TORUŃ, POLAND, February 22 — Maybe rabbit Aneta Lemiesz was just a tad fast, as opening splits of 28.04, 59.13 and 1:31.31 perhaps doomed a 1500 World Record attempt by Gudaf Tsegay. Still, the 25-year-old Ethiopian highlighted the ORLEN Copernicus Cup with the No. 2 performance in history, her 3:54.77 just 1.68 off her own best set a year ago.
Along the way, the Olympic 5000 bronze medalist hit 800 in 2:04.07, then passed the kilo in a world-leading 2:36.36. She finished with a strong 30.7 final lap, leaving runner-up Lemlem Hailu more than 7 seconds behind at 4:02.25.
For Tsegay, it was not exactly the bounce-back she hoped for after her Liévin mile WR attempt 5 days ago saw her get tripped in the early going before salvaging a 4:21.72 victory.
“My target had been the mile record in Liévin, but today I am happy,” she said. “I am sure that I am in shape to break the world mile record, but that day was not a good day for me. I feel good today.”
World-leading marks in the penultimate Indoor Tour Gold meet also fell to Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who blitzed the 400 in a 50.64 that missed her PR by just 0.01, and shot putter Filip Mihaljević of Croatia, whose 71-8 (21.84) tied his national record. He beat Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki (a third-round 71-7½/21.83 that was a WL of its own at that point) by just a centimeter.
In the women’s dash, world leader Ewa Swoboda proved her mettle by holding onto an early lead against Elaine Thompson-Herah to win 7.03–7.04. Said the Polish winner, “I still can’t believe that I raced against Elaine Thompson-Herah and that I won against her.”
Elijah Hall-Thompson won the men’s 60 in 6.53, ahead of veteran Mike Rodgers (6.55).
The men’s 3000 saw a storm of solid times, with Ethiopian steeplechase silver medalist Lamecha Girma passing countryman (and Olympic 10K gold winner) Selemon Barega in the final strides, 7:31.09-7:31.39. Kenya’s Jacob Krop followed in 7:31.90, ahead of Getnet Wale (7:32.50).
TORUŃ MEN’S RESULTS
(Indoor Tour Gold; 200 banked)—
60: 1. Elijah Hall-Thompson (US) 6.53; 2. Mike Rodgers (US) 6.55; 3. Adrian Brzeziński (Pol) 6.57 PR; 3. Arthur Gue Cissé (CI) 6.57; 5. Przemysław Słowikowski (Pol) 6.61 PR; 6. Joris van Gool (Neth) 6.64; 7. Travis Collins (US) 6.64; 8. Dominik Kopeć (Pol) 6.65 PR.
800: 1. Elliot Giles (GB) 1:45.42; 2. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:45.71; 3. Collins Kipruto (Ken) 1:45.94; 4. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) 1:46.01; 5. Adam Kszczot (Pol) 1:46.29; 6. Kacper Lewalski (Pol) 1:46.89 NJR; 6. Mark English (Ire) 1:46.89; 8. Amel Tuka (Bos) 1:47.68.
3000: 1. Lamecha Girma (Eth) 7:31.09; 2. Selemon Barega (Eth) 7:31.39; 3. Jacob Krop (Ken) 7:31.90 PR; 4. Getnet Wale (Eth) 7:32.50; 5. Elzan Bibić (Ser) 7:39.96 NR; 6. Hamish Carson (NZ) 7:47.54; 7. Adihana Kasaye (Eth) 7:49.13 PR; 8. Michał Rozmys (Pol) 7:49.83 PR; 9. Haftu Teklu (Eth) 7:52.10 PR; 10. Jerry Motsau (SA) 7:53.84 PR.
60H: 1. Damian Czykier (Pol) 7.48 =NR; 2. Jakub Szymański (Pol) 7.63; 3. Wilhem Belocian (Fra) 7.65; 4. Orlando Ortega (Spa) 7.71; 5. Krzysztof Kiljan (Pol) 7.84; 6. Jakub Bujak (Pol) 7.95; 7. Tom Wilcock (GB) 8.05.
Field Events
PV: 1. EJ Obiena (Phi) 19-¾ (5.81); 2. Ben Broeders (Bel) 18-8¾ (5.71); 3. Thiago Braz (Bra) 18-8¾; 4. Menno Vloon (Neth) 18-8¾ (5.71); 5. Piotr Lisek (Pol) 18-4¾ (5.61); 6. Rutger Koppelaar (Neth) 18-4¾; 7. Paweł Wojciechowski (Pol) 18-4¾; 8. Bokai Huang (Chn) 17-9 (5.41); 9. tie, Harry Coppell (GB) & Matvey Volkov (Blr) 17-9;… nh—Robert Sobera (Pol).
SP: 1. Filip Mihaljević (Cro) 71-8 (21.84) =NR (WL) (67-8, 70-4½, 71-¾, 70-¼, 71-8, 70-6½) (20.62, 21.45, 21.66, 21.34, 21.84, 21.50);
2. Konrad Bukowiecki (Pol) 71-7½ (21.83) (67-8¾, 69-0, 71-7½ [WL], 69-6¾, f, f) (20.64, 21.03, 21.83, 21.20, f, f); 3. Nick Ponzio (Ita) 70-7¾ (21.53) PR; 4. Zane Weir (Ita) 70-6½ (21.50) PR; 5. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 67-0 (20.42); 6. Michał Haratyk (Pol) 65-6¾ (19.98); 7. Jakub Szyszkowski (Pol) 65-1¼ (19.84).
TORUŃ WOMEN’S RESULTS
60: 1. Ewa Swoboda (Pol) 7.03; 2. Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jam) 7.04; 3. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 7.14 PR; 4. Daryll Neita (GB) 7.17; 5. Gina Bass (Gam) 7.26; 6. Patrizia van der Weken (Lux) 7.31; 7. Marika Popowicz-Drapala (Pol) 7.34; 8. Magdalena Stefanowicz (Pol) 7.39.
400: I–1. Femke Bol (Neth) 50.64 (WL);
2. Natalia Kaczmarek (Pol) 51.15 PR; 3. Justyna Święty-Ersetic (Pol) 51.40; 4. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 51.93.
II–1. Ama Pipi (GB) 52.02 PR; 2. Iga Baumgart-Witan (Pol) 52.54; 3. Roneisha McGregor (Jam) 53.06.
800: 1. Catriona Bisset (Aus) 2:00.16; 2. Halimah Nakaayi (Uga) 2:00.19; 3. Tigist Girma (Eth) 2:00.19 PR; 4. Angelika Cichocka (Pol) 2:00.53; 5. Worknesh Melese (Eth) 2:05.34 PR.
1500: 1. Gudaf Tsegay (Eth) 3:54.77 (WL) (x, 2 W) (15.11, 30.7) (2:36.36 WL);
2. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 4:02.25; 3. Freweyni Hailu (Eth) 4:02.50 PR; 4. Habitam Alemu (Eth) 4:02.52 PR; 5. Hirut Meshesha (Eth) 4:03.22; 6. Winnie Nanyondo (Uga) 4:03.54 NR; 7. Sara Kuivisto (Fin) 4:06.14 NR; 8. Linden Hall (Aus) 4:07.56; 9. Martyna Galant (Pol) 4:11.86; 10. Eliza Megger (Pol) 4:12.03 PR;… dnf—Axumawit Embaye (Eth);… rabbit—Aneta Lemiesz (Pol) (28.04, 31.09 [59.13], 32.18 [1:31.31]).
60H: 1. Devynne Charlton (Bah) 7.90; 2. Reetta Hurske (Fin) 7.96; 3. Luca Kozák (Hun) 7.97 =NR; 4. Nooralotta Neziri (Fin) 8.00; 5. Zoë Sedney (Neth) 8.01; 6. Laeticia Bapte (Fra) 8.04; 7. Klaudia Wojtunik (Pol) 8.08 PR; 8. Elvira Herman (Blr) 8.20.
Field Event
LJ: 1. Khaddi Sagnia (Swe) 21-11¾ (6.70); 2. Milica Gardašević (Ser) 21-10¼ (6.66) PR; 3. Jazmin Sawyers (GB) 21-2½ (6.46); 4. Anna Matuszewicz (Pol) 21-1½ (6.44) PR; 5. Magdalena Żebrowska (Pol) 20-11¾ (6.39) PR; 6. Larissa Iapichino (Ita) 20-11¼ (6.38); 7. Roksana Jędraszak (Pol) 20-½ (6.11). ◻︎