A look at some of the latest athletics news, including Suhr’s attack of 5.03m at the Doug Raymond Invitational and a 2:01.11 800m season opener by Laura Muir in Glasgow
Suhr attempts indoor world record
Olympic pole vault champion Jenn Suhr has started her season in top shape. At the Doug Raymond Invitational she cleared a world-leading 4.91m on her third attempt. She then went on to attack her world indoor record with attempts at 5.03m and later commented on Twitter: “5.03 WR. Oh so close…!! Just missed it, should have made it. Not satisfied with today’s result 4.91m.”
Muir runs 2:01.11 in season opener
World 1500m fifth-placer Laura Muir opened her indoor season with a solo 2:01.11 clocking over 800m at the Scottish National Indoor Open in Glasgow. Her time was just outside her Scottish indoor record of 2:00.94.
Bukowiecki equals European indoor junior shot put best
Throwing with the senior implement, Konrad Bukowiecki equalled his European indoor junior shot put all-time best of 20.46m in Torun. It was his first competition of the season throwing with the 7.26kg shot. Second was Rafal Kownatke with 19.80m. Karol Zalewski won the 200m in 21.17.
Kamworor and Cheruiyot win Kenyan Police Cross Country Champs
World Cross and half-marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor won the Kenyan Police Cross Country Championships at Ngong Racecourse in 30:53 for 10km. He retained his title from last year. Second when coming back from injury was Augustine Choge with 31:30 and in third was 1500m world champion Asbel Kiprop with 31:47. Fourth was Josphat Bett (31:53) over Joshua Nakeri (31:58) and world indoor champion Caleb Ndiku (32:00). Also to note was a ninth place finish for steeplechaser Paul Kipsiele Koech with 32:18.
World champion Vivian Cheruiyot was the best woman but it was close as the second-placed African Games winner Margaret Chelimo had the same time of 36:30. Third was steeplechase world champion Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi with 36:34. In fourth was Janet Kisa (36:48) just ahead of former track world champion Linet Masai (36:49).
Holzdeppe opens with 5.70m
The 2013 world champion Raphael Holzdeppe opened his season with a 5.70m clearance in Merzig. Second was Florian Gall with 5.50m and third Carlo Paech with 5.40m. Poland’s Piotr Lisek did not compete due to an calf injury and also the comeback of German record-holder Bjorn Otto did not happen due to an illness. Some 1000 spectators saw Holzdeppe jumping from a short run-up.
Xue Changrui clears chinese record 5.81m
Chinese Xue Changrui won the Orleans Pole Vault meet (part of the Perche Elite Tour) with 5.81m on his second attempt. That is not only new meeting record but also a Chinese overall record as the indoor and outdoor top mark had previously been 5.80m. The new record-holder also provided two attempts at 5.90m.
Second was world indoor champion Konstadinos Filippidis of Greece with 5.67m. Behind him was four jumpers with 5.57m. There was a tie for third between Kevin Menaldo and another Chinese athlete Huang Bokai, then Valentin Lavillenie and in sixth was Stanley Joseph.
Former world junior record-holder Angelica Bengtsson from Sweden topped the women’s competition with 4.60m on her first attempt and tried at 4.72m for what would have been a national record. Second was Maria Leonor Ribeiro Tavares from Portugal with 4.36m.
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