BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, August 16—
MEN’S POLE VAULT: Winning his fourth straight seemed like a usual business for Mondo Duplantis, but the competition played out as very exciting with the challenge from Manolo Karalís. The Greek cleared 19-6¼ (5.95) while Mondo passed, then matched him at 19-8¼ (6.00). Mondo then cleared 20-0 (6.10). Karalís got monstrous height on his first attempt but bumped it with his belly on the way down.
Forced by circumstance to pass, he watched Mondo clear an MR 20-2 (6.15). Again, the Greek missed and had to pass. That’s when Mondo played his big card, passing at 20-4 (6.20) and watching as Karalís missed his last try.
Said Duplantis, who won his first Euros gold in ’18, “I think Emmanouíl brings out the best of me, and he brings the best out of the sport. It is a good thing for everybody. I am really proud of the way he jumped today and stepped up.”
WOMEN’S MARATHON: With absolute confidence, Finland’s Alisa Vainio set out to destroy the field in the women’s 26-miler and did just that, leading from the start to win by nearly 5:00. Her 2:22:26 sliced more than 2:00 off the MR set 12 years ago.
“I just ran from the start and felt so strong all the way,” she said. “I knew I was going to run fast and just waited to see if someone was coming with me, but I just ran alone. It was pretty easy but my left leg got sore in the last lap. Still, I felt so strong. I knew I had to push myself to run fast but it felt good.”
A close race for the other medals saw Hungary’s Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth win silver in 2:27:21 and Abbie Donnelly of Britain take the bronze in 2:27:33, 6 seconds ahead of Hungary’s Nóra Szabó.
Donnelly also led Britain to the team title, their top 3 runners’ times adding up to 7:26:01. Italy tallied 7:28:59 and Spain 7:30:41.
MEN’S MARATHON: Germany’s Amanal Petros made his move to the front at the halfway point and cruised to the win in an MR 2:09:11, outlegging his closest challengers in the final kilometer. Pietro Riva of Italy finished in 2:09:18 and Israel’s Gashau Ayale in 2:09:21 as 9 broke 2:10.
“I was going very well but it was not easy,” admitted Petros, who had missed out on World Champs gold last fall by 0.03. “At the beginning, I was going back and front, back and front – it took a little bit of energy, but I made the right decision to move… It was not easy.”
Israel won the team race with a cumulative time of 6:28:37, ahead of Germany (6:29:03) and France (6:32:12).
WOMEN’S JAVELIN: Croatia’s Sara Kolak won the Olympic gold 10 years ago but had never earned better than bronze at Euros. Here, she changed all that with her opening toss of 204-10 (62.43). Germany’s Julia Ulbricht hit 201-10 (61.53) on her opener. When Serbia’s Adriana Vilagoš moved into bronze position on her second throw at 199-11 (60.93), that basically ended the drama. None of the principals came close to their early bests in the later rounds.
“Finally, after 10 years, another big gold,” said a relieved Kolak. “For the last 10 years, I never gave up and I am proud of it.”
WOMEN’S LONG JUMP: Italy’s Larissa Iapichino won silver last time, and gold in the Euro Indoors last year. Here she launched a barely wind-aided (2.1) first jump of 22-11¾w (7.00). Given the talent of the field behind her, it was unlikely that would hold up as the winning jump. However, while plenty came close, no one could get past that mark.
Jazmin Sawyers opened at 22-9¾w (6.95), improving to 22-10 (6.96) and then 22-11¼w (6.99). France’s Hilary Kpatcha hit 22-10¾w (6.98) on her second. Agate de Souza of Portugal leaped 22-10w (6.96) on her 3rd. And despite being only 6cm out of the lead, defending champion Malaika Mihambo was stuck in 5th with her 22-9¼w (6.94).
Iapichino couldn’t get close to her opening jump either but gladly took the gold. It’s a title her mother, Fiona May, never won despite two World golds. “The European long jump is on fire at the moment so the competition out there was world class. The other girls are just amazing. I love it when it gets fiery and competitive out there.”
MIXED 4 x 100: Behind after the first exchange, Britain had to deal with strong challenges in this race. The team of gold medalists led off with Jeremiah Azu, but a rough first handover put Dina Asher-Smith behind. She had to work to chase down Spain, one lane to the outside. While eyes focused on that battle, the Germans in lane 8 had taken the lead. On the last curve, Zharnel Hughes kept pace with the Germans and the two teams handed off even.
That left it up to Amy Hunt, who had already won three golds. She had to work to build a margin on Germany’s Gina Lückenkemper, and by the end of the straight felt confident to spread her arms in triumph. The British won in a European record and automatic meet record of 39.97, the second-fastest time in history. In all, Britain won three 4×1 golds, obviously unprecedented, as this was the first time the mixed race was offered.
The Brits all noted the immense pressure they felt before the start. Said Hunt, “Today It felt like when you’re queuing for a roller coaster and you’re a bit nervous, but when it’s over you want to do it all over again.”
MEN’S STEEPLE: Rumors that the three Germans would make a team attempt on the meet record of 8:07.87 faded away quickly as the opening pace oozed along. Frederik Ruppert, the first European to break 8:00, controlled the tempo and brought the field through the first kilometer in 2:55.7. Spain’s Daniel Arce took over and covered the second kilo in 2:55.0. On the penultimate lap, Ruppert started accelerating, with Arce keeping pace on the inside. The Spaniard broke on the final lap and Ruppert raced to gold in 8:25.33, his final K went in 2:34.6. Luxembourg’s Ruben Querinjean finished hard to grab silver in 8:25.61, even looking like a gold threat in the last 150. German Karl Bebendorf got bronze in 8:26.65, ahead of the fading Arce.
Ruppert explained his strategy: “I led that from start to finish to stay out of trouble. I’m pretty bad in the middle of the field so my best option was to hit the front.”
WOMEN’S 1500: Georgia Hunter Bell came in as the overwhelming favorite and the rest of the field deferred to her as such. The Commonwealth 800 champ had prime position in the pack throughout as the early pace went past 400 in 68.7 and 800 in 2:21.3. By 1000 she had taken the lead and just before the bell she felt the pack bunch up on her. She started driving. On the backstretch she got a challenge from Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska which she easily repelled. The last 200 was all kick. Hunter Bell closed off a 58.4 lap for her 4:07.78 gold. Kazimierska managed 2nd in 4:08.80 and Portugal’s Patricia Silva won bronze in 4:09.22.
Said the winner, “I thought, if it comes down to a kick, I’ve got it, so I didn’t want it to go too quick. I thought it might be a 600m burn-up, which it was — and that was perfect for me.”
WOMEN’S 4 x 400: Three straight now for the Netherlands, the squad in orange rocked a 3:21.10 and withstood an anchor leg challenge from Britain to secure the gold. Myrte van der Schoot gave the Dutch an early lead with her 51.0, then Lieke Klaver (49.5) extended it to nearly 10m. On leg 3, Eveline Saalberg maintained at 51.1, though Britain’s Nicole Yeargin (49.9) came close in the final stretch. That gave Emily Newnham what she needed to challenge Femke Broeders-Bol on the backstretch. The 800 bronze medalist didn’t panic and saved her hardest sprint for the final straight, clinching the gold with a 49.5. Newnham closed off Britain’s silver (3:21.68) with a 49.6.
MEN’S 4 x 400: Britain led off with Matthew Hudson-Smith in the hopes the veteran could give them a solid margin in the early going. He handed off with the lead on the basis of his 45.2, but it wasn’t enough. The Italians led off with Edoardo Scotti (45.5), then on the second leg, Luca Sito (44.4) passed Toby Harries before the handoff and secured the lead. None of the teams could make headway against the Italians as Mohamed Soudassi ran 44.6 for leg 3. On the anchor, it was Lorenzo Benati who was pressured to try to hang on to gold for the Italians.
On the last stretch, everyone had more left than Benati, who was running a 44.7, and the charge was on. Amazingly, he survived for the win, the Italian 2:59.16 just 0.03 ahead of the Brits (2:59.19, with Charlie Dobson at 44.2).
Netherlands closed fastest of all, Jonas Phijffers running 43.6 to take bronze in 2:59.49 (just 0.02 ahead of Belgium).
EURO CHAMPS DAY 7 MEDALISTS
Men’s Events
St: 1. Frederik Ruppert (Ger) 8:25.33; 2. Ruben Querinjean (Lux) 8:25.61; 3. Karl Bebendorf (Ger) 8:26.65; 4. Daniel Arce (Spa) 8:27.02; 5. Pierre Boudy (Fra) 8:28.90; 6. Alejandro Quijada (Spa) 8:29.15; 7. Rémi Schyns (Bel) 8:29.25; 8. Nicolas Daru (Fra) 8:29.46.
Mar: 1. Amanal Petros (Ger) 2:09:11; 2. Pietro Riva (Ita) 2:09:18; 3. Gashau Ayale (Isr) 2:09:21; 4. Suldan Hassan (Swe) 2:09:24; 5. Tadesse Getahon (Isr) 2:09:31; 6. Valentin Gondouin (Fra) 2:09:34; 7. Mahamed Mahamed (GB) 2:09:43; 8. Haimro Alame (Isr) 2:09:45.
Mix4 x 100: 1. Great Britain 39.97 (Azu, Asher-Smith, Hughes, Hunt); 2. Germany 40.11 (Kranz, Haase, Gussmann, Lückenkemper); 3. Spain 40.42 (Crespi, Pérez, Calbano, Bestue.
4 x 400: 1. Italy 2:59.16 (Scotti 45.5, Sito 44.4, Soudassi 44.6, Benati 44.7); 2. Great Britain 2:59.19 (Hudson-Smith 45.2, Harries 44.9, Jefferies 44.9, Dobson 44.2); 3. Netherlands 2:59.49 (Omalla 45.8, Blake 44.6, Agard 45.5, Phijffers 43.6).
PV: 1. Mondo Duplantis (Swe) 20-2 (6.15) (18-2½, 19-2¼, 19-8¼ [2], 20-0, 20-2) (5.55, 5.85, 6.00 [2], 6.10, 6.15); 2. Manolo Karalís (Gre) 19-8¼ (6.00); 3. Baptiste Thiery (Fra) 19-2¼ (5.85).
Women’s Events
1500: 1. Georgia Hunter Bell (GB) 4:07.78; 2. Klaudia Kazimierska (Pol) 4:08.80; 3. Patrícia Silva (Por) 4:09.22.
Mar: 1. Alisa Vainio (Fin) 2:22:26; 2. Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth (Hun) 2:27:21 PR; 3. Abbie Donnelly (GB) 2:27:33.
4 x 400: 1. Netherlands 3:21.10 (Van Der Schoot 51.0, Klaver 49.5, Saalberg 51.1, Broeders-Bol 49.5); 2. Great Britain 3:21.68 (John 52.2, Nielsen 50.0, Yeargin 49.9, Newnham 49.6); 3. Italy 3:23.57 (Bonora 52.0, Polinari 50.2, Mangione 50.8, Coiro 50.6).
LJ: 1. Larissa Iapichino (Ita) 22-11¾w (7.00); 2. Jazmin Sawyers (GB) 22-11¼w (6.99); 3. Hilary Kpatcha (Fra) 22-10¾w (6.98).
JT: 1. Sara Kolak (Cro) 204-10 (62.43); 2. Julia Ulbricht (Ger) 201-10 (61.53); 3. Adriana Vilagoš (Ser) 199-11 (60.93).
