Former World Indoor Champion Mutaz Barshim enjoyed a massive comeback after becoming the only man to clear 2.37m in the men’s High Jump at the Birmingham Diamond League on Sunday, June 5.
It was an exciting moment for the Asian Record holder who celebrated his World Leading (WL) mark with a leap on the landing foam after his clearance, bringing to mind his past exploits before being slowed down by injury in the 2015 season.
The win is certainly a huge confidence booster for the London 2012 Bronze medallist who has found it difficult to replicate the form that saw him end 2014 as the world’s second best jumper ever.
USA’s Erik Kynard was 2nd with a Season’s Best (SB) of 2.35m, with China’s Zhang Guowei 3rd with his jump of 2.32m.
Incidentally, Barshim’s Ukrainian counterpart Bohdan Bondarenko also seems to be regaining his form after recording a win at the Rome Diamond League with a clearance of 2.33m. It would be great to see the pair re-ignite their fierce rivalry from 2014.
While Barshim was basking in the euphoria of his triumph in Birmingham, Caterine Ibarguen’s experience was a sharp contrast as her nemesis Olga Rypakova ended the Colombian’s unbeaten run in four years.
The Olympic Champion, who is the only woman to have beaten Ibarguen in four years, leapt to an SB of 14.61m, putting paid to the World Champion’s dream of amassing a 35th consecutive victory, same way she denied her the win at the London 2012 Olympics.
Ibarguen recorded a best jump of 14.56m, while Olha Saladukha finished 3rd with an SB of 14.40m. Ironically, the standings in Birmingham were an exact replica of the results at the last Olympics where Rypakova took GOLD, while Ibarguen and Saladukha won Silver and Bronze respectively.
Reigning World Champion Yarisley Silva dominated the women’s Pole vault with a WL and Diamond League Record (DLR) of 4.84m, which is just 6cm shy of her Personal Best (PB). Diamond Race leader Katerina Stefanidi followed with a clearance of 4.77m, as Nicole Buchler settled for 3rd in 4.77m.
USA’s Tia Brooks stunned Olympic Champion Valerie Adams to win the women’s Shot put title, setting a PB of 19.73m to dominate the field. Adams was 2nd in 19.63m, with Trinidad and Tobago’s Cleopatra Borel in 3rd with 18.78m.
It was a meeting to forget for men’s Long Jump Olympic Champion Greg Rutherford. Despite the massive support from the home crowd, the British Record holder could only manage a leap of 8.17m, which saw him being unable to make it through to further rounds in the competition.
He finished 5th overall, as World Leader Marquise Goodwin out-jumped everyone else to win with an impressive distance of 8.42m. Another American Michael Hartfield was 2nd in 8.29m, as Fabrice Lapierre settled for 3rd in 8.21m.
World Leader Piotr Malachowski shrugged off a disappointing outing in Rome where he finished 6th, with resounding victory in Birmingham. The Polish thrower’s best mark of 67.50m was good enough for the win ahead of Robert Harting (65.97m) and Robert Urbanek (64.12m).
World Leader in the women’s Javelin throw, Sunette Viljoen (58.54m) was relegated to a distant 7th as Latvia’s Madara Palameika stole the show with an SB of 65.68m. She was followed by Kathryn Mitchell (63.93m) and Linda Stahl (61.62m).
Here is a review of the Track events at the Birmingham Diamond League.
Photo Credit: AFP
