01.94q, Eloisa Coiro, ITA, 2:02.19, #britishathletics,
Women’s HJ Update: Yulia Levchenko leads, clearing 1.82m, 1.87m, 1.91m on first attempts, Yaroslava Mahuchikh had herself in trouble with 2 misses at 1.87m, then passed, and moved to 1.91m, where she cleared, in a clutch jump!
Women’s 800m, heat 4, Audrey Werro, SUI, wins a slowish 2:05.60q, Lena Kandissounon, FRA, nips Kozzanova, 2:05.80-2:06.00.
Women’s 800m, heat 5, Agnes Raharolahy, FRA, managed the race, winning in 2:04.56q, Lorea IBarzabal, takes second in 2:04.63q.
Men’s TJ, Pedro Pichardo, Portugal opens at 17.48m NR in qualifying!
Women’s 3000m heat
Konstanze Klosterhalfen leading 3000m, 1k in 2.57. The German who runs for Union Athletics, coached by Peter Julian, has run an 8.35 this season. Konstanze leads a group of five. 2k hit in 5:55, a 2:58 second kilometer. Konstanze looks strong, Nuttall looking good in 3rd, Cavalli in second, four hundred meters to go at 7:42. Konstanze Klosterhalfen wins in 8:53.50, Camilla Richardsson, FIN, 8:53.60 NR, Hannah Nuttall, PB of 8;53.72 (who recently ran PB at HM). #europeanathletics,
Heat 1, W 3000m, 1. Konstanze Klosterhalfen, GER, 8:53.50q, 2. Camilla Richardsson, FIN, 8:53.60, NR, 3. Hannah Nuttall, GBR, 8:53.72,Q, 4. Ludovica Cavalli, ITA, 8:54.40, 5.Mismas Zrimsek Marusa, SLO, 8:56.71, 6. Marta Perez, ESP, 8:56.82, #europeanathletics
Close race in heat 2, 3:10, 6:12 in 1k, 2k. Yasemin Can took lead over 2k, Hanna Klein moved best at end, Nadia Battocletti and Yasemin Can bumped into each other, and Melissa Courtney-Bryant stayed out of trouble! Winning time was 8:59.28 by Hanna Klein!
Heat 2, W 3000m, 1. Hanna Klein, Ger, 8:59.28, 2, Nadia Battocletti, ITA, 8:59.65, 3. Maureen Koster, NED, 9:00.33, 4. Melissa Courtney-Bryant, GBR, 9:00.40, 5. Agate Caune, LAT, 9:01.33, 6. Yasemin Can, 9:01.34, 7. Marta Garcia, ESP, 9:06.14
Men’s 1,500m, heat 1/3
Hit 800m in 2:14.35, George Mills leading, Jakob Ingebrigtsen in very back, pace faster, 3 qualifying from heat 1, 29, 27, now 26 in last 3 200s, Ingebrigtsen is third, Mills in second, Hadz wins heat, in 3:49.88, Mills, 3:50.01, Ingebrigtsen, 3:50.29, last 200m in 26.33!
Jakob Ingebrigtsen stayed back until 1000m, then began to move, he went to third in last lap, as Mills controlled the race, running 29, 28, 27 for 3 of last 4 200m, finishing in 26.33! Azedinne Habz of France, who beat Mills in Levin, took win in heat 1.
Habz said post-race:
“It was a very tactical race today but it did not cost me too much effort. It was pretty slow but tomorrow, I am ready for something faster.
I feel strong, I have had good times this season so I feel self-confident. I am going for the win or the medal.”
Jakob Ingebrigtsen noted, post heat 1: “The race was an easy one. I wanted to save as much energy as I could. The pace was slow and I love to believe that I contributed to it, haha. In the back of my mind, there was the other Norvegian (Ferdinand Kvan Edman) for who I hope to reach the final. I would be happy to have him in the final. I am always nervous when I run but in the heats, I had everything under control. I just tried to stay out of the trouble, and not to fall.
We all feel with Turkish people because of the recent events… At the same time, we are all grateful to got an opportunity to have a championship, considering all circumstances. It is important to be a part of these championships and hopefully to inspire all people to come, watch and cheer for us. Sport is a good thing in a difficult time. Hopefully, we can contribute that the situation gets better. The goal is clear: to defend both titles.”
Men’s 1,500m, heat 2/3:
A little faster than heat 1, the 400m was hit in 61.25, the 800m hit in 2:03.70, and Michel Rozmys, POL battled to stay up front, as Pietro Areze, Italy, made the move of the race, taking the win in last 100m, in 3:43.97, Michel Rozmys, POL, 3:42.97, Ismael Debjani, 3:44.00, Andrew Coscoran, IRL, 3:44.11.
Pietro Areze told the media post-race: “
We started quite slow so right from the beginning I understood that it will be a tough race because of the slow pace. So I tried to secure a good position on the last 300m to go. This move made me into the final tomorrow.
Every race is unique so I do not know – in Munich, at the last European championships, I was like the last guy to enter the competition through the ranking and I finished fourth. Like Roberto Mancini from the Italian national football team said:
Respect for everyone, but fear for nobody. That is my motto.”
Men’s 1,500m, heat 3/3.
Neil Gourley did exactly what he was supposed to, stay out of trouble, do not use up too much energy and get cleanly to the semi-final.
Gourley kept the pace honest, 58.78 for the 400m, 1:58.08 for the 800m, 2:57 for the 1200m. Dropping back to 4th, Gourley did his Alpha thing, which is what he will need in the final, took control and won heat 3 in 3:41.08, leading six into the final from heat 3!
1. Neil Gourley, GB, 3:41.08, 2. Jesus Gomez, ESP, 3;41.26, 3. Ossama Meslek, ITA, 3:41.34, 4. Louis Gilavert, FRA, 3:41.45, 5. Luke McCann, IRL, 3:41.57, 6. Jan Friz, CZE, 3:41.57, 7. Pol Moya, Andorra, 3:42.23, NR
Men’s shot put
Moving on to the final, Zana Weir, ITA, 21.46m, Filip Mihaljevic, CRO, 21.20m, Leonardo Fabri, ITA, 21.17m, Bob Bertemes, LUX, 20.92m, Marcus Thomsen, NOR, 20.71m, Tomas Stanek, CZE, 20.70m, Roman Kokoshko, UKR, 20.43m, Mesud Pezer, BIH, 20.20m.
Not moving on, Nick Ponzio, Asmir Koasinac, Michal Haratyk no marks.
Women’s shot put
Jessica Schindler, GER, Auriol Dingo, POR, Fanny Roos, SWE, Sara Gambetta, GER, Julia Ritter, Anita Marton, HUN, Dimitriana Bezede, MDA all moved on.
