Memorial Irena Szewinska: Knighton, Andersen, Walsh and Johnson break meeting records

Posted by: Watch Athletics

Erryon Knighton, Brooke Andersen, Tom Walsh and Alaysha Johnson set meeting records at the Memorial Irena Szewinska at Zdzislaw Kryszkowiak Stadium in Bydgoszcz. 

Men’s 200 metres:

World bronze medallist Erryion Knighton won his second consecutive 200 metres race with 19.95 following his victory at the Golden Gala in 19.89. Knighton recovered from a slow start to pull away in the second half of the race and eased up in the final metres. 

Erriyon Knighton: “It was a comfortable race. It is still early in the season. I am doing these races to get used to being on the circuit. I trusted my coach on preparing my peak form at the right time. The goal is to make the national team and then win gold in Budapest”. 

World Championships finalist Alexander Ogando from Dominican Republic set his seasonal best to 20.18 to take second place. Albert Komanski improved his PB to 20.49.

Women’s 100 metres hurdles: 

Alysha Johnson won his fourth 100 metres hurdles race on Polish soil in 12.41 with a tailwind of +1.9 m/s after contesting both the heats and final in Chorzow and Bydgoszcz. Johnson clocked 12.94 in the heats and returned to the track an hour and a half later to win the final. 

Two days ago Johnson shared the victory with Jasmine Camacho Quinn with the same time of 12.42 in Chorzow. 

Alysha Johnson: “It feels so good to run even faster here that I did in the last one. It is good to have a race like that, not having to battle. I felt a bit nervous running 12.9 in the heats, but that run was about executing technically, not running for time. The national championships are going to be extremely competitive, but I have not missed a national team since coming back and I feel I have proven myself a competitor”. 

World indoor silver medallist Devynne Charlton placed second in a seasonal best of 12.64 ahead of world indoor finalist Sarah Lavin (12.86).

Men’s shot put: 

Former world champion Tom Walsh set the meeting record with 22.22m in the fourth round to win the shot put for the second consecutive edition at the Memorial Szewinska in Bydgoszcz. Walsh produced three throws over the 21 metres barrier (21.49m, 21.94m and 21.74m). The New Zealander thrower produced his second throw over the 22 metres barrier this season. 

Former world under 18 champion Adrian Piperi improved his PB to 21.61m to take second place. Last week’s Florence Diamond League winner Leonardo Fabbri from Italy went into third place with a best shot of 21.18m in the fifth round, but Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi moved past the Italian shot putter with 21.32m in the sixth round. Italy’s Zane Weir placed fifth with 21.14m ahead of Olympic and world silver medallist Joe Kovacs (20.84m) and world bronze medallist Josh Awotunde (20.20m). 

Women’s hammer throw: 

World champion Brooke Andersen threw 78.79m in the first round adding 49 cm to the meeting record that Anita Wlodarczyk had set in 2010 with 78.39m. The US hammer thrower produced a consistent series that included four more throws well over the 76 metres barrier: 77.54m, 76.66m, 77.96m and 78.39m. 

Brooke Anderson: “I did not know what state my body was in when I was coming into the competition, but I am happy with my performance today. It is pretty special to break Anita Wlodarcyk’s meeting record. After my PB earlier in the year I had a couple of down competitions, but I am back on track now. My goal is to throw far. I want to come out on top at the World Championships. I feel good about my ability to work things out in a competition, so I think I can do it”. 

World silver medallist Camryn Rogers finished second with a best throw of 77.62m in the first round. Andersen avenged her recent defeat against Camryn Rogers, who beat her US rival in Los Angeles a few days ago

Janee Kassanavoid threw 75.10m in the first round to finish third in a repeat of the World Championships podium in Eugene. USA’s Annette Echikunwoke took fourth with 73.66m ahead of European champion Bianca Ghelber from Romania (72.23m) and Olympic bronze medallist Malwina Kopron from Poland (71.23m). Three-time Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk had to settle with seventh place with 69.54m. 

Men’s hammer throw: 

USA’s Rudy Winkler won the women’s hammer throw with 79.70m in the second round. Winkler produced a solid series that included throws of 78.57m, 79.70m, 78.66m, 77.80m, 77.38m and 77.19m. 

Rudy Winkler: “I am happy with the win and almost throwing 80 metres. Fajdek is not in top shape, but Nowicki is throwing well and it feels good to beat him. The atmosphere for hammer throwing competitions is better in Poland than anywhere else in Europe or in the USA. Everyone knows who I am, which is crazy. I keep improving with each major championships, so the goal is to get a medal. I don’t worry about throwing specific distances this year. It’s more about throwing well technically”. 

Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki from Poland threw 79.52m in the second round to finish runner-up. The Polish athlete threw over the 79 metres barrier twice more with 79.39m and 79.35m. 

Men’s pole vault: 

Olympic and world silver medallist Christopher Nilsen cleared 5.92m to take his third consecutive win at the Bydgoszcz meeting. Nilsen had a clean sheet at 5.42m, 5.62m and 5.72 before clearing 5.82m in his second attempt. The US vaulter needed three attempts to clear the winning height of 5.92m before failing three tries at the height of 6.02m. Polish record holder Piotr Lisek equalled his seasonal best at 5.82m. Ernest John Obiena and Sam Kendricks shared the third place with 5.72m. 

Chris Nilsen: “During the warm-up, the wind was great and it flip-flopped for the competition and everyone had to make adjustments, going from big poles to something more conservative. Everyone adjusted well and I am happy I handled the weather. I have been coming here since 2016 and I love it. I have won here three times in a row. This year I want to break KC Lightfoot’s national record and maybe vault 6.10m”

Women’s 200 metres: 

European 60 metres indoor bronze medallist Darryil Neita from Great Britain improved her PB from 22.61 to 22.23 to win the women’s 200 metres setting a meeting record. USA’s Anavia Battle took second place in 22.47 ahead of her compatriot Cambrea Surgis (22.99) and European Under 23 champion Dalia Kaddari (23.16).   

Darryil Neita: “I  have not been known as a 200m specialist, but it is about to change. I felt this could be my best distance. This year me and my coach have worked on getting me ready for it”. 

Men’s 110 metres hurdles: 

Daniel Roberts set the meeting record with 13.24 on his outdoor debut to win the men’s 110 metres hurdles ahead of Jamal Britt (13.31) and Cuban indoor record holder Roger Iribarne (13.34). Roberts made a good start, but Britt and Crittenden came back in the final stages. Britt hit the final barrier and Roberts took the edge by six hundredths of a second. 

Daniel Roberts: “I signed a lot of autographs after the race, but I love doing it for the fans, as they love to support us. It was actually my first competition of the year, so I just wanted to get two good races. There is no limit to how fast I can run. Together with my coach Allen Johnson we just try to improve all the time. I am excited to see how the rest of the season goes. My goal is to qualify for the world champion in Budapest”. 

Women’s 100 metres: 

Cambrea Sturgis, NCAA champion in the 100 and 200 metres, won the women’s 100 metres in 11”24 in lane eight ahead of Krystina Tsimanouskaya from Poland (11.29) and US Anavia Battle (11.34). 

Men’s 1500 metres: 

European outdoor and indoor finalist Pietro Arese from Italy launched his kick down the final straight to win the men’s 1500 metres in 3:33.56, setting the qualifying standard for the World Championships in Budapest. The Italian middle-distance runner took two seconds off the previous meeting record.

Arese set his second PB in six days after clocking 3:34.37 in Montreuil last Wednesday and moved to second place in the Italian all-time list behind national record holder Gennaro Di Napoli, who clocked 3:32.78 in 1990. 

Pietro Arese: “I am extremely happy. It is my personal best and the second fastest ever by an Italian 1500m middle distance runner. A lot of people came out and there was strong support for us. I came close to the World Championships time last week and I wanted to run a little bit faster today. Now I got it. It is the first major race I won, so that makes me very happy” 

Women’s mile: 

Edinah Jebitok won the women’s mile in the first track event of the meeting setting the world seasonal lead with 4:22.85. Ksanet Alam from Ethiopia took second place with 4:24.29 ahead of Marta Perez from Spain (4:25.78). 

Men’s high jump: 

World bronze medallist Andiy Protsenko from the Ukraine cleared 2.21m in the first attempt to beat his compatriot Bogdan Bondarenko on countback. 

Women’s 800 metres: 

Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey won the women’s 800 metres in 2:01.26 holding off Adrianna Topolnika (2:01.63) 

Men’s 800 metres: 

Ben Pattison took the win in the men’s 800 metres in 1:45.80 ahead of Kenya’s Elias Ngeny from Kenya (1:45.99).

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