ROME, ITALY, August 30 — “Oh no!” Winfred Yavi summed it up best after putting together a jaw-dropping steeplechase in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico only to miss the World Record by a mere 0.07. The effort highlighted the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea DL on a night when major records didn’t quite happen but plenty of great competition did.
The rabbits didn’t last long in the steeple, so Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, the ’21 Olympic gold medalist took over the pace, doing an extraordinary job, passing 1K in 2:54.01 and 2K in 5:49.51. Only Paris winner Yavi could hang with that clip and the two battled hard all the way up to the last lap, Yavi taking the lead at the bell after the slowest lap of the race.
Yet so fast was the Bahraini’s kick that it pulled WR possibilities back into play. She stuttered a bit at the final hurdle, then sprinted to the line in 8:44.39, narrowly missing Beatrice Chepkoech’s ’18 standard of 8:44.32, along with the hefty bonus check that would have come with breaking that standard.
“I looked at the time after the race and I went ‘Oh no!’” said Yavi. “I was really expecting that record and I was going for it. I definitely feel I should break it and I believe it will happen. I need to work even harder. And I am planning to have another go at it before the end of the season!”
Said Chemutai, “I came here for the World Record and I missed it. The WR will be for next time. I kind of paced this race for Yavi. I knew that Yavi has this strong kick at the end. I planned this with my coach and my management, and, unfortunately, I missed the WR.”
The No. 2 performance ever, of course, counts for a meet record as well as an Asian Record. Chemutai clocked 8:48.03 to move to No. 3 all-time. Far behind was Faith Cherotich (8:57.65), with American Val Constien in 4th at 9:04.92. Marwa Bouzayani set a Tunisian record in 5th (9:04.93) and Gabbi Jennings PRed in 6th at 9:07.70 to become No.6 all-time among Americans.
The meet’s other outstanding mark on the women’s side came in the shortest hurdle race, held just before the steeple. Olympic champion Masai Russell lined up in lane 4, with silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela in 5. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, who didn’t finish the Paris final, was relegated to 7.
In 6, Devynne Charlton got out best, followed by Russell. By hurdle 4, Nugent had caught them and raced ahead for the win as Russell pursued her to the line while Charlton lost her steps. The time of 12.24, into a 0.4 wind, was not only a Jamaican Record but also a world leader and meet record. Nugent is now No. 4 all-time, and denies that vengeance helped motivate her.
“This victory is not like a revenge for the Olympics for me,” said Nugent, who also won 5 days earlier in Chorzów. “I am just in really good shape. I was injured before and this is a new experience for me. I am still so young. I still got to show up.” She added, “I kind of expected to win here. I really enjoyed this race.”
Behind her, Russell hit 12.31, with Nadine Visser 3rd in 12.52 ahead of Samba-Mayela’s 12.57.
The 200 delivered a U.S. 1–2, with Brittany Brown dominating on the outside and having to overcome a surprisingly good performance from Anavia Battle, who blistered the turn in lane 2 and nearly had the lead coming onto the straight. Brown’s finish was better, however, and she took the win in 22.00, with Battle holding on for her fastest time in two years, 22.27, ahead of Britain’s Daryll Neita (22.46).
Said Brown, “Having won an Olympic medal, I can approach the rest of the season as fun. I can run more relaxed, but it is focused-relaxed. I still want to run fast.”
Anna Cockrell dominated the 400H, summoning another strong stretch drive to take her first DL win in 52.59 ahead of Shiann Salmon’s 53.20. Shamier Little looked strong in 3rd at 54.15 ahead of Janieve Russell’s 54.46.
“Today I planned to take it aggressively over hurdles 1 through 3 and I did,” said the Olympic silver medalist. “I was not happy about my hurdle 10, that should have been faster. I was initially a bit disappointed at the finish line, but then I thought, ´It is the second-fastest time of my career, I’ll take it.’”
Faith Kipyegon owned the 1500 once again. In a race that set out ambitiously, with Winnie Nanyondo rabbiting through laps of 59.97 and 64.18. The WR holder took over then, leading past 1200 in 3:08.20 with Jessica Hull staying close behind until Kipyegon turned on the afterburners for the final stretch.
She won in 3:52.89. Ethiopians Freweyni Hailu (3:54.16 PR) and Birke Haylom (3:54.79) both passed Hull (3:54.98) before the finish.
On the field, Tara Davis-Woodhall led a U.S. 1-4 in the long jump, taking the win with her round 2 span of 23-½ (7.02). Monae’ Nichols (22-4½/6.82) and Quanesha Burks (21-10¼/6.66) both topped bronze medalist Jasmine Moore’s 21-8¾ (6.62).
Said Davis-Woodhall, “During the competition I didn’t have the approach I wanted, I had some pretty big jumps in me. Jumping first in the group is not what I prefer.”
In the vault, Olympic champion Nina Kennedy took the win at 15-10 (4.83), but no one seemed happier than Sandi Morris, who matched that mark on her third attempt but had to settle for 2nd. For the American, it was her best jump since taking silver at the ’22 Worlds.
Said Morris, “Today was everything I could have hoped for. I have had a lot of changes in my life in the last 2 years, changing houses, changing coaches. And with so many changes, it is hard to keep your consistency. Missing the Olympics was heartbreaking, but I went back into training with my coach for 4 weeks and I found the form.”
ROME WOMEN’S RESULTS
200(0.4): 1. Brittany Brown (US) 22.00; 2. Anavia Battle (US) 22.27; 3. Daryll Neita (GB) 22.46; 4. Jessika Gbai (CI) 22.51; 5. Mujinga Kambundji (Swi) 22.53; 6. Jenna Prandini (US) 22.67; 7. Maboundou Koné (CI) 22.84.
1500: 1. Faith Kipyegon (Ken) 3:52.89 (3:08.20); 2. Freweyni Hailu (Eth) 3:54.16 PR;
3. Birke Haylom (Eth) 3:54.79 (x, 2 WJ);
4. Jessica Hull (Aus) 3:54.98; 5. Nelly Chepchirchir (Ken) 3:56.14 PR; 6. Sintayehu Vissa (Ita) 3:58.12; 7. Worknesh Mesele (Eth) 3:58.15; 8. Sarah Healy (Ire) 3:58.42; 9. Revee Walcott-Nolan (GB) 3:58.68; 10. Linden Hall (Aus) 3:58.84; 11. Nadia Battocletti (Ita) 3:59.19 PR; 12. Nozomi Tanaka (Jpn) 3:59.69; 13. Nigist Getachew (Eth) 4:01.69; 14. Ludovica Cavalli (Ita) 4:02.60; 15. Marta Pérez (Spa) 4:02.80;… rabbit—Winnie Nanyondo (Uga) (59.97, 64.18 [2:04.15]).
St: 1. Winfred Yavi (Bhr) 8:44.39 NR (WL) (2, 2 W); 2. Peruth Chemutai (Uga) 8:48.03 NR (3, 3 W) (2:54.01, 5:49.51);
3. Faith Cherotich (Ken) 8:57.65;
4. Val Constien (US) 9:04.92 (x, 9 A);
5. Marwa Bouzayani (Tun) 9:04.93 NR;
6. Gabbi Jennings (US) 9:07.70 PR (6, x A);
7. Norah Jeruto (Kaz) 9:10.43; 8. Lea Meyer (Ger) 9:11.37; 9. Courtney Wayment (US) 9:14.46; 10. Olivia Gürth (Ger) 9:15.17 PR.
(best-ever mark-for-place: 2)
100H(-0.4): 1. Ackera Nugent (Jam) 12.24 NR (WL) (4, =4 W); 2. Masai Russell (US) 12.31 (x, =9 A);
3. Nadine Visser (Neth) 12.52; 4. Cyrena Samba-Mayela (Fra) 12.57; 5. Alaysha Johnson (US) 12.66; 6. Keni Harrison (US) 12.70; 7. Ditaji Kambundji (Swi) 12.78;… dnf—Devynne Charlton (Bah).
400H: 1. Anna Cockrell (US) 52.59; 2. Shiann Salmon (Jam) 53.20; 3. Shamier Little (US) 54.15; 4. Janieve Russell (Jam) 54.46; 5. Andrenette Knight (Jam) 54.90; 6. Ayomide Folorunso (Ita) 55.00; 7. Louise Maraval (Fra) 55.16; 8. Lina Nielsen (GB) 55.93; 9. Anna Ryzhykova (Ukr) 56.96.
Field Events
PV: 1. Nina Kennedy (Aus) 15-10 (4.83); 2. Sandi Morris (US) 15-10; 3. Alysha Newman (Can) 15-6¼ (4.73); 4. Eliza McCartney (NZ) 15-2¼ (4.63); 5. Amálie Švábíková (CzR) 15-2¼; 6. Roberta Bruni (Ita) 14-10¼ (4.53); 7. Tina Šutej (Slo) 14-6¼ (4.43); 8. Angelica Moser (Swi) 14-6¼.
LJ: 1. Tara Davis-Woodhall (US) 23-½ (7.02) (22-9, 23-½, 22-3, f, 21-8¾, 22-7¾) (6.93, 7.02, 6.78, f, 6.62, 6.90); 2. Monae’ Nichols (US) 22-4½ (6.82); 3. Quanesha Burks (US) 21-10¼ (6.66); 4. Jasmine Moore (US) 21-8¾ (6.62); 5. Fatima Diame (Spa) 21-6¼ (6.56); 6. Marthe Yasmine Koala (Bur) 21-6 (6.55).
