A good second meeting of the 2020 World Indoor tour. In 2019, when I visited all of the meetings, the revelation for me was that each event had an interested fan base, a good facility and some fantastic local talent. Those are key.
The amazing 2.02m by Yaroslava Mahuchikh, setting a U20 World Indoor best, then, going for 2.02m.
Mahuchikh 202, in total 5 World leads
KARLSRUHE (GER, Jan 31): Second stop of World Athletics World Indoor Tour was highlighted by World U20 indoor record in high jump and five World leads before capacity crowd 5000 spectators.
Short reviews
800 m: Moroccan Mostafa Smaili clocked World leading 1:46.38 to dominate, way back second Spanish Alvaro de Arriba European lead 1:47.87.
Bethwell Birgen has won 3000m now in Boston and Karlsruhe! photo by Mike Deering / The Shoe addicts
3000 m: Bethwell Birgen won again after Boston, this time with faster WL 7:38.50 over Bahraini rival Birhanu Balew 7:40.93 and another Kenyan Justus Soget 7:41.31, in fifth place Serbian record for young Elzan Bibic 7:47.03, also 6th fastest by European U23 runner indoors.
PV: Nobody cleared 580, on count-back Renaud Lavillenie beat his brother Valentin and also third Dutch Menno Vloon (equalled PB) all cleared 570. World champion Sam Kendricks this time 9th with 550 (last time 9th at Shanghai DL 2018).
LJ: Spanish long jump Doha finalist Eusebio Caceres won the long jump 799, staged in new format with only top 3 having the last attempt.
Women
60 m: Shania Collins from US in European indoor debut won with 7.20 over Swiss Ajla Del Ponte 7.27.
400 m: Italian Ayomide Folorunso improved to 52.56 and won the first race, in second Swiss Lea Sprunger also 52.56. Thousands decided between the hurdles specialists in favor of Italian 52.551 to 52.556.
1500 m: Ethiopian Axumawit Embaye with top finish won the 1500 m in 4:07.94 over World 800 m 4th placer Winnie Nanyondo 4:08.06 national record for Uganda. Third Lemlem Hailu 4:08.32 PB still beat steeple star Beatrice Chepkoech 4:08.59 with best European Marta Perez fifth 4:10.52.
3000 m: After a solo Fantu Worku clocked excellent World lead and PB 8:37.58 ahead of Quailyne Kiprop 8:40.27 and Albanian record and European lead for Luiza Gega 8:44.46.
60mH: Tobi Amusan showed top shape with 7.84 PB only 0.02 behind African indoor record. Christina Clemons second 7.98 and heat winner Alina Talay disqualified for a false start.
HJ: Yaroslava Mahuchikh again beat Yulia Levchenko, this time she improved her World U20 indoor record to 202 and tried at 204. Levchenko got 199 and German Onnen 196 equalled her PB and achieved Olympic standard. Fourth Salome Lang Swiss record 193.
LJ: World champion Malaika Mihambo first qualified from 60 m heats as last 7.37 and then competed in long jump, her best 683, not enough for Ukrainian World lead 692 by Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk. In great depth, third Sweden´s Khaddi Sagnia 672 and fourth French Eloyse Lesueur-Aymonin 662.
