Kamila Skolimowska Memorial: Ingebrigsten, Richardson and Mutaz Impress

Jacob Ingebrigsten, Sha’Carri Richardson, Mutaz Barshim and Julimar Rojas were the highlight performers at the 2023 Kamila Skolimowska Memorial – Silesia Diamond League meeting – on Sunday (16).

Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen won his fourth Diamond League race in the 1500 metres improving his own European record and the meeting record to 3:27.14. Ingebrigtsen has moved up into fourth in the world all-time list and continues to close in on to the world record set by Hicham El Guerrouj with 3:26.00 in Rome in 1998.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen: “I am always focusing on myself in races. Today I wanted to run a fast race and another sub-3:28 time. I knew if I could do that, there was a big risk of setting another PB. The pacemakers helped a lot today, especially with Stewart McSweyn taking over on the third lap. It is not every day that you get one of the best runners in the world to help you run fast. This result was the best I could hope for today. You cannot always think about records. Today I wanted one, but I will now be focusing completely on getting ready for the World Championships”. 

Abel Kipsang from Kenya improved his lifetime best to 3:29.11 to finish second. Personal best times were set by world under 20 champion Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot with 3:30.30, Andrew Coscoran from Ireland, who smashed his national record with 3:30.42, Samuel Tanner with 3:31.24, Vincent Keter with 3:31.28, Isaac Nader with 3:31.49 and George Mills (3:31.54). 

Women’s 100 metres: 

Sha’Carri Richardson took her second Diamond League win in the women’s 100 metres race in 10.76 repeating the same time she ran in Doha last May. Richardson edged world 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson, who took second place with 10.78. Ewa Swoboda dipped under the 11 seconds for the first time in her career to place third in 10.94 holding off Twanisha Terry (10.99) and Darryil Neita (11.01). 

Sha’Carri Richardson: “It was an amazing race. I am really having fun. The 10.76. I love the time. I put a great performance today. It was amazing. I executed correctly. I love the atmosphere. I wish we could replicate to the USA all the energy, all the love from the audience. I was satisfied with my race altogether”.

Men’s high jump: 

Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim cleared 2.36m in his first attempt to win his first Diamond League competition and set a new meeting record in a thrilling competition. Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy, who shared the Olympic gold medal with Barshim, cleared 2.34m in his second attempt to finish second beating Germany’s Tobias Potye on countback. Tamberi failed three attempts at 2.36m. Norbert Kobielski from Poland and Brandon Starc from Australia shared the fourth place with 2.27m. 

Mutaz Barshim: “For me it is still early season. It is only my second competition. I am on my way back. I have been ill over the past month. My jumps today were good, but I am always looking for ways to improve. There are still things that I need to work on. I think I still have a 2.40m jump in me, hopefully this year. The crowd and the stadium are great too. The heat does not bother me. I come from Doha. This is normal weather for me. Sometimes it gets over 30 degrees in the winter”. 

Women’s triple jump: 

World record holder Yulimar Rojas from Venezuela jumped 14.80m in the second round in the women’s triple jump and extended her lead to 14.86m in the third round. Rojas set a world seasonal lead and a meeting record of 15.18m in the Final 3 to take the win. Ukraine’s Maryna Beck Romanchuk leapt to 14.70m in the fifth round to finish second, moving past Leyanis Perez from Cuba, who jumped 14.67m in the second round. Liadagmis Povea placed fourth with 14.62m ahead of Shanieka Ricketts from Jamaica (14.56m). 

Yulimar Rojas: “I feel very good and I am very confident after the performance today. The atmosphere in the stadium is incredible. The audience is very excited and the track Is very fast. I will certainly come back here, if possible next year”. 

Gianmarco Tamberi: “I am happy with today’s result, but I am not happy that until 2.36m I struggled with my technique. Today was my first competition with my full approach of 11 steps, not counting Stockolm with the rain. I am in a very good shape. My congratulations go to Mutaz. I always want to improve technically. My mental approach was great, not giving up after some difficulties. I have to be more confident and learn that I must not be too close to the bar. I am always too close to the bar. I am completely tired now with the long competition”. 

Men’s pole vault: 

Armand Duplantis produced a clean-sheet clearing 5.61m, 5.81m, 5.91m and 6.01m in his first attempt to win his third Diamond League competition of the season. Duplantis missed out on the world lead and the meeting record at 6.13m. 

Armand Duplantis: “Every time you win and jump 6 metres, it is a good day, though I do not count all my 6 metres jumps as much as I used to. I was moving through the poles very well today and I should have cleared 6.13m on the pole I used on the first attempt. It is sometimes tricky to decide which one to use. There are a lot of guys jumping very well at the moment and I know I have to be at the top of my time to win. When the bar is set at 5.90m, it is still pretty tough and you need a good attempt to clear.”

Sam Kendricks equalled his seasonal best with 5.91m in his first attempt to finish second. Olympic silver medallist Christopher Nilsen cleared 5.81m to finish third. Piotr Lisek took fourth place with 5.71m to beat Bo Kanda Lita Baehre on countback. 

Men’s shot put: 

Payton Otterdahl took a surprising lead with a throw of 21.88m in the third attempt, but Olympic and world champion Ryan Crouser battled back with 22.52m in the fifth round and 22.55m in the sixth round in the Final 3. Olympic bronze medallist Tom Walsh took third place with 21.78m in the sixth round. European champion Filip Mihaljevic finished fourth with a seasonal best of 21.63m beating Josh Awotunde by just two cm. 

Ryan Crouser: “There were some good things and some bad ones about my competition today. I had a couple of very long fouls today, I fouled by a centimetre or half a centimetre. I had one of these throws measured at 23.26m. I had that 70 cm extra in me, but overall I am happy. It was a good way to start the European Tour. I have been in Europe for two days in now”. 

Women’s 100 metres hurdles: 

World champion and record holder Tobi Amusan from Nigeria edged past Olympic silver medallist Kendra Harrison to win in 12.34, equalling Jasmine Camacho Quinn’s meeting record set last year. Harrison equalled her seasonal best of 12.35 to finish second. Nia Ali, who recently won the US Championships title in Eugene in 12.37, missed her seasonal best by 0.01 with 12.38. Megan Tapper placed fourth in 12.49m beating Tia Jones (12.57), Alaysha Johnson (12.58), Pia Sckrszowska (12.67) and Marione Fourie (12.73).  

Tobi Amusan: “It was not easy for me with injuries in my harmstring and my knee, but I trusted in my coach and my work. I just won this in smooth style. I was just running. Honestly, I had no idea that I won when I crossed the finish-line. About the World Championships I take one step after the next. I am happy to compete against the best hurdlers. I would not say that I executed the start well. The second part of the race was good. I am building up for the World Championships, extremely satisfied with my seasonal best”. 

Men’s 100 metres: 

Akani Simbine took a very close win in the men’s 100 metres in 9.97 clinching his second victory in a row in the Diamond League after finishing first in Stockolm. The top four sprinters were separated by just four hundredths of a second. World champion Fred Kerley lost his first 100 metres of the season finishing second in 9.98. Emmanuel Eseme from Cameroon, who broke the national record record of 9.96, dipped under the 10 seconds barrier for the second time this season with 9.98. Fresh US champion Cravont Charleston took fourth place in 9.99. 

Akani Simbine: “I was not sure getting to the line that I won, but then I heard my name. I came here fore the win, so I am very happy. I won against all of them, not only against world champion Fred Kerley. I am the first to beat Fred. We have a good friendship, a good rivalry. It is amazing and beautiful here, one of the best Diamond League meetings in the circuit. I love this stadium”

Fred Kerley: “I feel good about today’s race. Nothing was missing. I got my job done”. 

Men’s 400 metres: 

World record holder Wayde Van Niekerk won his second Diamond League race setting his seasonal best and a meeting record of 44.08 in the men’s 400 metres. Bayapo Ndori from Botswana equalled his PB with 44.61 to finish second. World 400 metres hurdles champion Alison Dos Santos made a successful come-back from a knee injury by finishing third with 44.73.  

Wayde Van Niekerk: “Things are moving in the right direction. I have been able to train consistently. It is my fastest race in seven years. The competition in my event is getting stronger, so I need to work to get better as well. I do not feel any special pressure, but it natural for an athlete to want to reach his best possible level. I will be going to London now and want to get some good training sessions before the World Championships”. 

Women’s 400 metres:

Natalia Kaczmarek from Poland took a win in front of her home fans in the the women’s 400 metres in a meeting record of 49.48. Kaczmarek won her second Diamond League race of the season after finishing first in Florence. Lieke Klaver from the Netherlands finished second improving her PB to 49.81 ahead of world and Olympic silver medallist Marileidy Paulino (50.00), Candice McLeod from Jamaica (50.19) and Sada Williams (50.34). Victoria Ohuruogu improved her PB to 50.48. 

Natalia Kaczmarek: “It is hard to describe what I am feeling now. I expected a PB, but not a huge one like this and certainly not the win. The plan today was not to start too fast. In earlier races this season I was going out too fast and lacked the finish. Things looked good in training, but I was not able to translate it into competition. Now things finally worked out. I was surprised to be caught by the athlete behind me on the curve, but I was able to respond in the final straight” 

Women’s 1500 metres: 

Hirut Meshesha won the women’s 1500 metres in 3:54.87 smashing Diribe Welteji’s meeting record. Ethiopia’s 17-year-old Birke Haylom also dipped under the 3:55 barrier to finish second in 3:54.93. Seven women broke the 4 minutes barrier: Diribe Welteji finished third in 3:55.08 ahead of Worknesh Mesele (3:57.08 PB), Linden Hall from Australia (3:57.27 Oceanian record), Melissa Courtney Bryant (3:58.01 PB) and Jemma Reekie  from Great Britain (3:58.66 PB). Gaia Sabbatini from Italy improved her PB to 4:01.24. 

Women’s javelin throw: 

World bronze medallist Haruka Kitaguchi saved her best for last setting the Japanese record with 67.04m in the sixth attempt to claim her second Diamond League competition of the season in the women’s javelin throw. Kitaguchi took the lead with 65.82m in the fifth round to move past Australia’s Mackenzie Little, who was leading with 64.50m in the fourth round. Tori Peeters from New Zealand took third place with 62.73m. 

Women’s high jump: 

Iryna Geraschenko had a clean sheet until 1.98m to win the women’s high jump beating this year’s Lausanne Diamond League winner Nicola Olyslagers and 2017 world silver medallist Yuliya Levchenko on countback. Angelina Topic from Serbia cleared all heights until 1.95m in her first attempt before failing three attempts at 1.98m and took fourth place. 

Iryna Gerashchenko: “I feel very happy to be here and to win. The stadium is quite full and good. Today I felt good and I jumped good, every height at the first attempt. My coach did more for my best shape. Now I want to speak to her and see what she tells me. My attempts at 2.01m were not too bad. I need to talk to my coach to hear what I can improve. I need to jump better at 2.01m.”. 

Women’s 800 metres: 

Last year’s Diamond League champion Mary Moraa clinched her third Diamond League win of the season with a seasonal best and a meeting record of 1:56.85. Former world champion Halimah Nakaayi from Uganda improved her national record to 1:57.78 to finish second ahead of Jamaican record holder Natoya Goule Toppin (1:57.90) and Sage Hurta Klecker from the USA (1:58.09).  

Mary Moraa: “I am satisfied with the race and the win. I controlled the race from the front. It is a good habit of mine. My aim was to go in front from the starting point and it worked. At the World Championships I want to finish on the podium. I will run the 400 metres in Monaco and then go home in Kenya to train”. 

Women’s 3000 metres: 

Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu won the women’s 3000 metres in 8:26.61 breaking the meeting record set by Sifan Hassan last year two weeks after her 1500 metres win in the Diamond League meeting in Stockolm. 

Lilian Rengeruk from Kenya finished second with 8:27.80 ahead of Lemlem Hailu from Ethiopia (8:29.43), Teresia Gatheri Muthoni from Kenya, who improved her PB to 8:29.48, Margaret Akidor from Kenya (8:31.46). Agate Caune from Latvia, who was born in 2004, set a national record of 8:39.78. 

Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase: 

World and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco cruised to the win in the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase in a meeting record of 8:03.16. Commonwealth Games champion Abraham Kibiwot finished second in 8:08.03 beating Leonard Kiplemoi Bett from Kenya (8:09.48), Abraham Sime from Ethiopia (8:10.68), Benjamin Kigen from Kenya (8:11.12) and  Avinash Sable from India (8:11.63). 

Men’s hammer throw: 

Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki threw the hammer to 80.02m in the second attempt to win the men’s hammer throw ahead of US champion Rudy Winkler (78.11m) and Olympic silver medallist Elvind Henriksen from Norway (76.25m). 

Wojciech Nowicki: “Right now, together with my coach. We are focusing on stabilizing technique. It was really hot today out in the field and I am happy to throw 80 metres today off hard training. I had no special preparations for this competition in one month”. 

Women’s hammer throw: 

World champion Brooke Anderson threw to 75.40m in the fifth round to win the women’s hammer throw ahead of world bronze medallist Janee Kassanavoid (74.27m). European bronze medallist Sara Fantini from Italy took third place with 72.96m in the fourth round ahead of European champion Bianca Ghelber from Romania (70.89m) and Malwina Kopron from Poland (68.73m). 

Men’s 110 metres: 

Cuba’s Roger Irabarne won the men’s 110 metres hurdles final in 13.25 edging European bronze medallist Just Mathey Kwaou (13.26) and Jamaica’s Tyler Mason (13.29).