The spotlight at the 56th Ostrava Golden Spike meeting was meant to be on the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, but South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk stole the show after setting a scorching time of 30.81s – a World Lead (WL), National Record (NR), Meeting Record (MR) and World Record (WR), to win the 300m at the Městský Stadion on Wednesday.
The 24-year old’s new mark bettered the previous WR of 30.85s set by Michael Johnson in Van Niekerk’s homeland of South Africa in 2000. His time also erases Bolt’s MR of 30.97s set in 2010.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir683_zAyqA
The reigning Olympic and World Champion over the 400m, inspired a 1-2-3 for the continent as Botswana’s Isaac Makwala followed with a Personal Best (PB) of 31.44s in 2nd place, propelling him to 5th position on the all-time rankings.
Fellow South African and youngster Clarence Munyai raced to a PB and World U-20 Record of 31.61s in 3rd. Homeboy Pavel Maslak was 4th with a PB and NR of 31.80s.
It was an emotional meeting for multiple WR holder Bolt, who has been a regular figure at the Ostrava Golden Spike.
The Jamaican super star won the men’s 100m in a time of 10.06s to finish ahead of Cuba’s Yunier Perez who was 2nd in a PB of 10.09s, while Turkey’s Ali Harvey finished 3rd with a time of 10.26s, and Slovakia’s Ján Volko 4th in the same time.
A farewell ceremony was later held for the 11-time World Champion where he was treated to a standing ovation from the crowd, and the Jamaican national anthem rendered in his honour. Ever the showman, the multiple 8-time Olympic GOLD medallist also danced to some music before exiting the podium.
African Games double sprint champion Marie Josée Ta Lou finished ahead of the field in the women’s 200m, taking the title in a time of 22.44s, with Alyssa Conley (23.03s) and Estela Garcia (23.17s) following.
Despite running a PB of 2:19.43 in the Men’s 1000m, WR holder in the 800m David Rudisha finished 4th, with countryman Nicholas Kipkoech taking the victory with a Season’s Best (SB) of 2:18.51. Jakub Holusa (2:18.60, SB) and Filip Sasinek (2:19.03, PB) were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Great Britain’s Mo Farah continued his winning streak by racing to victory in the men’s 10,000m in an SB of 27:12.09. Mathew Kimeli was 2nd in a PB of 27:14.43, as Uganda’s Timothy Toroitich placed 3rd in an SB of 28:02.23.
German hurdler Pamela Dutkiewicz returned a time of 12.72s to win the 100m Hurdles ahead of South Africa’s Rikenette Steenkamp who set a PB of 12.99s to place 2nd. Hanna Plotitsyna raced to an SB of 13.02s in 3rd.
Reigning World and Olympic champion in the Triple Jump Christian Taylor set an MR of 17.57m to win the event, while Troy Doris and Elvijs Misanslat followed with SBs of 16.80m and 16.74m respectively.
Thomas Rohler won the men’s Javelin with his mark of 91.53m, as teammate Johannes Vetter recorded a throw of 87.88m in 2nd, and Jakub Vadlejch 3rd with 86.43m.
Tomáš Stanek dominated the men’s Shot put on home soil with his throw of 21.63m. Poland’s Michal Haratyk set a PB of 21.34m to place 2nd, while Stipe Zunic finished 3rd with 20.76m. World Junior Champion Konrad Bukowiecki was 4th with 20.66m.
