A round-up of recent athletics results and news, including world-leading performances at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting in Karlsruhe and a British indoor long jump record by Greg Rutherford in New Mexico

Schippers 7.07 WL

Dafne Schippers opened her indoor season by setting a world lead of 7.07 in the 60m heats at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting in Karlsruhe.

The world 200m champion won the final but was a fraction slower at 7.08 ahead of Barbara Pierre in 7.09 and British 100m and 200m record-holder Dina Asher-Smith in 7.11.

Mike Rodgers also claimed a world lead over 60m with 6.52 which he matched in the final to beat Kim Collins with 6.54.

Kendra Harrison converted her excellent form in the USA to the European indoor circuit as she lowered her world lead in the 60m hurdles to 7.82 in the heats before winning the final in 7.86 ahead of world indoor champion Nia Ali (7.94) and Tiffany Porter (7.94). Cindy Roleder was fourth on home soil in 7.96.

In the 1500m, Ethiopia’s Axumawit Embaye claimed the world lead with 4:08.22 while Konstanze Klosterhaufen improved the European indoor junior record to 4:08.38 in second.

Adam Kszczot just missed the world lead in the 800m by 0.03 with 1:45.96 ahead of Pierre-Ambroise Bosse in 1:46.25, while Augustine Choge took his second big win on German soil this month by winning the 3000m again in 7:43.22 ahead of Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha (7:43.45), with world indoor champion Caleb Ndiku fourth in 7:44.09.

In the hotly-anticipated pole vault showdown, Renaud Lavillenie sealed the win over Shawn Barber with a third-time clearance at 5.84m before setting a meet record of 5.91m on his third attempt. He had three unsuccessful tries at a world lead of 6.01m. Raphael Holzdeppe was third with 5.70m.

In the triple jump, Alexis Copello won in a world lead of 16.99m, while there were home wins for Marie-Laurence Jungfleisch in the high jump with 1.93m and Julian Howard in the long jump with 8.03m. Canada’s Tim Nedow won the shot put with 20.89.

In total 4600 spectators followed the first meet of this year’s IAAF World Indoor Tour series.

Kyriakopoulou 4.76m in Mondeville pole vault

France’s Christophe Lemaitre ran 6.59 in the 60m heats but was disqualified in the final which was won by Britain’s Sean Safo-Antwi in a 6.55 PB ahead of Bahamian Warren Fraser with 6.61.

In the 60m hurdles, Dimitri Bascou clocked 7.58 to win (and also ran 7.52 in the heats) ahead of Cuban Yordan O’Farrill’s 7.61.

Greek world medalist Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou won the pole vault with a 4.76m clearance ahead of Germany’s Lisa Ryzih with 4.61m.

Jamaican Simone Facey topped the women’s 60m with 7.20 (after running 7.18 in the heats) over Ukraine’s Olesya Povkh with 7.26.

Regina George of Nigeria got the 400m in 53.99, Britain’s Serita Solomon 8.07 in the 60m hurdles and Jazmin Sawyers a 6.62m indoor PB in the long jump.

Youssouf Hiss Bachir of Djibouti ran 3:42.90 in his first indoor 1500m race, Brahim Kaazouzi of Morocco 7:54.52 in the 3000m and Tigist Gashaw of Bahrain 8:55.89 in the women’s 3000m ahead of Feyne Gemeda of Ethiopia 8:56.55.

Rutherford British record

Long jump star Greg Rutherford leapt to an 8.26m world lead and British indoor long jump record at the New Mexico Classic. You can read more about that record-breaking performance here.

Keenan Brock and Jeff Henderson were fastest in the 60m heats with 6.65. Vernon Norwood clocked 20.93 in the 200m heats and Michael Cherry 1:17.17 in the 600m.

Bryan McBride cleared 2.26m in the high jump.

World 110m hurdles record-holder Aries Merritt returned after a kidney transplant just five months ago to clock 7.77 in the 60m hurdles heats and then 7.60 to win the final. In the women’s hurdles Janay DeLoach ran 7.99.

Olympic champion Brittney Reese got the long jump with 6.54m. Octavious Freeman won the 60m in 7.30 and Canadian Jada Martin the 200m in a 23.03 PB.

Vashti Cunningham cleared a 1.95m US junior indoor record in the high jump.

Felix 7.24 in Portland

Allyson Felix won the 60m at the TrackTown Series meet in 7.24 ahead of English Gardner with 7.25 (7.22 in prelims) and Jenna Prandini with 7.27.

Treniere Moser got the 800m in 2:02.75 and Alexi Pappas the 3000m in 9:05.12.

The top male result was the 7:40.74 PB by Matthew Centrowitz in the 3000m ahead of Hassan Mead’s 7:40.95. Britain’s Tom Farrell clocked 7:42.47 to go third on the UK all-time list.

Haratyk throws 21.35m in Lodz

The 12th edition of the Pedros Cup meet (EA Indoor Permit) saw Cuban Yunier Perez win the 60m in 6.53 ahead of Britain’s world and European indoor champion Richard Kilty with 6.62. In third, Levi Cadogan of Barbados improved to 6.63.

“My start was slow and the first 30m not good,” said Kilty afterwards. “I felt a little bit heavy and tired. I’m sure the next race will be faster. There are lots of things to improve on.”

In the women’s high jump local star Kamila Licwinko equalled the world lead of 1.97m and tried at two meters. In second, European champion Ruth Beitia went over 1.94m.

The sensation of the evening was Polish shot putter Michal Haratyk who in his last attempt achieved a PB and world lead of 21.35m. Before this year 20.10m was his best and in Spala at the end of January he improved that to 20.74m. But in Lodz he improved his best four times, from 20.80m to 20.81m, 21.10m and then his best from his last throw. Konrad Bukowiecki finished second, improving his European junior indoor record to 20.58m, while double Olympic winner Tomasz Majewski threw 20.09m to finish third.

Orlando Ortega won the 60m hurdles in 7.52 over Greggmar Swift’s 7.58.

Poland’s Ewa Swoboda was a clear 60m winner in 7.15, missing her European junior indoor record by 0.02. Second was Marika Popowicz 7.31, while British long jumper Shara Proctor ran a 7.36 personal best for third.

European indoor champion Alina Talay of Belarus dipped sub-8.00 in the hurdles with 7.97. Mutaz Essa Barshim won the high jump on count back to beat European medallist Andriy Protsenko as both went over 2.29m and missed 2.33m.

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