by Alfonz JuckThe European Indoor Championships is one of my favorite events! This is my first miss since 2011. We will have a team in Glasgow to cover the meeting, and will be enjoying the streaming video that European Athletics provides, which is one of the finest we see each year! Watch for upcoming stories and features.
Here’s the preview from EME News!
The Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland, photo by Management
EME NEWS (FEB 27, 2019) EURO INDOORS PREVIEW
Indoor highlight is here, European athletes to show their class
GLASGOW (GBR): Glasgow will for second time after 1990 host the European indoors in the jubilee 35th edition. Tickets are nearly sold out, more than 20 000 are expected for all days and six sessions. Emirates Arena will wait on Friday Laura Muir vs Konstanze Klosterhalfen part one showdown, on Saturday sprints finals and on Sunday Laura vs Konstanze part two. And Norway stars mainly Warholm and Jakob Ingebritgtsen could attack championships records 45.33, 3:36.70, 7:38.42. But there will be many other highlights with 15 Berlin individual champions competing along with most of the title defenders from Belgrade as only 6 individual winners are missing (Maslak, Kszczot, Mechaal, Mayer, Guei, Thiam). Two years ago Russia was for first time missing at European Indoors, this time as neutrals some of them will be there. Participation figures are at the all-time high and as usual some events very open, some events with great depth and some events with top World class. After London 2017 it is expected that this will be another high quality event also on the organisational side. For some European athletes who have strong opponents at the World level this will be the highlight of the year.
EVENT BY EVENT SHORT PREVIEW
MEN
60 m: Very open, Kilty full of motivation, Barnes also has World indoor finals experience, newcomer Kranz or Swedish surprise.
400 m: Looks all set for Warholm, Maslak is out due to illness and for other medals Husillos (with some memories on British judges) and Janezic to be mentioned.
800 m: Wide selection of medal contenders available. What about the fact that Kramer is unbeaten. Captain Learmonth, experienced English, Tuka is always a factor.
1500 m: Two Ingebritsens should dominate, in case Lewandowski will be not too far away could be the force too.
3000 m: Also here two Ingebrigtsens, crowd will support Butchart and O´Hare heavily.
60mH: High quality, Ortega with slight higher results level, but also PML and returning Pozzi with dark horse Trajkovic.
HJ: Tamberi show expected. Eurochamp Przybylko despite difficulties goes.
PV: Defender Lisek is the best bet as he is at 590 level. Big group behind him could be at 580 level.
LJ: Tentoglou wants to win another gold after Berlin, Montler could threaten him.
TJ: No entrant this year over 17, more than open. Veterans Evora and Donato vs younger generation (Lipsanen, Hess, Forte).
SP: Storl had good season, Polish duo also ready, but Stanek is healthy and ready.
Hept: Another open situation, TVDP leads the lists, but Urena is also having lot of experience. Shkurenyov and Duckworth only very few results this winter.
4×400 m: Belgium in top composition with 3 Borlees, Spain and Poland other favorites.
WOMEN
60 m: Although Schippers questionable, still high quality with Kambundji, Swoboda, Philip going for sub 7.10.
400 m: How many medals for Poland? Justyna and Iga, Sprunger improved her speed, Doyle will be at home.
800 m: Buchel to defend again, but Oskan-Clarke will be the name to watch.
1500 m: Big quality, Muir vs Klosterhalfen part one, but also Ennaoui and Vrzalova in top shape.
3000 m: Muir vs Klosterhalfen part two, good group ready to battle for bronze, possibly Grovdal the main contender.
60mH: Germans Dutkiewicz and Roleder will try to spoil the hattrick plan of Talay. That was the line in 2017. Could be the same also this year.
HJ: Lasitskene on top is the obvious statement. Levchenko is waiting for her chance.
PV: Great depth of World class here. Sidorova is unbeaten, but also two Greeks, home favorite Bradshaw and recent improvements from Sweden and France. Meet record 490 could go.
LJ: Spanovic vs Mihambo, Bekh for bronze. That is on the paper.
TJ: Gierisch, also Mamona to be mentioned top two from Belgrade. European champion Papahristou comes without any competition.
SP: Another German gold for Schwanitz, but Marton shape is growing, Mavrodieva waiting behind.
Pent: KJT with heavy crowd support, Ndama is the surprise of the winter, Dadic prepared for this intentionally without a full score.
4×400: Who will question Poland? Maybe judges, in case something happens.
BELGRADE 2017 FLASH BACK (545 athletes from 48 countries)
MEDALS
1. POL 7-1-4, 2. GBR 5-4-1, 3. GER 2-2-5, 4. FRA 2-1-0, 5. CZE 1-2-4, 6. ESP 1-2-1, 26 countries got medals.
POINTS
1. POL 103, 2. GBR 103, 3. GER 100, 4. SWE 63, 5. FRA 61.5, 6. ESP 61, 36 countries won points.
EUROPEAN INDOOR RECORD
1 – Mayer 6479
ADDITIONAL WORLD LEADS
9 – Thiam 4870, Nykyforov 818, Hess 17.52, Marton 19.28, Palsyte 201, Stefanidi 485, Bukowiecki 21.97, Spanovic 703, Spanovic 724
ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN LEADS
7 – Kilty 6.54, Maslak 45.88, Muir 4:02.39, Gierisch 14.37, Poland 3:06.99, Poland 3:29.94, Philip 7.06
WORLD INDOOR U20 RECORD
1 – Raffin 17.20
MEET RECORDS
4 – Thiam 196 (Heptathlon HJ), Muir 4:02.39, Muir 8:35.67, Mayer 6479
TITLE DEFENDERS
7 – Marton, Kilty, Maslak, Lewandowski (but in other event), Evora, Buchel, Kszczot (with one term passing)
WORLD MASTERS RECORD
1 – Donato 17.13
AGENTS (by gold medals)
Czeslaw Zapala 3, Steffen Keil 2, Stina Funke/Daniel Wessfeldt 2, Rene Auguin 2
POINTS
Belgrade is the second best European Indoor Championships of 21st century based on All-Athletics.com scoring. But it was very close with the top score of Prague 2015. The event in Czech Republic 2 years ago had 46 260 points while Belgrade 46 254. Third best is Paris 2011 (46 223) ahead of Goteborg 2013 (46 162) and Vienna 2002 (45 894).
