Olympic triple jump champion Yulimar Rojas set a world lead of 15.41m in the fifth attempt to cap off the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series in Madrid, just two centimeters shy off the world record… And she didn’t even break the meeting record. That’s because the last time Rojas had leaped in Madrid, in 2020, she had jumped further than any other women in history had done.
Broken the record or not, the public in the stands of the Centro Deportivo Municipal Gallur went crazy with the Venezuelan star. Rojas already had given her world indoor record another major scare in her second attempt — when she leaped 15.35m. The 26-year-old double world indoor champion also produced a couple of long fouls — probably quite longer than 15.50m.
Next best in the women’s triple jump contest — a non World Indoor Tour scoring event — was Cuba’s Liadagmis Povea with 14.08m. In the men’s event, Cuba’s Lázaro Martínez secured the overall World Indoor Tour title with a 17.12m triumph over Germany’s Max Hess, who leaped 16.85m for a season best.
Aside from the Rojas triple jump world leading mark, six meeting records were broken in Madrid22. All tickets were sold out up to the 75% of Centro Deportivo Municipal Gallur capacity, as Spanish Government permits.
The peaking moment of the meet occurred in the men’s 3000m, where Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma and Spain’s Adel Mechaal fought for the overall tour victory. Finally was other Ethiopian, the reigning Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega, who took the win after denying twice Spain’s Mohamed Katir the overtaking.
Barega set a meeting record of 7:34.04, while Girma in second place secured his World Indoor Tour series title ahead of Mechaal, who finished third in Madrid with 7:35.26. Katir crossed the line in fourth position with a 7:35.73 season best.
Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay had targeted her own world indoor 1500m record of 3:53.09. The Olympic 5000m bronze medalist fell short in her attempt but produced a dominant win in 3:57.38 that meant a meeting record and a victory in the overall tour standings. Fellow compatriots Hirut Meshesha and Freweyni Hailu came second and third with 4:02.22 and 4:03.38 respectively.
In the men’s 800m, Great Britain’s Elliot Giles solidified his position as a strong title contender at the World Indoor Championship outkicking world leader Mariano García of Spain in the last 50 meters. Giles set a meeting record of 1:45.43 and took the overall tour victory. García was second in 1:45.82 and the Spanish champion Álvaro de Arriba finished third in 1:45.97.
Australia’s Catriona Bisset produced a dominant win of 2:00.10 in the women’s 800m — a non World Indoor Tour scoring event. She defeated British 1500m champion Adelle Tracey (2:01.89) and German 800m champions Christina Hering (2:01.99).
Olympic mixed 4×400 relay champion Justyna Swiety-Ersetic of Poland set a meeting record and personal best of 51.21 in the women’s 400m. The 29-year-old took the lead at the bell in a fast 200m split of 23.90 and nobody could take her the leading spot — neither the overall series triumph. Modesta Moraukaite set a Lithuanian record of 51.63 to place second and Phil Healy of Ireland was third in a 51.66 personal best.
In the women’s long jump, British champion Lorraine Ugen leaped a 6.67m meeting record to earn the overall tour victory, while Spanish champion Fátima Diame finished second with 6.51m (improving the former meeting record too) and Italy’s Larissa Iapichino was third with a 6.45m jump.
The sixth and last meeting record of the night was produced by Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki in the men’s shot put. Bukowiecki made a statement as world medal contender in Belgrade by throwing 21.91m, the second best mark in the world so far this year. The victory secured him the overall World Indoor Tour title over Croatia’s Filip Mihaljevic, who was second in Madrid with a 21.83m throw.
Netherlands’ Zoë Sedney lowered her personal best to 7.95 to win the women’s 60m hurdles final ahead of Finland’s Reetta Hurske and Ireland’s Sarah Lavin, who clocked 8.00 and 8.14 respectively.
Spanish champion Asier Martínez delighted the home crowd with a photo-finish victory over compatriot Enrique Llopis in the men’s 60m hurdles — a non-scoring event. Both clocked 7.56, which was a personal best for Llopis, whilst Great Britain’s David King was third in 7.57, a personal best too.
In the men’s 60m, United States’ Elijah Hall earned a wildcard entry for Belgrade as his 6.57 win ahead of compatriot Michael Rodgers (6.60) meant an overall tour victory.
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson recorded a perfect series up and including 1.96m to a dominant win in the women’s high jump, then she failed three times at 2.00m — which would have been an Oceanian record. Patterson ensured the victory in the overall tour standings.
At the beginning of the meet were scheduled two 60 meters paralympic races. Paralympic champion Adiaratou Iglesias of Spain and compatriot Dionibel Rodríguez took the wins with 7.74 and 7.11 respectively.
There was also an emotional moment of silence in memory of the war victims in Ukraine.
World Indoor Tour Gold series overall winners:
WOMEN
400m Justyna Swiety-Ersetic (POL)
1500m Gudaf Tsegay (ETH)
60m hurdles Devynne Charlton (BAH)
High jump Eleanor Patterson (AUS)
Long jump Lorraine Ugen (GBR)
MEN
60m Elijah Hall (USA)
800m Elliot Giles (GBR)
3000m Lamecha Girma (ETH)
Pole vault Armand Duplantis (SWE)
Triple jump Lázaro Martínez (CUB)
Shot put Konrad Bukowiecki (POL)
