by Alfonz Juck
The Giulia Memorial meeting is a Continental Tour Gold event. It is also one of the finest meets, not only in Central Europe but around the globe. Athletes from Grant Holloway to Tianna Bartoletta. The athletes tell me about the lovely walks, the crowd in the stadium, the iconic hotel, and the great competition!
McLaughlin 51.68 fastest ever in Europe, 7 meet records
SZEKESFEHERVAR (HUN, Aug 8): In total, seven high-quality meet records highlighted the 12th Istvan Gyulai Memorial (WACT Gold) on a cloudy Monday afternoon. Top star Sydney McLaughlin showed her class with a nice 51.68 win over 400 m hurdles. It’s the fastest ever time in Europe and the 6th best ever in her last race of the season.
The full stadium was more than happy; Shelly-ann Fraser-Pryce confirmed her top class with another sub 10.7 time, with 10.67 MR (+1.3, second U20 Tamari Davis 10.92 and third Mujinga Kambundji 10.99). Armand Mondo Duplantis, this time went over 560 and 580 meet record in first but did not clear in side-wind conditions 601.
In throws superb marks, in shot Joe Kovacs 22.89 MR and 22.87 in his series. He was only once better when he won the 2019 World gold in Doha with 22.91. Second, Tom Walsh is also impressive 21.93 ahead of Tomas Stanek at 21.66.
Slovenian Kristjan Ceh also delivered in the first competition since Eugene, when he won with a 71.23 first-round throw, a meet record, and his second best ever (behind him Gudzius 67.39 and Stahl 67.01). Youngster Erriyon Knighton also clocked MR in the 200 m 19.88 (+0.8) ahead of Aaron Brown 20.24. Women 200 m saw Shericka Jackson clearly to finish in 22.02 (+0.6) ahead of Kambundji at 22.45 with Kayla White at 22.46.
Another meet record for Silesia 1500 m winner Diribe Welteji with 1:59.33 in the 800 m, men winner Nicholas Kebenei from Kenya achieved 1:45.49. Men´s 100 m had 0.08 between first and fifth. Marvin Bracy clocked 9.97 (+1.3) to win over Trayvon Bromell and Elijah Hall, both 10.01. Another meet record was not approved due to +2.4 wind as Olympic winner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn posted 12.27 in the 100 m hurdles over Keni Harrison 12.49 and Nia Ali 12.60.
Rasheed Broadbell surprisingly beat on tape World champion Grant Holloway in the 110 m hurdles with 13.112 and 13.120. Third Daniel Roberts 13.13. Vernon Norwood won the 400 m in 44.96 over hurdles, World champion Alison dos Santos 45.11 (his 2nd best ever).
Men´s hammer was a nice battle, won by Olympic winner Wojciech Nowicki 79.96 ahead of local hero Bence Halasz 79.44 and World champion Pawel Fajdek 79.15. World champion Brooke Andersen ruled in women’s hammer 74.84.
Olympic winner Gianmarco Tamberi cleared 224 in the high jump and beat countback German Tobias Potye 224. Tamberi tried twice at 227 and once at 230. Serbian Milica Gardasevic was a long jump winner after the Eugene disaster with 683 (+1.9) PB. Surprise winner in javelin Cuban Yulenmis Aguilar after poor mark in Poland, now 61.99.
