Chorzów DL Men — Ingebrigtsen Inches Toward El G’s WR

“You cannot always think about records,” said Jakob Ingebrigtsen after finishing nearly 2 seconds clear of an estimable 1500 field. (JIRO MOCHIZUKI)

CHORZÓW, POLAND, July 16 — With Hicham El Guerrouj’s global 1500 standard having celebrated its 25th birthday just two days earlier, Jakob Ingebrigtsen made another spirited attempt to bring it down at the Skolimowska Memorial. The Norwegian’s 3:27.14 moved him to No. 4 all-time in giving the record its closest scare in 8 years.

The pacing for the event survived a fright of its own when rabbit-extraordinaire Erik Sowinski — delayed by flight problems — barely arrived in time for the event. Yet he played his critical role flawlessly. First France’s Mounir Akbache led off with a 54.62, then Sowinski guided the strung-out pack through 800 in 1:50.72. He dropped 100 later, leaving Australia’s Stewart McSweyn to take Ingebrigtsen through 1200 in 2:46.82.

A quarter-century ago, El Guerrouj had passed that post in 2:46.4, running alone since 1000. The Moroccan finished in 39.66 for his last 300. Ingebrigtsen would need better than a 39.18.

It wasn’t to be, as Ingebrigtsen crossed the line in 3:27.14 to cut 0.79 from his European Record, leading the next 7 runners to PRs of their own. Kenyan Abel Kipsang ran 3:29.11 in 2nd, bettering the time he set in finishing 4th in the Tokyo Olympics. In 3rd, Raynold Kipkorir ran 3:30.30 to move to No. 5 all-time among Juniors. He finished inches ahead of Andrew Coscoran’s Irish Record 3:30.42. Back in 11th, Aussie teen Cameron Myers set a World Youth Record 3:33.26.

Said Ingebrigtsen, “Today I wanted a fast race and I wanted to run another sub-3:28. I knew if I could do that, there was a big risk of setting another PB. The pacemakers helped a lot today, especially with Stewart McSweyn taking over on the third lap. It is not every day that you get one of the best runners in the world to help you run fast.

“This result was the best I could hope for today. You cannot always think about records. Today I wanted one, but I will now be focusing completely on getting ready for the World Championships.”

A much-awaited match-up in the sprints featured undefeated world champion Fred Kerley facing off against the surprise winner of the USATF 100, Cravont Charleston. For 98m, that’s exactly the battle that the fans got, as Charleston produced a lightning start and Kerley worked hard to run him down.

Yet just as Kerley passed Charleston before the line, he got passed himself, with South African Akani Simbine leaning best to take the win in 9.97. Kerley crossed in 9.98, the same time as Canada’s Emmanuel Eseme in 3rd. That left Charleston inches away from the win but only 4th with his 9.99.

Said Simbine, “I wasn’t sure getting to the line that I won, but then I heard my name.” It was only the second time in 9 meetings that he had beaten the American.

Kerley couldn’t have been too thrilled, but said, “Nothing was missing. I got my job done.”

The 400 showed that the Wayde van Niekerk of old is more than just a memory. The South African World Record holder ran a blazing second half to record his fastest time in nearly 6 years. His 44.08 easily handled Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori (44.61) and hurdler Alison dos Santos (44.73—his second-fastest time ever).

Farther back was a crew of Americans: Ryan Willie (44.77), U.S. champ Bryce Deadmon (44.81), and Vernon Norwood (44.88).

“Things are moving in a positive direction,” said van Niekerk, who just turned 31. “This shows that 43 seconds is possible.”

Olympic co-champion Mutaz Barshim didn’t have a miss in the high jump until 7-8 (2.34). That put his Olympic counterpart Gianmarco Tamberi into the lead at what would for both of them be an outdoor list-leading mark, with Tamberi clearing on his second, Barshim on his third. Yet the next bar, 7-8¾ (2.36), would be decisive, with Barshim the only one to make it. “I am on my way back,” he said. “I’ve been ill over the past month.”

After dispatching his vault competitors with a clearance at 19-8½ (6.01), Mondo Duplantis quipped, “Every time you win and jump 6m, it is a good day.” His attempts at 20-1¼ (6.13) were not close.

Ryan Crouser won the shot at 73-11¾ (22.55), but he was more pleased with a foul he had measured at 76-3¾ (23.26). “I had that 70cm extra in me, but overall I am happy. It was a good way to start the European tour.”


CHORZÓW MEN’S RESULTS

100(0.0): 1. Akani Simbine (SA) 9.97; 2. Fred Kerley (US) 9.98; 3. Emmanuel Eseme (Cam) 9.98; 4. Cravont Charleston (US) 9.99; 5. Yohan Blake (Jam) 10.01; 6. Marvin Bracy-Williams (US) 10.10; 7. Ackeem Blake (Jam) 10.15; 8. PJai Austin (US) 10.23.

400: 1. Wayde van Niekerk (SA) 44.08 (fastest since 8/17); 2. Bayapo Ndori (Bot) 44.61 =PR; 3. Alison dos Santos (Bra) 44.73; 4. Zakithi Nene (SA) 44.74 =PR; 5. Ryan Willie (US) 44.77; 6. Bryce Deadmon (US) 44.81; 7. Vernon Norwood (US) 44.88;… dnf—Muzala Samukonga (Zam).

1500: 1. Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 3:27.14 NR (WL) (4, 8 W);

2. Abel Kipsang (Ken) 3:29.11 PR;

3. Raynold Kipkorir (Ken) 3:30.30 PR (5, 5 WJ);

4. Andrew Coscoran (Ire) 3:30.42 NR; 5. Samuel Tanner (NZ) 3:31.24 PR; 6. Vincent Keter (Ken) 3:31.28 PR; 7. Isaac Nader (Por) 3:31.49 PR; 8. George Mills (GB) 3:31.54 PR; 9. Azeddine Habz (Fra) 3:31.61; 10. Elliot Giles (GB) 3:33.00;

11. Cameron Myers (Aus) 3:33.26 WYR (old WYR 3:33.72 Nicholas Kemboi [Ken] ’06);

12. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (Can) 3:33.29; 13. Adrián Ben (Spa) 3:33.50 PR; 14. Sam Prakel (US) 3:40.09;… rabbits—Mounir Akbache (Fra) (54.62), Erik Sowinski (US) (1:50.72), Stewart McSweyn (Aus) (2:46.82).

St: 1. Soufiane El Bakkali (Mor) 8:03.16 (5:22.72); 2. Abraham Kibiwot (Ken) 8:08.03; 3. Leonard Bett (Ken) 8:09.45; 4. Abraham Seme (Eth) 8:10.68 PR; 5. Benjamin Kigen (Ken) 8:11.12; 6. Avinash Sable (Ind) 8:11.63; 7. Amos Serem (Ken) 8:14.53; 8. Mohammed Tindoufti (Mor) 8:15.02; 9. Hailemariyam Amare (Eth) 8:25.10; 10. Amos Kirui (Ken) 8:26.17;… rabbit—Abderrafia Bouassel (Mor) 2:40.66.

Non-DL 110H(-0.2): 1. Roger V. Iribarne (Cub) 13.25; 2. Just Kwaou-Mathey (Fra) 13.26; 3. Tyler Mason (Jam) 13.29; 4. Trey Cunningham (US) 13.36; 5. Joshua Zeller (GB) 13.43; 6. Eric Edwards (US) 13.54; 7. Daniel Roberts (US) 13.90;… dnc—Robert Dunning (US), Milan Trajkovic (Cyp).

Field Events

HJ: 1. Mutaz Barshim (Qat) 7-8¾ (2.36) (out WL) (7-2½, 7-4¼, 7-5¼, 7-6½, 7-7¼, 7-8 [xx], 7-8¾) (2.20, 2.24, 2.27, 2.30, 2.32, 2.34 [xx], 2.36);

2. Gianmarco Tamberi (Ita) 7-8 (2.34) (=out WL) (7-2½ [2], 7-4¼, 7-5¼ [2], 7-6½ [2], 7-7¼, 7-8 [2], 7-8¾ [xxx]) (2.20 [2], 2.24, 2.27 [2], 2.30 [2], 2.32, 2.34 [2], 2.36 [xxx]); 3. Tobias Potye (Ger) 7-8 PR (out WL) (7-2½, 7-4¼ [3], 7-5¼ [3], 7-6½ [2], 7-7¼ [2], 7-8 [2], 7-8¾ [xxx]) (2.20, 2.24 [3], 2.27 [3], 2.30 [2], 2.32 [2], 2.34 [2], 2.36 [xxx]); 4. tie, Norbert Kobielski (Pol) & Brandon Starc (Aus) 7-5¼ (2.27); 6. Luis Zayas (Cub) 7-5¼; 7. Donald Thomas (Bah) 7-5¼; 8. Hamish Kerr (NZ) 7-4¼ (2.24).

PV: 1. Mondo Duplantis (Swe) 19-8½ (6.01) (18-4¾, 19-¾, 19-4¾, 19-8½, 20-1¼ [xxx]) (5.61, 5.81, 5.91, 6.01, 6.13 [xxx]); 2. Sam Kendricks (US) 19-4¾ (5.91) (17-9, 18-4¾, 18-8¾, 19-¾, 19-4¾, 19-8½ [xxx]) (5.41, 5.61, 5.71, 5.81, 5.91, 6.01 [xxx]); 3. Chris Nilsen (US) 19-¾ (5.81); 4. Piotr Lisek (Pol) 18-8¾ (5.71); 5. Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Ger) 18-8¾; 6. tie, Thiago Braz (Bra) & Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 18-8¾; 8. Zach McWhorter (US) 18-8¾; 9. tie, Sondre Guttormsen (Nor) & Menno Vloon (Neth) 17-9 (5.41).

SP: 1. Ryan Crouser (US) 73-11¾ (22.55) (f, 71-8, f, f, 73-10¾, 73-11¾) (f, 21.84, f, f, 22.52, 22.55); 2. Payton Otterdahl (US) 71-9½; 3. Tom Walsh (NZ) 71-5½ (21.78); 4. Filip Mihaljević (Cro) 70-11¾ (21.63); 5. Josh Awotunde (US) 70-10¾ (21.61); 6. Jacko Gill (NZ) 70-1¾ (21.38); 7. Joe Kovacs (US) 68-6 (20.88); 8. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 66-3¾ (20.21);… 3f—Tomáš Staněk (CzR), Michał Haratyk (Pol).

Non-DL HT: 1. Wojciech Nowicki (Pol) 262-6 (80.02); 2. Rudy Winkler (US) 256-3 (78.11); 3. Eivind Henriksen (Nor) 251-9 (76.75); 4. Hrístos Frantzeskákis (Gre) 245-5 (74.80); 5. Paweł Fajdek (Pol) 242-6 (73.93).