Zagreb, Croatia, September 04—With the end of a long season approaching, the the year’s final IAAF World Challenge meet produced a mixed bag of performances. While the efforts of some athletes reflected the fatigue of an extended outdoor grind, others were able to dig down deep and produce some impressive late-season showings.
The affair opened with the men’s shot staged at dusk in the beautiful park-like Lenuci Horseshoe on the eve of the competition proper. Olympic champion Ryan Crouser vented some of the frustration of a season with some major losses with a fourth-round bomb of 72-5¾ (22.09), a put strong enough to vanquish new Diamond League champion Tom Walsh’s 71-5½ (21.78), giving the American a 5–3 lead in the yearly meetings between the two fierce rivals.
Other field-event highlights included a meet record vault by Diamond League champion Timur Morgunov (18-10¾ /5.76), discus victories by local favorite Sandra Perković (221-9/67.60) and Fedrick Dacres (a meet record 223-8/68.17), and a long jump win by Luvo Manyonga (27-9¼/8.46).
Nigel Amos uncorked a strong surge over the final 230m to capture the 800 in 1:44.08. “When I feel good with 200m to go, nobody can beat me,” declared the Botswanan winner, who stormed away from Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski (1:44.43) and Kenya’s Jonathan Kitlit (1:44.50), with Olympic bronze medalist Clayton Murphy fading to 6th (1:45.79).
Great starts settled the short dashes quickly. Ivory Coast speedster Marie-Josée Ta Lou (11.05) broke first and was never headed in the women’s 100. On the men’s side U.S. veteran Mike Rodgers (10.06) executed his usual quick getaway and held off Jamaican Tyquendo Tracey (10.18).
Andrea Ivančević set a Croatian Record 12.85 in the 100H, but she couldn’t rattle the high-powered American trio of Sharika Nelson (12.65), Brianna McNeal (12.66) and Christina Manning (12.79) who finished 1-2-3 ahead of her. The race marked the final competition of revered U.S. hurdler Dawn Harper-Nelson (7th in 13.25). One of the great hurdlers of all time, now 34, paused when asked how she would like to be remembered. “If you had to bet, you knew you’d put your money on Dawn because you know I’ll get the job done. I actually left that print on track & field. So that’s what I am,” offered the multiple-time global medalist. In response to a final inquiry about what’s next for her, the ’08 Olympic champion blurted, “Babies!”
ZAGREB IWC MEN’S RESULTS
Zagreb, Croatia, September 04—
100(0.8): 1. Mike Rodgers (US) 10.08; 2. Tyquendo Tracey (Jam) 10.18; 3. Aaron Brown (Can) 10.24; 4. Isiah Young (US) 10.25; 5. Kyle Greaux (Tri) 10.33; 6. Mouhamadou Fall (Fra) 10.41; 7. Arthur Gue Cissé (CI) 10.49; 8. Ncincihli Titi (SA) 10.52.
200(-0.3): 1. Alonso Edward (Pan) 20.17; 2. Aaron Brown (Can) 20.23; 3. Titi 20.48; 4. Ramil Guliyev (Tur) 20.79; 5. Leon Reid (Ire) 20.86; 6. Paul Dedewo (US) 20.91; 7. Fred Kerley (US) 21.07.
400: 1. Luka Janežič (Slo) 46.03; 2. Mohammad Nasser Abbas (Qat) 46.04; 3. Martyn Rooney (GB) 46.13; 4. Rabah Yousif (GB) 46.26.
800: 1. Nijel Amos (Bot) 1:44.08; 2. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) 1:44.43; 3. Jonathan Kitilit (Ken) 1:44.50; 4. Cornelius Tuwei (Ken) 1:44.66; 5. Mostafa Smaili (Mor) 1:44.90 PR; 6. Clayton Murphy (US) 1:45.79; 7. Amel Tuka (Bos) 1:46.57; 8. Žan Rudolf (Slo) 1:46.97; 9. Guy Learmonth (GB) 1:47.43.
1500: 1. Elijah Manangoi (Ken) 3:32.52; 2. Yomif Kejelcha (Eth) 3:32.59 PR; 3. Ayanleh Souleiman (Dji) 3:33.93; 4. Abdelaati Iguider (Mor) 3:34.21; 5. Bethwel Birgen (Ken) 3:34.57; 6. Filip Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 3:35.66; 7. Brahim Kaazouzi (Mor) 3:35.72; 8. Nick Willis (NZ) 3:36.10; 9. Henrik Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 3:36.46; 10. Kalle Berglund (Swe) 3:36.51 PR; 11. Ryan Gregson (Aus) 3:37.26; 12. George Manangoi (Ken) 3:37.35; 13. Elzan Bibic (Ser) 3:37.79.
110H(0.7): 1. Orlando Ortega (Spa) 13.39; 2. Devon Allen (US) 13.50; 3. Freddie Crittenden (US) 13.52; 4. Vladimir Vukicevic (Nor) 13.67; 5. David King (GB) 13.74; 6. Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (Fra) 13.76; 7. Koen Smet (Hol) 13.85; 8. Shane Brathwaite (Bar) 13.88.
Field Events
PV: 1. Timur Morgunov (Rus) 18-10¾ (5.76); 2. Sondre Guttormsen (Nor) 18-2¾ (5.56); 3. Melker Svärd Jacobsson (Swe) 17-7 (5.36); 4. Charlie Myers (GB) 17-3 (5.26); 5. Shawn Barber (Can) 17-3;… nh—Thiago Braz (Bra).
LJ: 1. Luvo Manyonga (SA) 27-9¼ (8.46) (27-9¼, 27-¾, 27-8¾, 27-2¾, p, f) (8.46, 8.25, 8.45, 8.30, p, f); 2. Tomasz Jaszczuk (Pol) 26-2¼ (7.98); 3. Thobias Nilsson Montler (Swe) 25-10¾ (7.89); 4. Serhii Nykyforov (Ukr) 25-10¼ (7.88); 5. Zarck Visser (SA) 25-3½ (7.71).
SP: 1. Ryan Crouser (US) 72-5¾ (22.09) (66-11½, 69-9¾, 69-8¼, 72-5¾, f, 71-8) (20.41, 21.28, 21.24, 22.09, f, 21.84);
2. Tom Walsh (NZ) 71-5½ (21.78) (70-7¾, 68-9¾, 70-4¼, 69-8¼, 69-6, 71-5½) (21.53, 20.97, 21.44, 21.24, 21.18, 21.78);
3. David Storl (Ger) 70-5 (21.46); 4. Michał Haratyk (Pol) 69-8¼ (21.24); 5. Tomáš Staněk (CzR) 69-1¼ (21.06); 6. Damien Birkinhead (Aus) 66-11¼ (20.40); 7. Franck Elemba (Con) 66-3¾ (20.21); 8. Stipe Žunić (Cro) 65-7½ (20.00); 9. Kemal Mešić (Bos) 64-2¼ (19.56).
DT: 1. Fedrick Dacres (Jam) 223-8 (68.17) (211-0, f, 213-7, 213-11, f, 223-8) (64.33, f, 65.11, 65.21, f, 68.17); 2. Lukas Weißhaidinger (Aut) 211-7 (64.50); 3. Mason Finley (US) 210-8 (64.21); 4. Traves Smikle (Jam) 209-2 (63.75); 5. Robert Urbanek (Pol) 207-1 (63.13); 6. Simon Pettersson (Swe) 200-4 (61.07); 7. Axel Härstedt (Swe) 198-10 (60.61); 8. Filip Mihaljević (Cro) 197-0 (60.04).
ZAGREB IWC WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(0.5): 1. Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CI) 11.05; 2. Michelle-Lee Ahye (Tri) 11.28; 3. Daryll Neita (GB) 11.33; 4. Kerron Stewart (Jam) 11.43; 5. Crystal Emmanuel (Can) 11.46; 6. Blessing Okagbare (Ngr) 11.47; 7. Dezerea Bryant (US) 11.51.
400: 1. Salwa Eid Naser (Bhr) 50.54; 2. Stephenie Ann McPherson (Jam) 51.20; 3. Lisanne de Witte (Hol) 52.30;
4. Anyika Onuora (GB) 52.33; 5. Justyna Święty-Ersetic (Pol) 52.61; 6. Laura de Witte (Hol) 53.36; 7. Laviai Nielsen (GB) 53.73.
3000: 1. Lilian Rengeruk (Ken) 8:33.37; 2. Norah Tanui (Ken) 8:33.61 PR; 3. Gudaf Tsegay (Eth) 8:33.78 PR; 4. Kalkidan Gezahegne (Bhr) 8:34.65 PR; 5. Susan Krumins (Hol) 8:37.21; 6. Alemaz Teshale (Eth) 8:37.68 PR; 7. Axumawit Embaye (Eth) 8:43.83 PR; 8. Loice Chemnung (Ken) 8:45.28.
100H(0.1): 1. Sharika Nelvis (US) 12.65; 2. Brianna McNeal (US) 12.66; 3. Christina Manning (US) 12.79; 4. Andrea Ivančević (Cro) 12.85 NR; 5. Cindy Roleder (Ger) 12.99; 6. Elvira Herman (Blr) 13.10; 7. Dawn Harper Nelson (US) 13.25 (last race); 8. Ivana Lončarek (Cro) 13.28.
400H: 1. Anna Ryzhykova (Ukr) 55.89; 2. Viktoriya Tkachuk (Ukr) 56.24; 3. Meghan Beesley (GB) 56.43; 4. Line Kloster (Nor) 57.15; 5. Wenda Nel (SA) 57.29.
Field Events
TJ: 1. Elena Andreea Panţuroiu (Rom) 44-8¾ (13.63).
DT: 1. Sandra Perković (Cro) 221-9 (67.60) (f, 216-10, 221-9, f, 215-10, 211-4) (f, 66.10, 67.60, f, 65.80, 64.43); 2. Yaimé Pérez (Cub) 212-6 (64.78); 3. Valarie Allman (US) 201-4 (61.38); 4. Andressa de Morais (Bra) 199-3 (60.75); 5. Nadine Müller (Ger) 197-1 (60.08). □
