BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, July 14 — At the István Gyulai Memorial, the world found out that freshly-minted hurdle WR setter Ja’Kobe Tharp is indeed the real thing.
In his second race as a pro, the 20-year-old, who lost to Jamal Britt at Prefontaine, turned the tables in a big way. Lined up in lane 4, with Britt in 6 and Cordell Tinch in-between, Tharp found himself behind Trey Cunningham (lane 3) at the start but caught him by hurdle 4.
And just like that, he was gone. Britt and Tinch raced together in a futile attempt to narrow the growing gap. Tharp won by a stride, and made it look easy, taking the time to gesture to the crowd. He crossed the line without leaning in 12.85 into an 0.4 wind, the No. 5 time ever and his fourth-straight sub-13. Britt ran 13.01 to beat Tinch’s 13.06, and Cunningham faded to 5th in 13.16.
“I had a really good feeling during the race,” said Tharp. “It wasn’t my best start, but the win is the win. That’s why I came, I did it, and I’m happy that I was able to do it with a meet record. This was the strongest field I’ve competed against this year, and I proved once again that I run the fastest times at high-level competitions.”
The women’s hurdles produced no surprises, just confirmation that Masai Russell remains the woman to beat in the event. Here she clicked off a solid 12.33, more than enough to take care of Rayniah Jones (12.47) and Alaysha Johnson (12.49). Not that she was entirely happy: “The run was a bit lousy, but the victory doesn’t need to be explained. I can be satisfied with my time, I hit a few obstacles, I definitely need to work on improving that in the near future.” To be fair, Russell, too, ran into a -0.4 wind.
The longer hurdles saw Jasmine Jones catch Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton coming off the final turn and maintain her form to win, 52.91–53.34. In the men’s race, Emil Nana Kwame Agyekum came from 5th at the start of the homestretch to catch Trevor Bassitt at the line, 47.58–47.59. Agyekum’s time missed Harald Schmid’s German record (from ’82 & ’87) by a tenth. Caleb Dean ran 3rd in 47.62.
Daniel Sedjati won the 800 with an overpowering final stretch drive in 1:43.19, impressive enough, but what really stunned was the depth behind the Algerian. Eight athletes broke 1:44. Not the deepest ever — the World Champs last September featured 8 under 1:43 — but still notable.
The sprints all featured respectable performances. For the men, Canada’s Emmanuel Eseme won the 100 in 9.99, Yassine Hssine ran a Moroccan record 19.92 to defeat Makanakaishe Charamba (20.09) in the 200, and Muzala Samukonga won the 400 in 44.02. Women’s wins went to Julien Alfred in 10.87 and Gabby Thomas in 21.83, Thomas running down Kayla White (21.92 PR) with her meet record.
Canada’s Ethan Katzberg lofted the hammer to world leaders twice during the competition. In round 3, he hit 274-1 (83.55) and after a foul, he went even farther with his 274-5 (83.64). “I wasn’t sure that the competition would go so well, because I had just arrived from Canada and I was still struggling with the time difference,” said the Olympic and world champion. “Somehow I just fought my way through this state. I felt good with the hammer in the throwing circle.”
Mondo Duplantis soared over 19-11 (6.07) before taking three shots at a World Record 20-8¾ (6.32). On a promising second attempt, he had the height but brushed the bar with his chest. In 2nd, Australian Kurtis Marschall cleared an =PR 19-8¼ (6.00).
The Aussies also performed well on the women’s side, with Eleanor Patterson tying the high jump world lead at 6-6¾ (2.00) and Nina Kennedy winning at 15-9 (4.80). Monae’ Nichols long jumped 22-7 (6.88) with Claire Bryant 2nd at 22-¾ (6.72).
BUDAPEST CT MEN’S RESULTS
100(-0.3): 1. Emmanuel Eseme (Cam) 9.99; 2. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (Gha) 10.01; 3. Ackeem Blake (Jam) 10.04; 4. Akani Simbine (SA) 10.05; 4. Nishion Ebanks (Jam) 10.05; 6. Sam Blaskowski (US) 10.12.
200(0.4): 1. Yassine Hssine (Mor) 19.92 NR; 2. Makanakaishe Charamba (Zim) 20.09; 3. Udodi Onwuzurike (Ngr) 20.18; 4. Aaron Brown (Can) 20.20; 5. Gary Card (Jam) 20.28 PR.
400: 1. Muzala Samukonga (Zam) 44.02; 2. Attila Molnár (Hun) 44.51; 3. Zakithi Nene (SA) 44.57; 4. Thandazani Ndlovu (Zim) 44.64 PR; 5. Vernon Norwood (US) 44.79.
800: 1. Djamel Sedjati (Alg) 1:43.19; 2. Laban Chepkwony (Ken) 1:43.54; 3. David Barroso (Spa) 1:43.60 PR; 4. Navasky Anderson (Jam) 1:43.62; 5. Handal Roban (StV) 1:43.94; 6. Yanis Meziane (Fra) 1:43.96; 7. Gabriel Tual (Fra) 1:43.97; 8. Maciej Wyderka (Pol) 1:43.97 PR.
1500: 1. Phanuel Koech (Ken) 3:31.09; 2. Danson Kiplangat (Ken) 3:31.10 PR; 3. José Carlos Pinto (Por) 3:31.47 PR; 4. Anass Essayi (Mor) 3:31.54; 5. Anis Chott (Alg) 3:31.61 PR; 6. Pietro Arese (Ita) 3:31.87; 7. Joe Waskom (US) 3:32.52 PR; 8. Marco Langon (US) 3:32.69 PR.
3000: 1. Mathew Kipsang (Ken) 7:31.90; 2. Anthony Camerieri (US) 7:32.64 PR; 3. Jackson Sharp (Aus) 7:33.59 PR; 4. Abdisa Fayisa (Eth) 7:33.63 PR.
110H(-0.4): 1. Ja’kobe Tharp (US) 12.85 (x, 5 W, A);
2. Jamal Britt (US) 13.01; 3. Cordell Tinch (US) 13.06; 4. Kendry Menéndez (Cub) 13.09; 5. Trey Cunningham (US) 13.17; 6. Rasheed Broadbell (Jam) 13.25.
400H: 1. Emil Nana Kwame Agyekum (Ger) 47.58 PR; 2. Trevor Bassitt (US) 47.59; 3. Caleb Dean (US) 47.62; 4. Matheus Lima (Bra) 47.74; 5. Yeral Nuñez (DR) 48.17 PR; 6. Abderrahmane Samba (Qat) 48.31.
Field Events
PV: 1. Mondo Duplantis (Swe) 19-11 (6.07) (18-4½, 19-¼, 19-8¼ [2], 19-11, 20-8¾ [xxx]) (5.60, 5.80, 6.00 [2], 6.07, 6.32 [xxx]);
2. Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 19-8¼ (6.00) PR; 3. Emmanouíl Karalís (Gre) 19-4¼ (5.90); 4. Sondre Guttormsen (Nor) 19-4¼; 5. Sam Kendricks (US) 19-¼ (5.80); 6. EJ Obiena (Phi) 19-¼.
LJ: 1. Miltiádis Tentóglou (Gre) 27-3¼ (8.31); 2. Anvar Anvarov (Uzb) 26-7¾ (8.12); 3. Simon Batz (Ger) 26-7¾ (8.12) =PR; 4. Wayne Pinnock (Jam) 26-6¼ (8.08).
SP: 1. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 72-3¾ (22.04); 2. Rajindra Campbell (Jam) 70-7¼ (21.52); 3. Chuk Enekwechi (Ngr) 70-5¾ (21.48); 4. Tom Walsh (NZ) 70-1¾ (21.38); 5. Payton Otterdahl (US) 68-3¼ (20.81); 6. Wictor Petersson (Swe) 66-8½ (20.33); 7. Nick Ponzio (Ita) 66-½ (20.13); 8. Josh Awotunde (US) 65-5½ (19.95).
HT: 1. Ethan Katzberg (Can) 274-5 (83.64); 2. Merlin Hummel (Ger) 268-2 (81.74); 3. Bence Halász (Hun) 267-10 (81.65); 4. Mykhaylo Kokhan (Ukr) 267-4 (81.48); 5. Yann Chaussinand (Fra) 262-10 (80.13).
BUDAPEST WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(-0.3): 1. Julien Alfred (StL) 10.87; 2. Tina Clayton (Jam) 10.97; 3. Brianna Lyston (Jam) 11.01; 4. Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jam) 11.04; 5. Cambrea Sturgis (US) 11.07.
200(0.0): 1. Gabby Thomas (US) 21.83; 2. Kayla White (US) 21.92 PR; 3. Anavia Battle (US) 22.21; 4. Sada Williams (Bar) 22.55 NR.
1500: 1. Abbey Caldwell (Aus) 4:01.79; 2. Claudia Hollingsworth (Aus) 4:02.09; 3. Mirriam Cherop (Ken) 4:02.15 PR; 4. Nelly Jepkosgei (Bhr) 4:02.88;… 10. Annika Reiss (US) 4:05.53.
100H(-0.4): 1. Masai Russell (US) 12.33; 2. Rayniah Jones (US) 12.47; 3. Alaysha Johnson (US) 12.49; 4. Kerrica Hill (Jam) 12.50 PR; 5. Nadine Visser (Neth) 12.54; 6. Luca Kozák (Hun) 12.59 NR.
400H: 1. Jasmine Jones (US) 52.91; 2. Rushell Clayton (Jam) 53.34; 3. Kemi Adekoya (Bhr) 54.18; 4. Shiann Salmon (Jam) 54.81; 5. Ashley Miller (Zim) 55.03; 6. Sára Mátó (Hun) 55.61.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Eleanor Patterson (Aus) 6-6¾ (2.00) (=out WL) (6-2, 6-3¼, 6-4¼, 6-5 [2], 6-6, 6-6¾, 6-7½ [xxx]) (1.88, 1.91, 1.94, 1.96 [2], 1.98, 2.00, 2.02 [xxx]);
2. Nicola Olyslagers (Aus) 6-6 (1.98); 3. Marija Vuković (Mont) 6-6 =NR; 4. Lamara Distin (Jam) 6-4¼ (1.94).
PV: 1. Nina Kennedy (Aus) 15-9 (4.80); 2. Eliza McCartney (NZ) 15-9; 3. Tina Šutej (Slo) 15-7 (4.75); 4. tie, Juliana Campos (Bra) & Olivia McTaggart (NZ) 15-1½ (4.61).
LJ: 1. Monae’ Nichols (US) 22-7 (6.88); 2. Claire Bryant (US) 22-¾ (6.72); 3. Ackelia Smith (Jam) 21-10¾ (6.67); 4. Milica Gardašević (Ser) 21-10¼ (6.66).
