by Stuart Weir
Sifan Hassan gets the 10,000m WR with her 29:06.82, photo by FBK Games
Mondo Duplantis clears 6.10m, photo by FBK Games
The FBK Games is on the Continental Tour. Held in Hengelo, Holland, the FBK Games is one of those gems held in the European season where you get to see a great day of athletics, enjoy some good beer, and some good food, and enjoy small-town life.
This piece, from Stuart Weir, gives us a good overview of the Continental Tour stop.
Hengelo highlights
Sifan Hassan sets new WR at 10,000m, 29:06.82, FBK Hengelo Games, Photos via TV by Stuart Weir
The highlight of the FBK [Fanny Blanker- Koen] Games – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event – was the second event in the program, the women’s 10,000. Sifan Hassan ran 29:06.82 back in the stadium where she set her European 10,000m record of 29:36.67 last October. In addition to the 10,000m, she also holds world records in the mile, one-hour event, and road 5km. The previous record had been set at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio by Almaz Ayana.
Sifan Hassan pushes the pace, all by herself, 29:06.82 WR, 10,000m, FBK Hengelo Games, photo via TV by Stuart Weir
Hassan had made no secret of her attempt on the record with pacemakers set out at a pace to get her on track with Wavelight technology to help. With 19 laps to go she had passed the pacemaker and ran alone. Afterwards she commented: “Wow, to run this world record here today in Hengelo is something I could only dream of. It’s the perfect confirmation of the hard work we’ve put in getting ready for Tokyo. I am so happy to share this record in front of my Dutch fans. I am so happy!”
Talking specifically about the race she said: “I knew I was in shape to run 29 but I didn’t expect to run so fast. I knew I had trained well but I didn’t quite know my condition so it was good to see my condition today. Running the last couple of laps fast will give me a lot of confidence. I think I may have more in the tank. In fact, I was feeling so good at the start that I had to keep telling myself to be patient and stay with the pace and telling myself that I might tire later. I was talking to myself the whole race! Before the last two or three laps I was just hoping to do 29:17 or 18 so I was very surprised to achieve 29:06”.
Mondo Duplantis clears 6.10m in Hengelo, photo by FBK Games
Armand Duplantis, beaten in his last competition got back on track with a win at 6.10. He had a perfect record to 5.92m, one failure at 6.00, two at 6.10m, and three at 6.19m. He is categorically the man to beat in Tokyo.
The women’s discus was a good contest with Yaimé Pérez of Cuba throwing 65.91 to beat Olympic champion, Sandra Perković’s 65.80m.
There were four impressive hurdles races won as follows:
Men’s 400: Abderrahman Samba (Qatar) 48.56
Women’s 400: Femke Bol (Netherlands) 54.33 – not bad for a season’s opener.
Men’s 110: Omar McLeod (Jamaica) 13:08. The Olympic champion looking good.
Women’s 100: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico) 12.44
Omar McLeod commented: “I’m very happy with it. Is my first time in Hengelo and I wanted to come here and put on a show. After the year we just had, it felt great to be out entertaining again. It means a lot to me to have this opportunity and I don’t take it for granted. I loved having the crowd; it felt good”.
Asked about whether he felt pressure as defending Olympic champion, he replied: “Pressure is a privilege and I feel very blessed to be in that position. I just have to keep trusting the process and stayed healthy and be ready to defend my title”.
Other solid performances included Isaac Makwala (Botswana) winning the 200 in 20.37 and Fred Kerley (USA) continuing his winning ways with 44.74.
