Sarah Mitton achieved the best indoor throw since 2013 to win a stacked shot put showdown at the INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe, while Malaika Mihambo became the first woman this year to surpass seven metres in the long jump at the fifth World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event of the year on Friday.
Saving her best until last, world indoor champion Mitton broke the North American indoor record and equalled her own outright Canadian record by launching the shot 20.68m in the final round.
The results showed her in second place up until that point, behind USA’s two-time world champion Chase Jackson who had earlier become the first athlete of the year to surpass 20 metres by throwing 20.06m in the opening round.
But it actually ended up being Dutch record-holder Jessica Schilder she needed to beat, as a big fourth-round throw that was originally judged a foul was reinstated after the competition.
Measured at 20.09m, it put Schilder – who had started the competition as the world leader – into second place behind Mitton, with Jackson third.
It is the first time since the 1991 World Indoor Championships in Seville that three women have thrown beyond 20 metres in a single indoor competition.
Mitton had responded to Jackson’s strong opening throw with 19.76m in the third round and 19.94m in the fourth, but she was just getting started. While Jackson again threatened the 20-metre mark with 19.90m in the fifth round, Mitton prepared for her final attempt. Returning to the circle for the penultimate throw of the competition, she let out a roar as she launched the implement and saw it fly well beyond the 20-metre tape.
Jackson was the last to throw and managed 19.31m, eventually finishing third once Schilder’s 20.09m was confirmed.
As well as the world indoor champion, two-time world gold medallist and world leader, the competition featured the Olympic champion, home star Yemisi Ogunleye, who finished fourth with 19.49m.
“As soon as it leaves your hand, you know it’s a really good one,” said Mitton, whose winning mark was the farthest indoor throw since the 20.98m put achieved by Valerie Adams in Zurich in August 2013. “I immediately knew it was going to be over 20. It matched my outdoor PB – in February! I’m really excited about it.
“The crowd was so engaged, surely because of Yemi, the Olympic champion. You can no longer just come out and throw 19.50m and expect to win. You have to keep pushing, there’s always somebody at your heels.”
In the long jump, home favourite Mihambo soared 7.07m to secure victory in style.
Matching the indoor PB she set in 2020 with the equal sixth-farthest winning mark of her career, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist broke the 31-year-old meeting record and clapped in celebration as she stepped out of the sand.
After fouling her first attempt and jumping 6.08m in the second round, Germany’s Mihambo only took one more jump – that 7.07m coming in the fourth round. She won by 28cm ahead of her compatriot Mikaelle Assani (6.79m), while Bulgaria’s Plamena Mitkova was third with a 6.69m leap.
“I’m very happy,” said Mihambo. “I hadn’t expected to set my personal best here and jump a world lead.”
Explaining her decision to not take all six opportunities to jump, she added: “Firstly, I’m jumping in my next competition on Sunday, and secondly, the pace was too fast for me. I’m a jumper who puts everything into speed, so I need regeneration breaks. I’m in a very good mood and am happy that I’m fit.”
In the pole vault, Great Britain’s world indoor champion Molly Caudery achieved a clutch win on her season opener, clearing 4.75m on her third and final attempt.
After clearing 4.65m first time, she decided to pass at 4.70m and Slovenia’s Tina Sutej took the lead at that point when she soared over the height on her first try. But Sutej was unable to make it over 4.75m and victory was Caudery’s when she managed it on her last attempt.
Records For Samuel Pihlstrom, Nillessen and Sekgodiso
Fresh off setting a Swedish indoor mile record at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, Samuel Pihlstrom was a controlled winner of the men’s 1500m in Karlsruhe.
Kicking on after pacemaker Collins Kipruto stepped aside, Pihlstrom had a 10-metre lead with one lap to go and while Federico Riva led the chase group and finished fast, he ran out of track and could only watch as Pihlstrom strode over the finish line to win in 3:35.62.
Riva held on to the runner-up spot, clocking 3:36.78, while Romain Mornet of France was third in 3:37.03.
Stefan Nillessen also judged his race to perfection in the men’s 3000m, surging away in the closing stages to win in a Dutch indoor record of 7:37.10.
He had been up against the discipline’s two most recent Dutch record-holders – Mike Foppen, who ran 7:42.55 in 2021, and Mahadi Abdi Ali, who improved the record to 7:40.99 in January.
But this time it was Nillessen’s turn, as he beat them both among some other strong opposition, finishing clear ahead of Kenya’s Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (7:38.00 PB).
Foppen also ran a PB to finish inside the previous Dutch record, clocking 7:38.20 to finish third.
South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso looked understandably delighted with her 800m run.
Racing only the second indoor 800m of her career after making her debut in at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Belgrade last week, the Olympic finalist dipped under two minutes, missing the world lead by just 0.01 with a national indoor record of 1:59.88.
After following the pacemaker and Ethiopia’s four-time world indoor finalist Habitam Alemu through half way in 57.20, Sekgodiso kicked and eased past a tiring Alemu as they ran down the back straight for the final time.
Sekgodiso carried that momentum through to the finish to clinch a clear win, with Germany’s Majtie Kolberg also passing Alemu to claim the runner-up spot – 2:00.84 to 2:01.34.
Another long-standing meeting record fell in the men’s 400m, as US indoor champion Brian Faust won the first of the two finals in 46.03.
Italy’s Luca Sito was second in 46.27, while South Africa’s Zakithi Nene won the second final in 46.58.
Alice Mangione stormed to an Italian indoor record to win the first of the two women’s 400m finals, improving her previous PB of 52.60 with a run of 51.75 to hold off Egypt’s Bassant Hemida (52.17).
Great Britain’s Lina Nielsen won the second final in 51.93 ahead of Martina Weil, who improved the Chilean indoor record to 52.40.
France’s world finalist Wilhem Belocian won the men’s 60m hurdles, holding off Germany’s Manuel Mordi, 7.53 to 7.62. Belocian had won his heat in 7.51.
Luxembourg’s Patrizia van der Weken continued her unbeaten season in the 60m, clocking 7.13 in the final after winning her heat in 7.17, while Ethiopia’s Olympic steeplechase finalist Lomi Muleta won a tactical women’s 3000m in 8:57.52.
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