by Stuart Weir
Day 2 morning
At first glance, the morning program did not look very exciting, but it proved to be absorbing.
Thirty vaulters battled for 12 places in the men’s Pole Vault competition. Ten cleared 5.75, and four cleared 5.70. Two of the 5.70 men qualified, and two did not. Sadly for the home crowd, Thibaut Collet was one of the two 5.70 men to miss out, as was Anthony Ammirati, who was 15th. The volume when either of them was jumping was phenomenal. Inevitably, Mondo was first equal, with just two vaults required.
It was the first round of the 100m, preceded by a preliminary round of 45 athletes who would not have qualified as of right but who were invited to increase country coverage; we saw 10 PRs and national records of Tuvala, Timor, Afghanistan, and Angola set. Not a medal contender in sight, but a life’s highlight to run in the Olympics for their country.
When the first round proper was run it was Kenneth Bednarek and Fred Kerley with 9.97 who were fastest. Stand-out favorite Noah Lyles was only second in his heat (and 12th overall), beaten by the Carl Lewis-coached British runner, Louie Hinchcliffe. There was a disaster for another British runner, Jeremiah Azu, who false-started, claiming that he heard a noise.
We had our first taste of a repechage in the 800 meters with all the non-qualifying runners from the first round, running again for places in the semi-final – four race winners and the two fastest others. Anais Bourgoin and Abbey Caldwell qualified – as they would have down under the traditional fastest six procedure. But four athletes who would have qualified under the old rules (Gabija Galvydyte, Eloisa Coiro, Audrey Werro and Allie Wilson) were replaced by Valentina Rosamilia, Rose Mary Almanza, Vivian Kiprotich and Majtie Kolberg). Kolberg was the biggest “winner” 31st fastest in the original heats but one of the fastest in the repechage.
And if it is value for money you are after, the morning session began at 10.05 and ended just before 4.00pm, with the pole vault lasting nearly two and a half hours!
And finally the story of Sharon Firisua of the Solomon Islands has emerged. In the Tokyo Olympics she ran the marathon, finishing 72nd with a time of 3:02:10, but this year was entered in the wrong event by her NOC – the 100 meters. She clocked 14.31, a PR.
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