A total of five athletes broke 13 minutes and 11 dipped under the Olympic entry standard of 13:05 in two fast 5000m races at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston, USA, on Friday (26).
South Africa’s Adrian Wildschutt went quickest overall, running a national record of 12:56.76 to move to ninth on the world 5000m short track all-time list.
Behind him, USA’s Nico Young clocked a US collegiate record of 12:57.14 that puts him 12th on the all-time list, while Britain’s Sam Atkin was third in 12:58.73.
In another race, Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat improved to 12:57.52 to win ahead of Britain’s George Mills in 12:58.68 and USA’s Yared Nuguse in 13:02.09.
There were also national records by Belgium’s John Heymans (13:03.46), New Zealand’s George Beamish (13:04.33), Netherlands’ Mike Foppen (13:08.60), Japan’s Keita Satoh (13:09.45) and Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran (13:12.56).
At the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville on Saturday (27), Aleia Hobbs was just 0.01 off the world lead, clocking 7.05 to win the women’s open 60m ahead of Mikiah Brisco with 7.18. USA’s Tia Jones took the 60m hurdles in 7.85 from Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent (7.94).
On Friday, USA’s JaMeesia Ford went quickest in the women’s 200m, clocking a PB of 22.58. Just behind her, Britain’s Amber Anning ran 22.60 to improve Katharine Merry’s almost 25-year-old national record. Anning returned the following day to secure a 400m win in a PB of 50.56.
Olyslagers equals area record
Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers opened her Olympic year by equalling her own Oceanian high jump record with a 2.03m clearance at the ACT State Championships in Canberra on Saturday (27).
The Olympic silver medallist also improved the Australian all-comers’ record with her performance.
At the same meeting, 19-year-old Torrie Lewis ran 11.10 to improve the almost 10-year-old Australian 100m record held by Melissa Breen by 0.01. Lewis had earlier set a personal best of 11.21 in the heats and this year she targets the Olympic Games in Paris as well as the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24.
Swoboda sets 7.04 world lead
Polish record-holder Ewa Swoboda powered to the fastest women’s 60m in the world so far this year, clocking 7.04 at the Orlen Cup in Lodz, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze meeting, on Saturday (27).
In a close race, Zaynab Dosso was second in an Italian record of 7.05, while Belgium’s Rani Rosius of Belgium was third in 7.17.
Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska won the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.85, matching her time from the heats, and Italy’s Lorenzo Simonelli set a national record of 7.50 to top the men’s 60m hurdles ahead of Jakub Szymański with 7.53 and Damian Czykier with 7.67.
USA’s two-time world champion Sam Kendricks cleared 5.82m to win the pole vault, while Italy’s world silver medallist Leonardo Fabbri led a strong shot put contest with a throw of 21.26m ahead of Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (21.14m), Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell (21.13m) and Croatia’s Filip Mihaljevic (21.08m).
At the Miting Catalunya in Sabadell, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Challenger event, Morocco’s Abdelati El Guesse won the 800m in a world-leading 1:45.95 from Portugal’s Isaac Nader (1:46.69) and Spain’s world indoor champion Mariano Garcia (1:46.73).
Britain’s Sarah McDonald topped the women’s 1500m in 4:07.65 ahead of Spain’s Esther Guerrero (4:07.85).