German Stars Shine at Sparkassen Indoor Meeting in Dortmund

Posted by: Watch Athletics

German athletics stars Malaika Mihambo, Yemisi Ogunleye commenced their indoor season with remarkable performances, setting early-season world-leading marks at the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting. This World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze-level event took place on Saturday, January 18, in Dortmund, Germany, and showcased the prowess of Germany’s finest athletes.

Mihambo's Resurgence in the Long Jump

Reigning long jump champion Malaika Mihambo found her rhythm later in the competition, starting with a modest leap of 6.44m. However, she dominated the event with a fourth-round world-leading jump of 6.79m, securing her place at the top.

Her compatriot Mikaelle Assani, who placed fourth at both the Roma 2024 European Championships and the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, opened her season with a strong 6.67m to finish second. Cyprus’ Filippa Fotopoulou equalled her personal best of 6.53m to claim third place.

Ogunleye's Record-Breaking Performance

Yemisi Ogunleye, who clinched silver at last year’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, delivered an exceptional opening round in the women’s shot put, recording a world-leading mark of 18.98m—a new meeting record. Ogunleye maintained her dominance with consistent throws, including impressive efforts of 18.80m and 18.76m in the fourth and fifth rounds, respectively.

German teammate Alina Kenzel, who placed fourth at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships where Ogunleye earned bronze, secured second place with a final-round throw of 18.16m. The Netherlands’ Roma 2024 silver medallist Jorinde van Klinken finished third with 17.46m.

Hartmann Triumphs in the 60m Dash

German sprinter Joshua Hartmann stole the show in the men’s 60m, setting a new meeting record of 6.56 seconds. Hartmann, a 200m finalist at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships, showcased explosive power from the start, narrowly holding off Cuba’s Reynier Mena (6.57) and Sweden’s Henrik Larsson (6.58) in a thrilling finish.

Wessolly Shines in the Women’s 200m

Jessica-Bianca Wessolly delivered an impressive performance in the women’s 200m, breaking the meeting record with a time of 23.02 seconds. Although the 200m is not a standard indoor championship event, Wessolly’s speed and form were a testament to her capabilities as a European 4x100m relay gold medallist.

Broeders Dominates the Pole Vault

Belgium’s Ben Broeders, a former European U23 champion, emerged victorious in the men’s pole vault with a second-attempt clearance of 5.72m, rounding off an exciting day of athletics in Dortmund.

Notable Performances in the Middle-Distance Races

In the men’s 400m, Germany’s Fabian Dammermann impressed by clocking a personal best of 46.71 seconds in the first heat, slashing 0.63 seconds off his previous record.

Poland’s Patryk Sieradzki caused a major upset in the men’s 800m, defeating 2021 world indoor silver medallist Noah Kibet by just 0.02 seconds with a winning time of 1:47.52. Sieradzki displayed remarkable resilience, holding off Kibet in a nail-biting final stretch.

Portugal’s Patrícia Silva showcased a commanding front-running performance in the women’s 1500m, finishing with a world-leading time of 4:12.26. Norway’s Malin Nyfors demonstrated a late burst of speed to clinch victory in the women’s 800m, crossing the line in 2:04.14.

Another top-tier event on the World Athletics Indoor calendar, the CMCM Indoor Meet, is set to take place on Sunday, January 19, in Luxembourg.

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