TORUŃ, POLAND, February 17 — With a 4th-place finish at the ’18 World Indoor Champs on his résumé, Elliot Giles has been a known presence in the 800, but even times of 1:45.50 and 1:45.49 in recent weeks didn’t leave anyone quite prepared for his breakout at the Copernicus Cup. That made the 26-year-old Briton 3-for-3 in World Indoor Tour 4-lappers this winter having put up his other two times in winning in Karlsruhe and Liévin.
Pacemaker Patryk Sieradzki led through circuits of 23.99 and 26.15 (50.14), followed by Giles and fellow Briton Jamie Webb. Rabbit-free on the third lap, Giles passed through the 600 in 1:17.28. Webb made a challenge for the lead as they hit the bell, but Giles fended off the assault easily enough and pulled away with almost every step on the last lap. Times: PRs of 1:43.63 and 1:44.54, with Andreas Kramer setting a Swedish Record 1:45.09 in 3rd.
With a last lap of 26.35 Giles moved to No. 2 on the all-time world list — with the No. 2 performance — and Webb to No. 9 (see chart).
“I felt in great shape and I thought I could win, but I’m overwhelmed right now with the time I ran,” said Giles. “I was just executing my tactics by following the pace and then making a move after 400m.”
The best American performances of the meet came on the straightaway. Grant Holloway continued to dominate the 60H, his 7.43 heat and 7.38 final giving him the year’s 7 fastest times.
In the women’s hurdles, veteran Christina Clemons continued her fine season, lowering the world lead to 7.81. And in the women’s flat 60, it was Kentucky alum Javianne Oliver coming to the fore, equaling the world lead at 7.08.
Local fans got a big thrill out of Marcin Lewandowski’s Polish Record 3:35.71 in the men’s 1500, but he was a distant 2nd to Selemon Barega of Ethiopia, who moved to No. 8 on the all-time list with his 3:32.97. The first 5 notched PRs in what has many wondering just what kind of (r)evolution high-technology shoes might be unleashing.
“I’m very happy with my time tonight,” said the winner. “Last year I ran 3:32 outdoors, now it’s 3:32 indoors, so I hope to run even faster in the summer.”
On the field, the high jump broke out of a year-long funk with three men clearing a world-leading 7-8 (2.34) a centimeter higher than anybody went all of ’20. An on-the-countback win went to Maksim Nedasekau’s Belarusian Record, beating Ukraine’s Andrii Protsenko and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi.
The Mondo-less men’s vault was also a countback troika, American Sam Kendricks beating Poland’s Piotr Lisek and Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines as all cleared 19-¼ (5.80).
The only women’s field event saw Greece’s Paraskeví Papahrístou’s PR 47-10¾ (14.60) claiming the yearly world lead.
The final gold-level WIT meet of the year will be on the 24th, in Madrid.
TORUŃ MEN’S RESULTS
(200m banked)
800: 1. Elliot Giles (GB) 1:43.63 NR (WL) (2, 2 W); 2. Jamie Webb (GB) 1:44.54 PR (9, x W);
3. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:45.09 NR; 4. Adam Kszczot (Pol) 1:45.22; 5. Mateusz Borkowski (Pol) 1:46.20 PR; 6. Amel Tuka (Bos) 1:46.35; 7. Marc Reuther (Ger) 1:46.43; 8. Collins Kipruto (Ken) 1:46.61; 9. Tony van Diepen (Neth) 1:46.97 PR;… dnf—Kyle Langford (GB);… rabbit—Patryk Sieradzki (Pol) (23.99, 26.15 [50.14]).
1500: 1. Selemon Barega (Eth) 3:32.97 PR (8, x W);
2. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) 3:35.71 NR; 3. Neil Gourley (GB) 3:35.79 PR; 4. Michał Rozmys (Pol) 3:36.10 PR; 5. Filip Sasínek (CzR) 3:36.53 NR; 6. Ignacio Fontes (Spa) 3:37.02; 7. Kumari Taki (Ken) 3:37.28 PR; 8. Bethwel Birgen (Ken) 3:37.41.
60H: 1. Grant Holloway (US) 7.38 (x, =11 A); 2. Wilhem Belocian (Fra) 7.57; 3. Aaron Mallett (US) 7.60; 4. Damian Czykier (Pol) 7.63; 5. Yaqoub Al-Yoha (Kuw) 7.75; 6. Krzysztof Kiljan (Pol) 7.80; 7. Dawid Żebrowski (Pol) 7.84;… dq—Artur Noga (Pol).
Heats: I–1. Holloway 7.43; 2. Mallett 7.66; 3. Noga 7.69. II–1. Belocian 7.56; 2. Al-Yoha 7.62; 3. Czykier 7.68; 4. Żebrowski 7.80;… dnf—Jarret Eaton (US).
Field Events
HJ: 1. Maksim Nedasekau (Blr) 7-8 (2.34) NR (WL) (7-2½, 7-4½, 7-5¾, 7-7 [x], 7-8, 7-8¾ [xxx]) (2.20, 2.25, 2.28, 2.31 [x], 2.34, 2.36 [xxx]); 2. Andrii Protsenko (Ukr) 7-8 (=WL) (6-10¾, 7-½ [2], 7-2½, 7-4½, 7-5¾ [x], 7-7, 7-8 [3], 7-8¾ [xp]) (2.10, 2.15 [2], 2.20, 2.25, 2.28 [x], 2.31, 2.34 [3], 2.36 [xp]); 3. Gianmarco Tamberi (Ita) 7-8) (=WL) (7-2½, 7-4½ [3], 7-5¾, 7-7 [2], 7-8 [3], 7-8¾ [xxx]) (2.20, 2.25 [3], 2.28, 2.31 [2], 2.34 [3], 2.36 [xxx]); 4. Dmytro Nikitin (Ukr) 7-2½ (2.20); 5. Trey Culver (US) 7-2½; 6. Mateusz Kołodziejski (Pol) 7-½ (2.15); 6. Sylwester Bednarek (Pol) 7-½;… nh—Jamal Wilson (Bah).
PV: 1. Sam Kendricks (US) 19-¼ (5.80) (17-8½, 18-4½, 18-9¼ [2], 19-¼, 19-3 [xxx]) (5.40, 5.60, 5.72 [2], 5.80, 5.87 [xxx]); 2. Piotr Lisek (Pol) 19-¼ (17-8½, 18-4½, 18-9¼, 19-¼ [3], 19-3 [xxx]) (5.40, 5.60, 5.72, 5.80 [3], 5.87 [xxx]); 3. Ernest John Obiena (Phi) 19-¼ (17-8½ [3], 18-4½, 18-9¼ [2], 19-¼ [3], 19-3 [xxx]) (5.40 [3], 5.60, 5.72 [2], 5.80 [3], 5.87 [xxx]); 4. Thiago Braz (Bra) 18-4½ (5.60); 5. Matvey Volkov (Blr) 17-8½ (5.40); 6. Paweł Wojciechowski (Pol) 17-8½ (5.40); 7. Matt Ludwig (US) 17-8½ (5.40);… nh—Robert Sobera (Pol).
SP: 1. Michał Haratyk (Pol) 70-5¼ (21.47); 2. Tomáš Staněk (CzR) 69-6¾ (21.20); 3. David Storl (Ger) 67-6¾ (20.59); 4. Konrad Bukowiecki (Pol) 67-4¾ (20.54); 5. Nick Ponzio (US) 66-8½ (20.33); 6. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 65-11¾ (20.11); 7. Jakub Szyszkowski (Pol) 65-6 (19.96).
TORUN WOMEN’S RESULTS
60: 1. Javianne Oliver (US) 7.08 (AL, =WL);
2. Ajla Del Ponte (Swi) 7.15; 3. Ewa Swoboda (Pol) 7.16. Heats: I–1. Oliver 7.12.
400: I–1. Léa Sprunger (Swi) 52.38. II–1. Femke Bol (Neth) 50.66 NR; 2. Justyna Święty-Ersetic (Pol) 51.80; 3. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 51.92; 4. Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik (Pol) 52.74.
800: 1. Habitam Alemu (Eth) 1:58.19 PR; 2. Joanna Jóźwik (Pol) 2:00.42; 3. Nadia Power (Ire) 2:00.98 NR; 4. Noélie Yarigo (Ben) 2:01.01 PR; 5. Angelika Cichocka (Pol) 2:01.07.
3000: 1. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 8:31.24 PR (WL);
2. Beatrice Chepkoech (Ken) 8:31.72 PR; 3. Fantu Worku (Eth) 8:40.04; 4. Viktória Wagner-Gyürkes (Hun) 8:55.45 NR; 5. Gesa-Felicitas Krause (Ger) 9:02.04;… dnf—Genzebe Dibaba (Eth).
60H: 1. Christina Clemons (US) 7.81 (WL, AL);
2. Karolina Kołeczek (Pol) 7.98 PR; 3. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 8.00 PR; 4. Luminosa Bogliolo (Ita) 8.00 PR; 5. Luca Kozák (Hun) 8.01; 6. Nooralotta Neziri (Fin) 8.19; 7. Klaudia Wojtunik (Pol) 8.22;… dnc—Alina Talay (Blr).
Heats: I–1. Clemons 7.91; 2. Kołeczek 8.01 =PR. II–1. Nooralotta Neziri (Fin) 8.08; 2. Luminosa Bogliolo (Ita) 8.09.
Field Event
TJ: 1. Paraskeví Papahrístou (Gre) 47-10¾ (14.60) PR (WL) (46-7½, 47-1, f, 46-9, 47-10¾) (14.21, 14.35, f, 14.25, 14.60);
2. Viyaleta Skvartsova (Blr) 47-2½ (14.39) PR;
3. Tori Franklin (US) 46-2½ (14.08) (AL) (f, f, 46-½ [AL], f, 45-1½, 46-2½) (f, f, 14.03 [AL], f, 13.75, 14.08);
4. Kristiina Mäkelä (Fin) 45-2¼ (13.77). □