by Stuart Weir
Golden Gala – overview
I was not at the 2024 Golden Gala, partly because I had spent too much of my travel budget spending nine days in Rome for the European Championships earlier this year, but I have been a regular at the event since 2013. The Olympic Stadium (1960 Olympics, that is) has hosted a football (soccer, if you must) World Cup and other significant events. It is a magnificent 55,000-capacity stadium. The problem with the Golden Gala is that a respectable crowd of 10 or 15,000 makes that enormous Colosseum seem empty. The one Golden Gala I attended in Florence, in a much smaller stadium, produced a much greater atmosphere.
We’re in an odd period now post-Olympics, with several athletes having ended their season while others are trying to salvage a successful end to the year of disappointment either of non-selection for the Olympics or of a disappointing Olympic performance.
There were several stand-out performances in Rome. Faith Kipyegon won the 1500m in 3:52.89, in a race in which the top 12 went sub 4. We have seen Faith run so fast and win so many races that it is easy to forget what phenomenal times she runs virtually every time she steps on the track. Laura Muir has said that Faith is the most excellent middle-distance runner of all time, male or female. Faith’s track record supports that view.
Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump with 7:02, her sixth seven-meter jump this year. With their husband, Hunter, in the Paralympics this week, it could be a double family celebration.
She commented: “This year, I told myself: ‘no expectations.’ I worked so hard and trained with the boys, which paid off. It is almost surreal; I mean, no one has jumped 7 meters so many times this year like me; I have been undefeated.
Letsile Tebogo – what a season he is having – won the 100m in 9.87. It was disappointing to see 2020 Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs finish last in 10.20 in his home city. Commenting on his performance, Tegogo raised one of life’s great questions: “This was one of my best 100-metre races. Before this, I imagined what the perfect race over 100 would look like. You have to lock it into your mind, and then it can happen. Today, I had a great start, and it made me think, ´Why did I not have one like this in the Olympic final´”.
Order was restored in the shot with Ryan Crouser, beaten by Joe Kovacs last time out, winning 22.49. Kristjan Ceh won the discus with 68.61. The men’s triple jump continues to disappoint, with Andy Diaz Hernandez winning in 17.32, with only two athletes passing 17 meters – remember that Jonathan Edwards’ 1995 world record is 18.29
Winifred Yavi won the steeplechase in 8:44.39 – a six-second PR and just outside the world record. She said afterward: “Í was expecting records, but I was going for it. I feel I could break it, and I believe it will happen. I need to work even harder. And I am planning to have another go at it before the end of the season!. My biggest goal next year is to become a double world champion”.
Olympic champion Nina Kennedy won the pole vault with 4.83. Still, personally, I was more pleased to see Sandi Morris overcoming the disappointment of missing the Olympics and also clearing 4.83 for second. Nothing negative towards Nina, but Sandi brings so much to the sport.
Hagos Gebrhiwet won the 5000 in 12:51.07. This was billed as a record attempt with pacemakers but developed into a competitive race with five athletes running for the win, never mind the time.
The women’s sprint hurdles continue to delight, with Ackera Nugent winning in a Jamaican record of 12.24 from Olympic champion Masai Bussell in 12.31 – phenomenal times in a “routine” Diamond League.
Next week, on to Zurich and the Weltklasse.
