We’ve been treated to another amazing week and a half of athletics, from right across the world, in particular the European events of the Diamond League series. Everything looks set to reach a glorious crescendo at the Olympics in just under 3 weeks. Here we round up all you need to know from the past week.
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Warholm Finally Breaks Kevin Young’s 400m Hurdles World Record
Behind Jakob Ingebrigsten, Karsten Warholm is the biggest superstar in Norweigan athletics. Finally, after several near misses and on his home track in Oslo, Warholm broke Kevin Young’s 29-year-old 400m hurdles world record in a blisteringly quick 46.70.
Truthfully, it was always a matter of when, not if, the record would be broken but Warholm knew that it was just as likely to be US athlete Rai Benjamin as himself. But, in what many are describing, as the most exciting head-to-head of the upcoming Olympic Games, Warholm seized the initiative, took advantage of a raucous crowd and steamed to glory. In a manner that’s pretty typical of him these days, he roared, arms aloft, as he noticed the time on the clock.
In the final bend, there was a small stutter going into one of the hurdles and in an event of such incredibly small margins, many thought he might have missed his opportunity but as he skipped over the final hurdle, he demonstrated that incredible flat speed, pulling even further away from Alison Dos Santos in second to clinch a memorable world record. Somehow, whether by himself or his great rival Benjamin, I am not convinced that Warholm’s record is going to last 29 years. After this incredible feat, he said:
“I knew I had it in me...I’m just really happy and proud, it’s an amazing moment.”
Fast Races at the Oslo Diamond League
Warholm wasn’t the only athlete who ran the race of their life in Oslo, British athlete Eilish McColgan ran an unbelievably gutsy and impressive race to break Paula Radcliffe’s 17-year-old British 5,000m record in a stunning 14:28.55. Hellen Obiri won that race (14:26.38) in a move that puts her on the map in the Olympics. Has she got what it takes to beat Letesenbet Gidey? The latter is certainly faster.
Ethiopia’s supremely talented Yomif Kejelcha, fresh off his switch to Adidas from Nike, stormed to a frightening 7:26.25 in the 3000m (faster than Cheptegei’s recent 3000m effort) and a meeting and Diamond League Record.
Stewy McSweyn put down a hugely dominant performance in the mile and it seems as though he’s peaking just at the right time as he ran the fastest mile by anyone in the world for the last 7 years (3:48.37) and an Oceania Record. Essentially front-running from the moment the pacers dropped out, nobody could handle his strength and he’s no AR holder in the 1500, mile, 3000m and 5000m.
Kate Grace would run the first of two 1:57s she’d run in a week to take the win, showing that despite not qualifying for the US 800m Olympic Team, she’s still a class athlete. The 200m was won by Andre De Grass, with Marie Josee Ta Lou winning the 100m.
Stockholm Diamond League
We were spoiled for Diamond League action this week with the athletes also lining up in Stockholm, where all eyes were on Mondo Duplantis in the pole vault to see if he could finally break the outright world record of 6.18m by going to 6.19m. Despite incredible support, he just fell short despite once again crushing all in his path and jumping over 6m again! A feat his rivals seem unable to match at the moment.
The women’s 800m was an incredible race, run very fast from the first minute. Mary Rose Almanza won in a meeting record 1:56.28. Britain’s 19-year-old sensation, Keely Hodgkinson secured a PB, finishing very strongly to run 1:57.51. Only the great Dame Kelly Holmes and Kirsty Wade have run faster from Britain.
British champion Elliot Giles also came away with an outdoor PB. He finished third in 1:44.05 behind Ferguson Rotich and Marco Arop. “I just didn’t have the kick at the end”, he said, “Rotich is experienced and strong and I couldn’t quite there but I was a bit surgy trying to get the inside lane.” In the non-Diamond League 800m event, Britain’s Archie Davis ran 1:44 - to add himself to the now very long list of British 800m runners under 1:45 this season.
Dutch superstar Femke Bol kept the golden period in the 400m hurdles going after she ran the fourth fastest time ever, incredible given that it’s so soon after Sydney McLaughin’s world record as well Karsten Warholm. Bol ran 52.37, once again beating her previous PB.
Ronnie Baker took the victory in the men’s 100m in 10.03 with CJ Ujah from the UK coming third in 10.1.
Craig Engels v Centro
This week also saw some exceptional beef between 2 of the most popular athletes in athletics, Craig Engels and reigning Olympic Champion Matthew Centrowitz. This is all stems from Craig Engels making a few comments, apparently in jest, about Centro on the Sit and Kick podcast as well as a few provocative instagram posts. After Craig Engels narrowly missed out on Olympic selection, despite running faster this year, Centro, encouraged by one of his adoring fans, didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity to get his point across:
And when another person couldn’t resist poking the bear some more, he went in two-footed:
We all await Craig Engels’ response with excitement. Surely he can’t stay silent much longer...
Sha’Carri Richardson Out of The Olympics
In arguably the biggest news of the week, US sprint sensation and now global superstar, Sha’Carri Richardson has not been selected by the US Olympic Team for the 4 x 100m relay despite their 2 discretionary picks.
After Richardson tested positive for cannabis at a recent drug test, she subsequently accepted a 1 month ban which included the US Olympic Trials and as such she could not run in the 100m, however most people had expected her to make the relay team nonetheless. If you’ve been living under a rock and you’ve not been aware of this story then check out Citius Mag because they have all the latest detail. It’s an incident which has caused strong opinions on all sides and the question of whether cannabis should be banned at all is another matter entirely (but it shouldn’t).
The key fact, however, is that during competition cannabis is a banned substance, all athletes know that and Sha’Carri knew it too and to her immense credit she’s taken responsibility and accepted her sanction. She said that she turned to it after she was told by a reporter in an interview that her biological mother had passed away. Her mistake aside, I hope we can all agree that it was very clearly a really awful time for her and we should try and show some sympathy and compassion.
Laura Muir Opts for 1500m Only In Tokyo
After her 3rd place finish at the British Championships, European 1500m Champion, Laura Muir has pulled out of the British 800m team to focus on the 1500m. There are some very quick athletes in the women’s 1500m at the moment and with Sifan Hassan having not committed yet to the 1500m, she has a realistic chance of a medal and so perhaps it’s not a surprise that she’s chose to focus all her energy on her best distance.
In her place, Alex Bell has been called up. Alex placed 4th in the championships and has a PB of 1:58.5. Of her selection, she said, “dreams do come true.”
Monaco Diamond League
With a full event review coming out over the weekend which you can check out at www.trackstaa.com and with the full details in next week’s newsletter, we delayed the sending of this newsletter so we could set out the key headlines:
Timothy Cheruiyot won the 1500 from Jakob Ingebrigsten and Katir in a PB and WL, 3:28.28.
Laura Muir won the women’s 800m ahead of Jemma Reekie: 1:56.73
Faith Kipyegeon ran the 4th fastest 1500m in history with 3:51.07.
Nijel Amos stormed to a win in the 800m in world lead 1:42.91.
Shaune Miller-Uibo edged out Marie Josée Ta Lou in the women’s 200m.
It was a win for Ronnie Baker in the 100’ in 9.91
Hyven Kiyeng ran a season best 9:03.82 to win the 3000m SC (despite nearly forgetting to run the last lap).
Other News
Elliot Giles cruised to another victory in 1:44.89 ahead of competitors from both Kenya and the USA, to take the win in the Continental Gold Tour. Jamie Webb took second.
European U23 Championships gets underway this weekend with a full report and details in next week’s newsletter.
Craig Engels has announced more cool things he’s doing for the sport. This time he’ll be pacing successful applicants to a sub-4 minute mile in the Moustache Mile Event. Picture from @Trackstaa instragram below with more details.
Finally...it’s coming home! ;)