It was a rain of Meet Records (MR) at the Ostrava Golden Spike Meet in Czech Republic on Tuesday, the 5th installation of the Continental Tour Gold event in 2020.
African Games 100m Silver medallist Arthur Gue Cisse was a runaway winner of the men’s 150m as he set an MR of 15.15s (+0.5m/s) to take the win ahead of Taymir Burnet who clocked a Dutch Best of 15.34s for 2nd, just ahead of former World Champion Ramil Guliyev in 15.38s. In 4th place, Mike Rodgers also ran a Personal Best (PB) of 15.38s.
On to the women’s equivalent, Dafne Schippers also took the win with an MR, running 16.56s (+0.6) ahead of Ajla del Ponte who claimed 2nd in 16.74s. Lieke Klaver ran 16.89s (PB), while hurdler Nadine Visser secured 4th in 16.94s (PB), with Marie Josee Ta Lou 5th in 16.99s.
Coming from a 2nd place finish at the British Championships, Jake Wightman came through with a massive PB of 1:44.18 to win the men’s 800m. He finished ahead of a brilliant Andreas Kramer who finally broke 1:45, running a big National Record (NR) of 1:44.47 for 2nd, having run 0.10s short of a sub 1:45 a total of five times before Ostrava.
For 3rd, World Silver medallist Amel Tuka ran a Season’s Best (SB) of 1:44.51 as Tony Van-Diepen broke ground to a new PB of 1:44.82, shaving over two seconds off his previous PB from 2019.
Laura Muir was in a league of her own in the women’s 800m as she stormed to an SB of 1:58.84, her fastest winning time outdoors ahead of Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui who ran 2:00.82.
Habitam Alemu claimed 3rd in 2:01.06, while a fast rising Claudia Bobocea got 4th in a PB of 2:01.37.
The men’s 1500m was taken by Jakob Ingebrigsten in 3:33.92 ahead of Kumari Taki who ran 3:34.14 (PB) as Australia’s Stewart McSweyn got 3rd in 3:35.02.
Faith Kipyegon streaked away to take the women’s 1500m in a very fast SB of 3:59.05 from Laura Wightman who ran 4:01.96 as her compatriot Jemma Reekie was 3rd in 4:03.25. Hanna Klein got 4th in a PB of 4:04.90.
Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo was a surprise winner of the men’s 5000m as he kicked past Selemon Barega to take the event, running a time of 12:48.63 (opener) and a lifetime best by 24s!
Barega finished 2nd in an equally fast 12:49.08 (SB), while Crippa Yemaneberhan broke the Italian Record with a time of 13:02.26.
After her one hour World Record (WR) run, Sifan Hassan set the tone in the women’s 5000m as she clocked an SB of 14:37.85 for another impressive win ahead of Kenya’s Sheila Chelangat who ran a PB of 14:40.51. Turkey’s Yasemin Can was 3rd in an SB of 14:40.70, while Gudaf Tsegay did a PB, running 14:46.22.
Femke Bol was again in superb form, running a big PB), World Lead (WL) and MR of 38.55s to win the women’s 300m Hurdles.
The young Dutchwoman finished ahead of Emma Zapletalova who broke the Czech National Best (NB) with a time of 38.97s, while newly minted British National Champion, Jessie Knight set an NB with a time of 39.35s in 3rd.
Karsten Warholm provided one of the major highlights, comfortably taking the men’s 400m Hurdles in an MR of 47.62s. He was very well clear of French Ludvy Vaillant who himself was over a second clear of the rest of the field, running an SB of 49.14s for 2nd as Vit Muller was 3rd in 50.18s.
Christian Taylor bounded out to a last round SB and WL mark of 17.46m (-0.4) to win the men’s Triple Jump, snagging the win from Hugues Fabrice-Zango who leapt 17.42m (-0.5) in the 2nd round. Max Hess finished 3rd with 16.89m (-1.2).
Having won in Chorzow, Ryan Crouser dominated the men’s Shot Put with a 22.43m heave, extending his total wins in 2020 to six. As in Chorzow, he again finished ahead of Michal Haratyk who recorded a best throw of 21.65m, while Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri finished 3rd with 21.27m.
Gatis Cakks topped the men’s Javelin Throw with 83.41m, just ahead of Martin Krukowski who threw 83.27m.
The women’s event saw WR holder Barbora Spotáková throw a big SB of 65.19m for the win ahead of Maria Andrejczyk, the winner in Chorzow who managed 63.59m.
Nikola Ogrodniková held off Lina Muze for 3rd as she threw 62.96m to the latter’s 62.86m.
