Hellen Obiri runs 8:40 in Ostrava!

OSTRAVA (CZE, Jan 25): Kenya’s world 5000 m champion Hellen Obiri won a high-calibre 3000m at the Czech Indoor Gala (EA Indoor Permit) before a sell-out crowd of 1000 spectators with 8:38.81. Beatrice Chepkoech was second with 8:39.15 as Olympic steeplechase champion Ruth Jebet was fifth with 8:48.99. Home athletes saw positive results, including Tomas Stanek, who set a world lead and indoor PB of 21.61m in the shot put. Mesud Pezer of Bosnia and Herzegovina was runner-up on 20.68 NR, taking the scalps of Stupe Zunic (20.54m), Konrad Bukowieki (20.29m) and Ryan Whiting (19.68m). Another Czech, twice world indoor 400m champion Pavel Maslak, won both 300 m races in 32.83 and 32.52. Compatriot Petr Svoboda was another to set a meeting record in heats of the 60m hurdles with 7.56. He also won the final in 7.61 over Jarret Eaton 7.66 (7.60 in heats) but struggled with muscle injury. Bahrain’s Mohammed Ayoub Tiouali made a good debut over 3000m, winning with a meeting record 7:44.58 over Kenyan steeple specialist Benjamin Kigen who did 7:44.77 PB. In the 60m, Spain’s Yunier Perez won with a meeting and national record 6.53 as Jamaica’s Everton Clarke 6.55 PB was second over Slovak Jan Volko 6.63. On the women;s side, Poland’s Ewa Swoboda’s 7.21 beat Czech Klara Seidlova 7.25 PB and Netherland’s Jamile Samuel also 7.25. Other highlights included Emmanouíl Karalis of Greece winning the pole vault with 5.62 meet record (tried at World Indoor U20 record 578 with very good attempts), Ukraine’s Iryna Herashchenko victory in the high jump at 1.93m and Miltiádis Tentóglou of Greece taking the long jump with 7.93 over top Czechs. Michaela Hruba also did 193 as second (meet record for both) and Radek Juska also second 788. Slovenian record holder Anita Horvat topped women 300 m in 37.34 NR.