by Larry Eder
Anna Hall set the AR in the pentathlon, with a score of 5,004 points, just nine off the WR, at the first day of the 2023 USATF Indoor Champs, held this weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico! Congrats to Anna Hall, she just set AR at the pentathlon, winning all five events. 8.04m 60 meter hurdles 1.91 HJ, 13.80m shot put, and a 6.34m LJ, then, to finish it all, a 2:05.70 totally smoking 800 meters! Anna Hall, you are awesome!
In the 60-meter hurdles, Anna Hall started off well, with a fine 8.04, scoring 1120 points, winning the event. Hall ran aggressively over the five-hurdle race, getting herself off to a fine start. It was clear that she want to take the WR. (Dobrynska had hurdled 8.35)
Albuquerque, New Mexico 2023-02-16
photo credit: © 2023 Kevin Morris
In the second event, Anna added 1,119 points for a two-event score of 2,239 with a fine high jump of 1.91 meters. She was on the WR hunt. (In WR, Dobrynska jumped 1.81 meters).
Albuquerque, New Mexico 2023-02-16
photo credit: © 2023 Kevin Morris
In her third event, the shot put Anna Hall, scored 781 points, taking her to 3,020 points, again, oh so close in pursuit of the WR with her throw of 13.80 meters. (This would prove to be decisive, as Dobrynska scored 16.57m in shot in her WR in Istanbul).
In event four, Anna Hall leaped 6.34 meters, taking 956 points in the LJ, giving her a four-event score of 3,976. (In comparing Hall’s performance to WR holder Dobrynska, the Ukranian had leaped 6.57m, a PB, in 2012 WR performance).
Albuquerque, New Mexico 2023-02-16
photo credit: © 2023 Kevin Morris
In her final event, Anna Hall ran a 2:05.70, giving her a superb 1,128 points for a final score of 5,004!
Anna Hall had run her last event six seconds faster than the WR holder, Nataliya Dobrynska, but Dobrynska’s 16.57m shot put and 6.57 PB LJ allowed her to run a PB of 2:11.15, making her first woman over 5000 points in 2012 and setting WR of 5,013). Anna Hall had come oh so close!
Albuquerque, New Mexico 2023-02-16
photo credit: © 2023 Kevin Morris
In her post-event interview, Anna noted that she was disappointed to not get the WR, but she knows that she in really fit. “It really stings not to get the WR.”
Anna Hall missed the WR by nine points (5,013, set in 2012 by Nataliya Dobrynska of Ukraine, at World Indoors). Anna showed an incredible level of fitness in scoring the second-best score EVER! Nice job, Anna Hall!
An incredible performance by Anna Hall, showing her level of fitness as she builds towards the World Athletics Outdoor Champs in Budapest, Hungary in July 2023!
And the journey to gold has begun for Anna Hall!
