Six Deep Thoughts on Day 2, 2022 European Athletics Championships
1. Sandra Perkovic had to call on her inner discus goddess to win this one. Kristen Pudenz, GER, threw a national record to keep Perkovic from winning her sixth discus title, but Sandra was not to be stopped. Claudine Vita gave Germany a second medal in the discus, much for German fans to celebrate.
2. Jakob Ingebrigtsen defended his 5,000m title from Berlin when he was a wee lad of 17. The Norwegian used a 2:23.16 last 1000m and a final lap of 53.14 to held Mohammed Katir, ESP to the silver position, with Yemane Crippa, ITA holding on for the bronze medal. A fine 5,000m and Jakob Ingebrigtsen was halfway there on his 2022 Munich desired double.
3. The Greek sets a Long Jump CR! Miltiadis Tentoglou leaped 8.52 meters, a championshp record. Thobias Montler, SWE, long time LJ star, took silver in 8.06 meters, and Jules Pommery, FRA, in 8.06m. This writer believes that Jacob Fincham-Dukes got totally screwed when his 8.06m was protested so, like a Philip K. Dick novel, it went into a parelell universe and the Briton went to fifth.
4. One of the most spectacular decathlons in my memory. Simon Ehammer, Swiss star, lead for eight events. Then, Niklas Kaul, relaxed, throws a 76.05 meter javelin throw, a huge PB, and puts the gold medal in play. Kaul, the 2019 Doha WC champ, ran a 4:10.4 PB at 1,500m and won the decathlon, 8545 SB, to Simon EHammer, SUI, 8468 NR and Janek Oiglane, EST, in 8,346, with Marcus Nilsson, SWE, 8327 PB and Maicel Uibo, 2019 silver, EST, 8,324.
5. The Men’s 100 meters was spectacular as the Olympic champion, LaMont Marcell Jacobs took the gold out of the hands of defending champion Zharnel Hughes, GBR, with Jeremiah Azu, GBR, taking bronze! Jacobs looked fantastic as he took control with 80 meters and went on to winning his first European outdoor title.
6. This was a classic 100 meters. Gina Luckenkemper, GER, had already won bronze and silver in EAC. Luckenkemper in this race, took the gold from Mujinga Kambundji, SUI with her last 20 meters! Daryll Neita, GRB took bronze, and Dina Asher-Smith stopped at 30m with calve cramps, fearing a severe injury.
Author
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
View all posts