by Alfonz Juck
EME News, one of our favorite news services, provides an event by event updates on the Lausanne DL at the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Athletissima meet had a sold-out crowd and a boisterous one as well, cheering on the Swiss stars but also the stars from around the globe! Each year, in the Stadia Olympique, the Swiss fans are treated to one of the finest meetings, year in, year out, around the world!
The Men’s 1,500m was one of the highlights as Jakob Ingebrigtsen wanted to make a statement, which he did with his 1,500m win and his WL. Josh Kerr, who had been sick with COVID during the Commonwealth Games, had missed the European Champs and came back fighting, taking 4th in the metric mile.
Aleia Hobbs endured a false start by Elaine Thompson Herah, and that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce pulled out due to possible muscle issues. Hobbs ran her race, which showed her focus.
Femke Bol continues to impress. Twenty-seven finals in 2022, and I believe that she won 24 of them. Her Mixed 4×400 in Eugene, where she took silver, the 400m hurdle final in Eugene, where she took silver, and the 400m indoor, where she took silver.
Femke Bol is a rock star in Europe. And on Thursday, Mondo Duplantis entertained thousands with his 6.10m vaulting next to beautiful Lake Geneva!
Truly one of the most naturally beautiful places on Earth, the Lausanne DL is a must-visit for all track geeks.
LAUSANNE (SUI, Aug 26): Sold-out stadium saw excellent 47th Athletissima with 3 meeting records and 1 World leading mark. With Duplantis on Thursday, actually, 4 meet records. Jakob Ingebrigtsen achieved the result in the evening with a commanding sub-3:30 win. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce could not run due to strain in the warm-up, and Elaine Thompson-Herah was disqualified for a false start in a rare situation with an expected 100 m women highlight. Noah Lyles needed to fight hard with Michael Norman in the 200 m. World champions not winning were Holloway, Barshim, Crouser, and Amusan.
Short reviews per event
Men
200m – Noah Lyles stormed off the bend to overhaul fellow world champion Mike Norman, 19.56 to 19.76. Jereem Richards also broke 20 seconds in third in 19.95.
1500m – World lead of 3:29.05 from Jakob Ingebrigtsen ahead of Kenya’s Abel Kipsang in 3:29.93. Stewart McSweyn set a big season’s best of 3:30.18 after an illness.
3000m steeplechase – Comfortable win for the world and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali in 8:02.45 by 10 seconds from Ethiopia’s Hailemariyam Amare in 8:12.07.
110m hurdles – Rasheed Broadbell ran a storming last two hurdles to win in 12.99, his first sub-13 clocking, from Americans Trey Cunningham (13.10) and Grant Holloway (13.11).
400 m hurdles (non-DL): Khalifah Rosser clearly won this race in 47.68 and missed his PB by 0.03. Happio distant second 48.66.
Triple jump – Andy Diaz (17.67m) and Lazaro Martinez (17.50m) took a one-two for Cuba. Soon-to-be Spaniard Jordan Diaz was third with 17.44m.
High jump – Andriy Protsenko won on countback at a modest 2.24m from three athletes including Mutaz Essa Barshim.
Shot put – Joe Kovacs handed Ryan Crouser a sizeable defeat, 22.65m to 22.05m.
Javelin – Neeraj Chopra’s first throw of 89.08m was good enough to win by a comfortable distance from Jakub Vadlejch (85.88m) and Curtis Thompson (83.72m).
Women
100m – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was a DNS due to a niggle, and Elaine Thompson-Herah false started. Aleia Hobbs won in 10.87 from Shericka Jackson (10.88) and Marie-Josee Ta Lou (10.89).
400m – Sub-50 second times from Marileidy Paulino and Sada Williams with 49.87 and 49.94, respectively. A lifetime best of Fiordaliza Cofil in third with 50.13.
800m (non-DL) – Renelle Lamote won in a lifetime best of 1:57.84 from Allie Wilson, who also set a lifetime best of 1:58.09.
3000m – On her return from injury, Francine Niyonsaba outsprinted surprise package Alicia Monson for victory and a meeting record – 8:26.80 to 8:26.81. Monson’s previous lifetime best outdoors stood at 8:40.08. Sifan Hassan improved to 8:28.28 in fourth.
100m hurdles – Jasmine Camacho-Quinn upset world champion and world record-holder Tobi Amusan, 12.34 to 12.45. Camacho-Quinn also broke Gail Devers’ long-standing meeting record of 12.40.
400m hurdles – Femke Bol broke 53 seconds for the sixth time this year with a meeting record of 52.95 ahead of Jamaicans Janieve Russell (53.92) and Andrenette Knight (54.33).
4x100m (non-DL) – Home victory for Switzerland, whose team included Mujinga Kambundji and Ajla Del Ponte in 42.91 from the Netherlands (43.02).
Triple jump – Yulimar Rojas leaped 15.31m in round five to win by a huge margin from Shanieka Ricketts (14.64m) and Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (14.31m).
Pole vault – Tina Sutej won on countback from Nina Kennedy at 4.70m in swirling winds with European champion Wilma Murto third at 4.60m.
