ZAGREB, CROATIA, September 14 — Barred by DSD regulations from her former flagship event, the 800, Francine Niyonsaba has been breaking through at longer distances. Just 6 days after winning the DL 5000 final she dropped down to the rarely run 2000 at the Hanžeković Memorial, her 5:21.56 smashing the WR of 5:23.75 set indoors by Genzebe Dibaba in ’17.
Niyonsaba followed the rabbits through laps of 64.50, 2:09.22 and 3:13.91 (halfway going by in 2:41.37). With Olympic 1500m 4th-placer Freweyni Gebreezibeher in close attendance, Niyonsaba hit the bell at 4:20.23, meaning she needed a 63.51 final go-round. She was well under that with her 61.33 and the WR was hers.
Said the 28-year-old Burundian, “I am feeling seriously wonderful. I didn’t realize I could run a World Record, but it was my first time here. I came here to do what I have to do. I did it. It’s wonderful and it’s fabulous. The pacing was really perfect.”
American throwers had a good night, Ryan Crouser bashing an otherworldly 74-11¼ (22.84) in the shot to easily beat Kiwi Tom Walsh’s 73-5½ (22.39) and Valarie Allman continuing her discus hot streak with the No. 5 U.S. throw of all time, 228-5 (69.63), beating local hero Sandra Perković by just over 10 feet.
American men were also hot on the straightaway, where Devon Allen’s 12.99 win earned him membership in the sub-13 club and Marvin Bracy’s 9.86 beat Ronnie Baker by 0.11 with Trayvon Bromell another 0.06 back.
ZAGREB MEN’S RESULTS
(CT Gold)
100(0.8): 1. Marvin Bracy (US) 9.86; 2. Ronnie Baker (US) 9.97; 3. Trayvon Bromell (US) 10.03; 4. Kyree King (US) 10.17; 5. Julian Forte (Jam) 10.20.
400: 1. Kirani James (Grn) 44.46; 2. Isaac Makwala (Bot) 45.15; 3. Edoardo Scotti (Ita) 45.30; 4. Patrik Šorm (CzR) 45.41 PR; 5. Dylan Borlée (Bel) 46.25.
800: 1. Catalin Tecuceanu (Rom) 1:44.93 NR; 2. Daniel Rowden (GB) 1:44.98; 3. Elliot Giles (GB) 1:45.01; 4. Peter Bol (Aus) 1:45.31; 5. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:45.53; 6. Michael Saruni (Ken) 1:45.60; 7. Elias Ngeny (Ken) 1:45.81; 8. Thomas Randolph (GB) 1:45.83.
St: 1. Getnet Wale (Eth) 8:12.01; 2. Abraham Seme (Eth) 8:14.46; 3. Ibrahim Ezzaydouny (Spa) 8:14.86.
110H(0.7): 1. Devon Allen (US) 12.99 PR; 2. Ronald Levy (Jam) 13.11; 3. Hansle Parchment (Jam) 13.12; 4. Petr Svoboda (CzR) 13.51; 5. David King (GB) 13.56; 6. Keiso Pedriks (Est) 13.63 PR.
Field Events
PV: 1. KC Lightfoot (US) 19-3 (5.87) (missed 19-5/5.92); 2. Sam Kendricks (US) 19-1 (5.82); 3. Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 19-1 PR; 4. Valentin Lavillenie (Fra) 19-1 =PR; 5. Chris Nilsen (US) 19-1 (5.82); 6. Simen Guttormsen (Nor) 18-5¼ (5.62) =PR.
SP: 1. Ryan Crouser (US) 74-11¼ (22.84) (72-9¾, 74-1¾, 72-4½, 74-11¼, 72-8½, 73-11) (22.19, 22.60, 22.06, 22.84, 22.16, 22.53); 2. Tom Walsh (NZ) 73-5½ (22.39) (71-4, 69-6¼, 70-2½, 70-7, 73-5½, 70-10¾) (21.74, 21.19, 21.40, 21.51, 22.39, 21.61); 3. Joe Kovacs (US) 71-2½ (21.70) (67-8¾, 69-11¾, 71-2½, 69-6¾, 68-¼, f) (20.64, 21.33, 21.70, 21.20, 20.73, f);
4. Armin Sinančević (Ser) 70-4½ (21.45); 5. Filip Mihaljević (Cro) 69-9 (21.26); 6. Josh Awotunde (US) 69-6¼ (21.19); 7. Nick Ponzio (Ita) 67-10¾ (20.69).
DT: 1. Daniel Ståhl (Swe) 222-5 (67.79); 2. Lukas Weißhaidinger (Aut) 217-2 (66.21); 3. Kristjan Čeh (Slo) 213-9 (65.17); 4. Simon Pettersson (Swe) 212-6 (64.77);
5. Fedrick Dacres (Jam) 212-3 (64.69); 6. Lawrence Okoye (GB) 211-6 (64.46); 7. Martin Marković (Cro) 204-7 (62.36).
ZAGREB WOMEN’S RESULTS
200(0.3): 1. Christine Mboma (Nam) 22.04 (x, 6 WJ);
2. Shericka Jackson (Jam) 22.30; 3. Anthonique Strachan (Bah) 23.05; 4. Shashalee Forbes (Jam) 23.37; 5. Moa Hjelmer (Swe) 23.58; 6. Line Kloster (Nor) 23.86.
2000: 1. Francine Niyonsaba (Bur) 5:21.56 WR (old WR 5:23.75i Genzebe Dibaba [Eth] ’17) (4:20.23);
2. Freweyni Gebreezibeher (Eth) 5:25.86 NR (4, 4 W); 3. Dawit Seyaum (Eth) 5:32.40 PR; 4. Kristiina Mäki (CzR) 5:36.06 NR; 5. Svetlana Aplachkina (Rus) 5:36.30 PR; 6. Mercy Cherono (Ken) 5:37.00;… rabbits—Maja Pačarić (Cro) (64.50), Esther Guerrero (Spa) (2:09.22, 2:41.37, 3:13.91).
100H(0.3): 1. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.61; 2. Klaudia Siciarz (Pol) 13.02; 3. Reetta Hurske (Fin) 13.13; 4. Luca Kozák (Hun) 13.20;… dnf—Christina Clemons (US).
400H: 1. Gianna Woodruff (Pan) 54.67; 2. Anna Ryzhykova (Ukr) 54.87; 3. Janieve Russell (Jam) 55.45; 4. Ayomide Folorunso (Ita) 55.56; 5. Melissa Gonzalez (Col) 55.63.
Field Events
TJ: 1. Shanieka Ricketts (Jam) 48-5½ (14.77) (47-¼, 47-1¾, 46-¾, 46-4¾, 48-5½, 48-¾) (14.33, 14.37, 14.04, 14.14, 14.77, 14.65); 2. Neja Filipič (Slo) 47-1¾ (14.37) PR; 3. Senni Salminen (Fin) 46-8¾ (14.24); 4. Thea Lafond (Dom) 46-6 (14.17).
DT: 1. Valarie Allman (US) 228-5 (69.63) (x, 5 A) (210-8, 221-10, 225-11 [x, 9 A], 208-9, f, 228-5) (64.22, 67.61, 68.87, 63.64, f, 69.63);
2. Sandra Perković (Cro) 218-1 (66.48); 3. Shadae Lawrence (Jam) 199-6 (60.80); 4. Julia Harting (Ger) 193-9 (59.06); 5. Lisa Brix Pedersen (Den) 189-10 (57.87).
JT: 1. Madara Palameika (Lat) 207-6 (63.25);
2. Adriana Vilagoš (Ser) 204-7 (62.36) PR (5, 6 WJ) (202-2, 201-3, 203-10 PR [5, 7 WJ), 204-7, 196-8, 200-4) (61.62, 61.35, 62.12, 62.36, 59.95, 61.06);
3. Réka Szilágyi (Hun) 192-1 (58.56); 4. Sanne Erkkola (Fin) 191-9 (58.45); 5. Sara Kolak (Cro) 189-4 (57.72). ◻︎