by Alfonz Juck
Noah Lyles, June 21, 2018, USATF Outdoors, photo by PhotoRun.net
The Athletissima meet is one of the highlights of the European summer season. Lausanne, Switzerland is the home of the Olympic movement. The Pontaise Stadium is full each year, as the Swiss crowd wants to see their athletes battle against the best in the world and set a few national records.
They were satiated this evening as Muginga Kambundji set a NR at 100 meters (11.03) plus took part in the NR 4x100m of 42.29!
The Men’s 200 meters and women’s 1,500 meters were to of the best competitions of the evening!
Here are the highlights:
Lyles gets 19.69 in cool weather
LAUSANNE (SUI, Jul 5): Athletissima offered 2 World leads and 2 Meeting records and some great competition. Noah Lyles equalled his world lead and was dancing afterwards, while Sergey Shubenkov and Abderrahman Samba continued with superfast runs. Shelby Houlihan came out on top of a strong 1500m. Local fans had much to celebrate as Mujinga Kambundji had a hand in national records at 100m and 4x100m. Bizarre clash in the final stages of men´s 5000 m will also be remembered.
Event by event
Men
200m: Noah Lyles equalled his (and Munyai´s) world lead and PB of 19.69 in colder weather at the end of the meet after pulling away from Michael Norman, who had the better bend and had to be content with second in 19.88. Alex Quinonez was third with 20.08 and Rai Benjamin fourth in 20.16.
400m (B, non-DL): Martyn Rooney triumphed in 46.17.
5000m: Birhanu Balew capitalised with a world lead and PB of 13:01.09 after a bizarre clash between win contenders Selemon Barega and Yomif Kejelcha on the final bend. Barega recovered well for second 13:02.67 as Adabi Hadis was third in 13:03.62.
110m hurdles: Sergey Shubenkov confirmed his dominance by going well away from the field late on and clocking 12.95. Devon Allen’s 13.29 put him a hundredth in front of Pascal Martinot-Lagarde for second.
400m hurdles: Familiar scenes as Abderrahman Samba used his late surge to move away from Karsten Warholm – 47.42 to 47.94. Kyron McMaster pulled up at 200m.
400m hurdles (B, non-DL): Luke Campbell, with 49.54m, took the victory.
High jump: With a perfect record up to and including 2.37 (outdoor PB), Danil Lysenko won from Brandon Starc (second) and Jeron Robinson (third), both on 2.29m.
Triple jump: With just two over 17m, Christian Taylor’s third-round 17.62m prevailed over Pedro Pablo Pichardo’s 17.61m. The winner also had 17.60m and 17.55m.
Shot: World No.1 Tom Walsh took his second DL win of the year, registering 21.92m in rd 5, well ahead of Brazil’s Darlan Romani (21.38m). Michal Haratyk was third with 21.21m.
Women
100m: Marie-Josee Ta Lou was an easy winner on 10.90, ahead of second-placed Elaine Thompson (10.99). Jenna Prandini (11.00) and Dafne Schippers (11.02) followed next as Mujinga Kambundji set a national record of 11.03 in fifth.
100m (B, non-DL): Gina Luckenkemper set a season’s best of 11.07 to win.
200m (non-DL): Gabrielle Thomas won with 22.47 as Shericka Jackson faltered in third with 22.84. Jamile Samuel was second with 22.68.
400m: Undisputed world No.1 Salwa Eid Naser secured her fifth DL win of the season, this time clocking 49.78. Jessica Beard was second with 50.40 as the fastest this season, Shakima Wimbley, was third with 50.58.
800m: Francine Niyonsaba held on to win from Ajee Wilson 1:57.80 to 1:58.20. Habitam Alemu was third on 1:58.38.
1500m: Shelby Houlihan continued great form with a meeting record another big PB of 3:57.34, outkicking the favoured Laura Muir (3:58.18) over the last 200m. Sifan Hassan was third with 3:58.39. Rababe Arafi was the fifth sub-four with Moroccan record 3:59.15. Caster Semenya couldn’t stay with the pace on the last lap and ended up sixth with 4:00.44.
400m hurdles: Thanks to a season’s best 53.41, Shamier Little won a great finish-straight battle with Janieve Russell, who set a PB of 53.46. Georganne Moline was third with 53.90.
Pole vault: Beating a strong field, Ekaterini Stefanidi was back on form with a season’s best 4.82m (EL) second-effort – the same as Jenn Suhr but an additional failure at 4.72m was all that separated them. Anzhelika Sidorova set a last-ditch season’s best 4.82 (EL) for third.
Long jump: Malaika Mihambo took the win with 6.90m in the last round, which matched Ivana Spanovic’s first-round effort. Catherine Ibarguen, with 6.77m for third, had a solid switch of events, while world No.1 Lorraine Ugen was just seventh with 6.48m.
Javelin: Nikola Ogrodnikova took a surprise first DL win, close to her PB with 65.02m as Shiying Liu was second on 64.46m and No.1 on paper Tatsiana Khaladovich was just fifth with 61.00m.
4x100m relay (non-DL): The home quartet set meeting and Swiss record 42.29 in the last track event. Ajle Del Ponte, Sarah Atcho, Mujinga Kambundji and Salome Kora combined to go to third on the 2018 rankings. Germany was second with 42.49. National record for Denmark 44.95.
