by Alfonz JuckThe World Indoor Championships is just about here! The WIC2022 will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, one of the most beautiful cities in Central Europe. A combination of old European history and new, Belgrade was the host of the 2017 European Indoor Championships, which I attended. I fell in love with Belgrade. Walks around the city were fascinating, and taxi drivers took me to places of history. The Arena is a great hall for athletics. Watching Ivana Spanovic, now Ivana Spanovec Vuleta, compete in 2017 was life-changing! The Serbian fans went completely crazy, and should have, with her amazing performances!
The Belgrade WIC is almost here, photo courtesy of World Athletics
RunBlogRun will have live and remote coverage of the World Indoor Championships, with writers, photographers and social media commentators.
This update is courtesy of our partner, EME News, with updates on the World Indoor Championships, March 18-20, 2022. Here’s the link to the schedule: https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/61bb44850f23dcbb59975f00.pdf.
WORLD INDOORS NEWS
BELGRADE (SRB): Armand Duplantis believes he can vault even higher than the 6.19m he vaulted in Belgrade on Monday, informs World Athletics. “I don’t think this is the highest I’m ever going to jump. There’s going to be a lot more to come. This is a really good place to jump. The World Indoor Championships in two weeks is going to be an even better time to try to put something else higher up there. I’m excited to come back to Belgrade,” he said.
BELGRADE (SRB): Marcell Jacobs posted on his Twitter after the false start in the Belgrade 60 m final: “A false start is part of the game, but today’s race is already behind me. The good news is that I got to try out the track ahead of the World Championships and tomorrow it’s back to training. See you soon, Belgrade.”
OSLO (NOR): World indoor 1500m record-holder and Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen (he will compete in the 1500 m only) headlines Norway’s team of six athletes for the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade. The team also includes Sondre Guttormsen and Pal Haugen Lillefosse in the pole vault.
KINGSTON (JAM): Jamaica is sending 16 athletes to compete at the World Indoor Championships. Elaine Thompson-Herah has opted not to compete with Olympic 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson and Briana Williams due to compete in the 60m. Reigning champion Danniel Thomas-Dodd will defend her title in the shot put.
APELDOORN (NED): the Netherlands has named a team of 22 athletes for the World Indoor Championships including world leader Femke Bol in the 400m and 4x400m and Olympic finalist Liemarvin Bonevacia in the men’s 400m and 4x400m. Jessica Schilder (shot put), Zoe Sedney (60m hurdles), Lieke Klaver (400m) and Menno Vloon (pole vault) are other individual medal contenders. Emma Oosterwegel canceled due to a minor injury, she was invited for pentathlon.
DUBLIN (IRL): Ireland has named a team of 19 athletes to compete at the World Indoor Championships, a big increase on the five athletes who competed in 2018. Standout names include Molly Scott (60m), Sarah Lavin (60m hurdles), Phil Healy (400m), Sarah Healy (women’s 1500m) and Andrew Coscoran (men’s 1500m). Ireland is also fielding teams in both 4x400m relays.
PARIS (FRA): France is sending nine athletes to the World Indoor Championships including Cyrena Samba-Mayela (women’s 60m hurdles), Wilhem Belocian (men’s 60m hurdles), and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (men’s 60m hurdles).
HELSINKI (FIN): Finland is sending seven athletes to compete at the World Indoor Championships including Lotta Kemppinen (60m), Reetta Hurske (60m hurdles) and Senni Salminen (triple jump). Maria Huntington will not compete in the pentathlon due to an Achilles tendon injury.
BRAGANCA PAULISTA (BRA): Brazil is sending 13 athletes to World Indoors. Top names are Olympic pole vault winner 2016 Thiago Braz and shot put Area record holder Darlan Romani. In men´s 60 m Erik Cardoso and Felipe Bardi, in the hurdles Rafael Pereira and Gabriel Constantino. Samory Uiki is in long jump and Almir Cunha in triple jump. In women’s section for example Nubia Soares for triple jump.
WARSZAWA (POL): Hurdler Klaudia Siciarz and pole vaulter Piotr Lisek withdrew from Belgrade selection, also earlier Marcin Lewandowski due to family reasons. Long jumper Piotr Tarkowski was proposed by the federation.
LISBON (POR): Portugal selected 11 names, main headliner is olympic triple jump winner Pedro Pablo Pichardo. Other medal contenders, Patrizia Mamona in triple jump and Auriol Dongmo for shot put. Three athletes were confirmed based on last year fulfilling the standard, sprinter Carlos Nascimento, shot putter Francisco Belo and triple jumper Tiago Pereira. In shape is 1500 m runner Isaac Nader.
MADRID (ESP): Saul Ordonez has been added to Spain’s team for the World Indoor Championships, informs MARCA. With Adel Mechaal pulling out of the 1500m to focus on the 3000m, Ordonez will fill the vacancy in the 1500m. European indoor medalist Jorge Urena got invitation for heptathlon.
AUCKLAND (NZL): New Zealand selected six athletes. The top headliner is Tom Walsh who is shot put title defender. With him also Jacko Gill in the event. Hamish Kerr is in the high jump, in the 3000 m Hamish Carson and Geordie Beamish. The only female is 100 m national record holder Zoe Hobbs for the 60 m. The number is still the largest in the history of this championship for New Zealand.
KYIV (UKR): Ukraine was selected for World Indoor’s six female athletes. High jumpers Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Iryna Herashchenko with long jumper Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk are the standout names. Also in the 60 m hurdles Hanna Plotitsyna, waiting for WA invitation are pole vaulter Yana Hladiychuk and Yuliya Loban in pentathlon.
VIENNA (AUT): Austria is sending sprinter Markus Fuchs for 60 m as the only male representative and late invitation came for Sarah Lagger for women pentathlon. Three Austrian athletes who had the option to compete but had other plans, hurdler Karin Strametz with combined eventers Ivona Dadic and Verena Mayr.
BRATISLAVA (SVK): Slovakia selected two athletes with standards, European indoor champion Jan Volko who will run the 60 m and young Viktoria Forster for two events, 60 m and 60 m hurdles. Also named is the men´s 4×400 m team.
