High Jump: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine) 6-7½ WL
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh won an emotional gold for her beleaguered country by clearing 6-7½ (2.02), the best jump in the world this year.
“This win is really for all of Ukraine,” she said, tears welling up.
Mahuchikh had endured a harrowing 3-day journey from her hometown of Dnipro in the center of Ukraine to get to Belgrade, arriving 10 days ago after driving through audible shelling in the distance and the devastation wrought by the war following the Russian invasion.
However, last summer’s Olympic bronze medalist and ’19 WC silver medalist managed to put all her understandable worries behind her with an assured performance, clearing her winning height cleanly and with daylight to spare to add to her burgeoning medal collection.
Four women cleared 6-4½ (1.95) with the medals being decided at the next height of 6-6 (1-98).
Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Dubovitskaya continued her flawless performance with a first-time clearance for an Asian Record to continue in the lead while Mahuchikh also went over at the first time of asking although she had an earlier failure at 6-3½ (1.92).
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson continued her excellent European tour with a second time clearance but Montenegro’s Marija Vuković — her country’s first-ever competitor at the meet — departed from the competition.
’13 World Youth (U18) champion Patterson then went on to clear an NR 6-6¾ (2.00) on her second attempt to snatch the lead as Mahuchikh needed three attempts to get over this height while Dubovitskaya found it beyond her.
Patterson, jumping first at 6-7½ (2.02), brought the bar down with her initial attempt but Mahuchikh showed her class with a soaring first-time clearance, just tickling the bar with her heels, to force a change of lead for the last time.
The Australian reserved her last two attempts for 6-8¼ (2.04) but neither she nor Mahuchikh could negotiate this height, although the latter went ever-so-close with her second effort /Phil Minshull/
RESULTS
1. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukr) 6-7½ (2.02) (WL)
(6-2, 6-3½ [2], 6-4¾, 6-6, 6-6¾ [=WL] [3], 6-7½, 6-8¼ [xxx]) (1.88, 1.92 [2], 1.95, 1.98, 2.00 [3], 2.02, 2.04 [xxx]);
2. Eleanor Patterson (Aus) 6-6¾ (2.00) NR
(6-½, 6-2, 6-3½, 6-4¾, 6-6 [2], 6-6¾ NR [WL] [2], 6-7½ [xpp], 6-8¼ [xx]) (1.84, 1.88, 1.92, 1.95, 1.98 [2], 2.00 [2], 2.02 [xpp], 2.04 [xx]);
3. Nadezhda Dubovitskaya (Kaz) 6-6 (1.98) NR
(6-½, 6-2, 6-3½, 6-4¾, 6-6, 6-6¾ [xxx]) (1.84, 1.88, 1.92, 1.95, 1.98, 2.00 [xxx]);
4. Marija Vuković (Mont) 6-4¾ (1.95)
(6-½ [2], 6-2, 6-3½ [2], 6-4¾, 6-6 [xxx]) (1.84 [2], 1.88, 1.92 [2], 1.95, 1.98 [xxx]);
5. Iryna Herashchenko (Ukr) 6-3½ (1.92) (6-½, 6-2, 6-3½, 6-4¾ [xxx]) (1.84, 1.88, 1.92, 1.95 [xxx]);
=6. Safina Sadullayeva (Uzb) & Elena Vallortigara (Ita) 6-3½ (1.92) (6-½, 6-2, 6-3½ [3], 6-4¾ [xxx]) (1.84, 1.88, 1.92 [3], 1.95 [xxx]);
8. Mirela Demireva (Bul) 6-2 (1.88); 9. Angelina Topić (Ser) 6-2; 10. tie, Emily Borthwick (GB) & Svetlana Radzivil (Uzb) 6-½ (1.84); 12. Rachel McCoy (US) 6-½.
Pole Vault: Sandi Morris (US) 15-9 =AL
Olympic champ Katie Nageotte was in control for most of the competition, but training mate Sandi Morris wasn’t to be denied in her bid for a third straight WIC gold and pulled out the win at the last possible moment.
Both Americans passed the opening height of 14-1¼ (4.30), but then Morris played it more conservatively than Nageotte, coming in at 14-7¼ (4.45) while Nageotte passed again. Things took a decided downturn for Morris at 15-1 (4.60), where she had a bad miss on first try compared to her friendly rival’s smooth sail-over.
Morris was now playing catchup, but despite first-try makes at 15-5 (4.70) and 15-7 (4.75) couldn’t make a dent in Nageotte’s lead. Slovenia’s Tina Šutej would join them at 15-9 (4.80) but was carrying the baggage of three earlier misses.
All three missed twice, then it was Morris’s turn to lead off the final sequence. She looked solid all the way, letting out a loud yell as she successfully negotiated the bar. Šutej went under and then Nageotte — who might have been expected to pass, given the circumstances — brushed it with her belly and it tumbled.
“I wanted to go out and prove it to myself that I could still do it at this level,” said the 29-year-old Morris. “Today was about me fighting off my own internal demons. Doing it back to back was amazing and doing it with my teammate and now training partner Katie was really special. It gives me goosebumps thinking about it.” /Garry Hill/
RESULTS
1. Sandi Morris (US) 15-9 (4.80) (=AL)
(14-7¼, 15-1 [2], 15-5, 15-7, 15-9 [3], 16-¾ [xxx]) (4.45, 4.60 [2], 4.70, 4.75, 4.80 [3], 4.90 [xxx]);
2. Katie Nageotte (US) 15-7 (4.75)
(14-7¼, 15-1, 15-5, 15-7, 15-9 [xxx]) (4.45, 4.60, 4.70, 4.75, 4.80 [xxx]);
3. Tina Šutej (Slo) 15-7 (4.75)
(14-7¼, 15-1 [2], 15-5 [3], 15-7, 15-9 [xxx]) (4.45, 4.60 [2], 4.70 [3], 4.75, 4.80 [xxx]);
=4. Yana Hladiychuk (Ukr) 15-1 (4.60)
(14-1¼, 14-7¼ [2], 15-1, 15-5 [xxx]) (4.30, 4.45 [2], 4.60, 4.70 [xxx]);
=4. Angelica Moser (Swi) 15-1 (4.60)
(14-7¼ [2], 15-1, 15-5 [xxx]) (4.45 [2], 4.60, 4.70 [xxx])
6. Olivia McTaggart (NZ) 15-1 (4.60) PR
(14-1¼, 14-7¼ PR, 15-1 [3], 15-5 [xxx]) (4.30, 4.45 PR, 4.60 [3], 4.70 [xxx]);
7. Huiqin Xu (Chn) 14-7¼ (4.45); 8. Elisa Molinarolo (Ita) 14-7¼; 9. Amálie Švábíková (CzR) 14-7¼; 10. Margot Chevrier (Fra) 14-7¼ (4.45); 11. Roberta Bruni (Ita) 14-1¼ (4.30).
Long Jump: Ivana Vuleta (Serbia) 23-2 WL
Much to the delight of a raucous home crowd, Ivana Vuleta — still better known to an international audience by her maiden name of Španović after getting married last fall — successfully defended her crown on home soil.
The 31-year-old Serbian took the lead in the second round with 22-7¼ (6.89), which itself would have been good enough for gold, before extending her advantage when she reached a year-leading 23-2 (7.06).
The winning distance was the first 23-footer (or 7m) jump this year and the arena resounded to chants of ‘I-VAN-A’ before, during and after her remaining two attempts, both of which were fouls.
Behind Vuleta, it was the third round that decided the other medals.
Nigeria’s Ese Brume flew out to 22-5¾ (6.85) followed shortly afterwards by Britain’s Lorraine Ugen — who won NCAA titles indoors and out while at TCU — reaching 22-4½ (6.82).
Both jumps remained the pair’s best and held up for the silver and bronze as well as having the effect of pushing the U.S. duo of Tiffany Flynn and Quanesha Burks off the podium.
Flynn jumped 22-3 (6.78) in the second round, just 2cm shy of her career best set outdoors when she finished in the same position at last summer’s OT, while Burks never improved from her 22-2½ (6.77) opener and ended the evening one place and one centimeter in arrears of her teammate in 5th. /Phil Minshull/
RESULTS
1. Ivana Vuleta (Ser) 23-2 (7.06) (WL)
(f, 22-7¼, f, 23-2, f, f) (f, 6.89, f, 7.06, f, f);
2. Ese Brume (Ngr) 22-5¾ (6.85) PR
(20-5, 21-2¾, 22-5¾, 21-10¼, 22-2¼, 21-10¾) (6.22, 6.47, 6.85, 6.66, 6.76, 6.67);
3. Lorraine Ugen (GB) 22-4½ (6.82)
(f, f, 22-4½, f, 22-3, f) (f, f, 6.82, f, 6.78, f);
4. Tiffany Flynn (US) 22-3 (6.78) PR
(21-11¾ PR, 22-3 PR, 21-1¼, 21-10, 21-4¼, f) (6.70, 6.78, 6.43, 6.65, 6.51, f);
5. Quanesha Burks (US) 22-2½ (6.77)
(22-2½, 21-4¼, 22-2¼, 21-9, 20-9¼, 21-5¼) (6.77, 6.51, 6.76, 6.63, 6.33, 6.53);
6. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 22-1 (6.73)
(f, f, 21-11, 22-1, f, f) (f, f, 6.68, 6.73, f, f);
7. Fatima Diame (Spa) 22-¼ (6.71) PR
(f, 21-8, 22-¼, f, f, f) (f, 6.60, 6.71, f, f, f);
8. Ruth Usoro (Ngr) 21-11½ (6.69); 9. Milica Gardašević (Ser) 21-7½ (6.59); 10. Larissa Iapichino (Ita) 21-6¾ (6.57); 11. Akela Inatta-Jones (Bar) 21-6 (6.55); 12. Khaddi Sagnia (Swe) 21-¾ (6.42); 13. Anasztázia Nguyen (Hun) 20-11¾ (6.39) ; 14. Florentina Costina Iusco (Rom) 20-5¾ (6.24);… 3f—Eliane Martins (Bra).
Triple Jump: Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela) 51-7¾ WR
For two-thirds of the competition Yulimar Rojas looked slightly out of sorts despite jumping well over 49ft twice and leading comfortably with her first-round 49-10 (15.19).
After struggling to hit the board squarely with her first four jumps, two of which were long fouls, everything finally came together for the Olympic champion/WR holder in the fifth stanza with a MR-equaling 50-4¾ (15.36).
However, this was just a prelude to the fireworks the 26-year-old Venezuelan ignited with the very last jump of the competition, having already secured her third successive WIC gold medal.
Finally hitting the board true, she executed a near-perfect jump to reach 51-7¼ (15.74), the longest women’s mark the world has ever seen.
From an indoor perspective, it added more than a foot to her previous WR of 50-7½ (15.43); in absolute terms, it topped her outdoor standard of 51-5 (15.67) set in Tokyo last August.
“The first four jumps were not that great, but I was looking across at my coach [Cuban long jump great Iván Pedroso] and we are almost like one person; we understand each other perfectly and I knew what adjustments I had to make,” reflected Rojas.
Rojas won by the staggering metric margin of exactly a meter from Ukraine’s inspired Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, who has only been training for the event a few months.
Ukraine’s ’21 European long jump champion was lying down in 8th at the start of the last round but added no less than 40cm to her best with a final jump of 48-4½ (14.74) to leap into the silver medal position, pushing Jamaica’s Kim Williams back to 3rd although the Florida State alum and 4-time NCAA champion also improved in the final round with a PR 47-11¾ (16.62) to confirm her bronze.
USATF champion Keturah Orji again made the cut of a major international event and finished 7th with 47-3¼ (14.42) while teammate Tori Franklin was down in 13th with 45-7 (13.89). /Phil Minshull/
RESULTS
1. Yulimar Rojas (Ven) 51-7¾ (15.74) WR, Absolute WR (old WR 50-7½/15.43 Rojas ’20; old absolute WR 51-5/15.67 Rojas ’21)
(49-10 [x, 7 W], f, 49-4¼, f, 50-4¾ [x, =3 W], 51-7¾) (15.19, f, 15.04, f, 15.36, 15.74);
2. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 48-4½ (14.74) PR
(46-10¼, 46-2, f, f, f, 48-4½) (14.28, 14.07, f, f, f, 14.74);
3. Kim Williams (Jam) 47-11¾ (14.62) PR
(47-10½ PR, f, 47-3, 45-3, f, 47-11¾) (14.59, f, 14.40, 13.79, f, 14.62);
4. Thea Lafond (Dom) 47-8 (14.53)
(47-8, f, 45-3¾, 45-5, 47-4¼, f) (14.53, f, 13.81, 13.84, 14.43, f);
5. Liadagmis Povea (Cub) 47-5 (14.45)
(46-5½, 47-1¾, 46-8, 47-4¼, 47-5, 46-5¼) (14.16, 14.37, 14.22, 14.43, 14.45, 14.15);
6. Patrícia Mamona (Por) 47-3¾ (14.42)
(46-10, 46-8¾, 47-3¾, f, f, 47-3¾) (14.27, 14.24, 14.42, f, f, 14.42);
7. Keturah Orji (US) 47-3¾ (14.42)
(46-9, 47-1, 47-2½, 46-6¾, 47-3¾, 47-1½) (14.25, 14.35, 14.39, 14.19, 14.42, 14.36);
8. Ana Peleteiro (Spa) 46-11 (14.30); 9. Kristiina Mäkelä (Fin) 46-4¾ (14.14); 10. Neja Filipič (Slo) 46-4¼ (14.13) PR; 11. Leyanis Pérez (Cub) 45-10¾ (13.99); 12. Neele Eckhardt-Noack (Ger) 45-9¾ (13.96); 13. Tori Franklin (US) 45-7 (13.89); 14. Hanna Minenko (Isr) 45-4½ (13.83); 15. Dariya Derkach (Ita) 44-10¼ (13.67); 16. Jovana Ilić (Ser) 43-10 (13.36).
Shot: Auriol Dongmo (Portugal) 65-3½ WL
Chase Ealey exploded with the best throw of her life in round 5 to move into the top position. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be enough, as Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo came back with the best meet of her life to claim the gold.
The early rounds had given no hint of the drama to come. By the end of 3, Olympic 4th-placer Dongmo, led at 63-4¾ (19.32), followed by Swede Fanny Roos (63-¾/19.22) and Ealey (62-8½/19.11).
In round 4, Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands popped a big 63-10¼ (19.46), taking the lead and knocking Ealey off the podium. The American’s response in the next sequence was magnificent: 66-3¾ (20.21) to tie the American Record set by Michelle Carter in winning World Indoor gold in ’16. The heave would give her, for a few minutes, a taste of both gold and the yearly world lead.
Then the 31-year-old Dongmo promptly destroyed her PR of 65-3½ (19.90) with a list leader of her own 67-½ (20.43). Both then fouled their final attempts.
Said the winner, who had produced the longest indoor throw since March of ’14, “Finally, I managed to show my best result at the right time and at the right place.”
Ealey, understandably, had mixed emotions: “It’s always disappointing not to win the gold but I feel that as I set a PB, I couldn’t have done any better.” /Jeff Hollobaugh/
RESULTS
1. Auriol Dongmo (Por) 67-½ (20.43) NR (WL)
(63-4¾, 63-4¾, f, f, 67-½, f) (19.32, 19.32, f, f, 20.43, f);
2. Chase Ealey (US) 66-3¾ (20.21) =AR (=AR Michelle Carter [Nik] ’16) (in/out: 2, =3 A)
(61-2¼, 62-8½, 61-11½, 61-1¼, 66-3¾ [WL], f) (18.65, 19.11, 18.88, 18.62, 20.21, f);
3. Jessica Schilder (Neth) 63-11 (19.48)
(62-4½, 62-4½, 62-3¼, 63-10¼, 62-3¼, 63-11) (19.01, 19.01, 18.98, 19.46, 18.98, 19.48);
4. Fanny Roos (Swe) 63-¾ (19.22)
(61-2¾, f, 63-¾, f, 58-3¼, 59-10¼) (18.66, f, 19.22, f, 17.76, 18.24);
5. Maggie Ewen (US) 62-10 (19.15)
(59-7, 60-2, f, 62-10, f, f) (18.16, 18.34, f, 19.15, f, f);
6. Danniel Thomas-Dodd (Jam) 62-8¾ (19.12) (f, 61-7, f, 60-3¾, 62-8¾, f) (f, 18.77, f, 18.38, 19.12, f);
7. Sarah Mitton (Can) 62-5 (19.02) (f, 59-8½, f, f, f, 62-5) (f, 18.20, f, f, f, 19.02);
8. Sophie McKinna (GB) 61-1¼ (18.62)
(60-4½, 61-1¼, f, f, 58-11½, 59-8¼) (18.40, 18.62, f, f, 17.97, 18.19);
9. Sara Gambetta (Ger) 59-7½ (18.17)
(59-7, 59-7½, 57-11¼) (18.16, 18.17, 17.66);
10. Dimitriana Bezede (Mol) 59-3½ (18.07)
(57-10½, f, 59-3½) (17.64, f, 18.07);
11. Katharina Maisch (Ger) 58-6 (17.83)
(58-6, f, f) (17.83, f, f);
12. Jessica Inchude (Por) 57-8¼ (17.58)
(57-8¼, 56-8, f) (17.58, 17.27, f);
13. Amelia Strickler (GB) 55-3¾ (16.86)
(55-¾, 54-10¾, 55-3¾) (16.78, 16.73, 16.86);
14. Livia Avancini (Bra) 55-3½ (16.85)
(54-2½, 53-11, 55-3½) (16.52, 16.43, 16.85);
15. Ivana Gallardo (Chl) 52-9¼ (16.08)
(49-5, 52-9¼, 51-10½) (15.06, 16.08, 15.81).
Pentathlon: Noor Vidts (Belgium) 4929 WL
She suffered through the agony of finishing 4th in the Olympics, just 20 points off the podium, but Noor Vidts came up all roses here.
The opening event found the 24-year-old Belgian chopping 0.09 off her PR as she co-led the 60H at 8.15 with Britain’s Holly Mills. Kendell Williams, with a seasonal best of 8.20, was next ahead of fellow American Chari Hawkins’ 8.24.
Adriana Sułek, the yearly world leader at 4756 points, topped the high jump, equaling her PR with 6-2¼ (1.89) as no one else got beyond 6-0 (1.83). One of those was Vidts, just a centimeter off her PR.
The morning session concluded with the shot, which was won by Vidts with 46-½ (14.03) from Hawkins 46-0 (14.02). At that point the consistent Vidts led with 2907, closely followed by Sułek (2895) and Hawkins (2886), with a gap of more than 100 back to Williams (2777).
The long jump was the most dramatic event of the competition. Sułek 21-1¼ (6.43) and Vidts 21-8 (6.60) opened with PRs, Williams was solid with 21-¼ (6.41), and produced a jump of 21-11½ (6.69) in the third round — equaling the meet record — but Hawkins fouled out, losing a chance of a medal.
Vidts was now looking like a gold Medalist with 3947, ahead of Sułek (3880), Williams (3846) and Mills (3708).
Mills led the 800 for 3 laps, but Vidts comfortably crossed the line first at 2:08.81 to score a year-leading 4929. Sułek was a clear runner-up with a Polish Record 4851, as Williams just held off Mills, 4680 AL to 4673, for bronze. /Richard Hymans/
RESULTS
1. Noor Vidts (Bel) 4929 NR (WL) (7, 12 W)
(8.15, 6-0/1.83, 46-½/14.03, 21-8/6.60, 2:08.81);
2. Adrianna Sułek (Pol) 4851 NR
(8.36, 6-2¼/1.89, 43-11¾/13.40, 21-1¼/6.43, 2:09.56);
3. Kendell Williams (US) 4680 (AL) (x, 11 A)
(8.20, 5-10¾/1.80, 42-½/12.81, 21-11½/6.69, 2:19.23);
4. Holly Mills (GB) 4673 PR
(8.15, 5-8½/1.74, 44-10¾/13.68, 20-7¼/6.28, 2:09.97);
5. Dorota Skřivanová (CzR) 4566 PR
(8.47, 5-10¾/1.80, 42-4/12.90, 20-8½/6.31, 2:14.73);
6. Claudia Conte (Spa) 4499 PR
(8.62, 6-0/1.83, 41-9¼/12.73, 20-1½/6.13, 2:15.00);
7. Leonie Cambours (Fra) 4442
(8.37, 6-0/1.83, 39-4½/12.00, 19-7½/5.98, 2:16.21);
8. Sarah Lagger (Aut) 4391
(8.76, 5-9¾/1.77, 43-1¾/13.15, 19-8¾/6.01, 2:14.57);
9. Sveva Gerevini (Ita) 4377
(8.35, 5-6/1.68, 38-4¼/11.69, 20-8½/6.31, 2:13.77);
10. Yuliya Loban (Ukr) 4192
(8.61, 5-8½/1.74, 44-2¾/13.48, 18-8¾/5.71, 2:23.64);
… dnf—Chari Hawkins (US)
(8.24, 6-0/1.83, 46-0/14.02, nm, dnc),
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GB)
(8.45, 6-0/1.83, 42-8¾/13.02, 19-11½/6.08, dnc).