by Stuart Weir
Stockholm highlights
The 1912 Stockholm Olympic Stadium has seen a lot over the years, and the 2024 Bauhaus added to the legacy with several stellar events. To be fair, there were also a number of distinctly average disciplines.
As is normal, Mondo Duplantis cleared 6m and attempted a WR height of 6.25, failing by the smallest of margins. I believe there is a money-back guarantee for spectators if Mondo does not attempt a world record. It was good to see Sam Kendricks push Mondo with a 5.90.
Mondo said: “This is more than I would have imagined when I was younger. But it still has that feeling. I live so much in the present and do not think that much in the future. I know I am in good shape at the moment and feeling good. I know that there is some more to do, and I am just trying to gather as much information as possible from my jumping. If I jump above the 6m and feel I have a good shot, I try it at the world record level”.
Straight from a 46.63 victory over Karsten Warholm in Oslo, Alison dos Santos ran a 47.02 to win by over a second from CJ Allen. 47.02 without being under pressure: What can he run when he is trying?
And Femke Bol is not bad either – and is there a nicer athlete on the circuit – who takes time to speak to everyone? She said: “It was really fun, Stockholm is a wonderful place and especially if I can run during Mondo´s world record attempts, then the crowd is amazing. I could execute my stride pattern exactly like planned, there are still some points to improve but that is always the case for a season opener. I started my season a bit later than usual because I had a busy indoor season, followed by the World Relays. I wanted to put in a good training block to be as fresh as possible for the Olympic Games and given that the Europeans are in between, too, this seemed to be the best plan for us. Compared to last season, hurdle seven is much better now; we have worked a lot on this with technique training and also on the clearance of the hurdles with my bad leg”.
RunBlogRun has written to the meet director requesting that the women’s 400h is always timed to coincide with a PV world record attempt.
The new king of the discus, Mykolas Alekna (Lithuania), won his second Diamond League of the week, even beating Daniel Stahl in his own backyard.
In other events, World-leading marks from Lamecha Girma in the 3000 Steeplechase (8:01.63 ) and Djamel Sedjati (1:43.23) in the 800. Reigning World Champions Shericka Jackson (200m), Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, and US shot putter Chase Jackson won their respective disciplines.
And after last year’s flood, the weather was kind.
