Norwegian sets world record at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas de Calais as five other world leads fall
Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen sensationally opened his 2022 campaign with a stunning 3:30.60 world record on Thursday (Feb 17).
The early pace looked perfect with the first 400m in 55.64 with Erik Sowinski taking over with 800m in 1:52.19 with the young Norwegian looking comfortable as metronomic laps of 28.32, 28.32 and 28.43 were reeled off between 500m and 1100m.
The 1000m time of 2:20.90 had actually been down on world record pace but that was just as Ingebrigtsen planned as he took up the running closely followed by the world indoor record-holder Samuel Tefera of Ethiopia.
Now, though, the Olympic champion was picking the pace up and he passed 1200m in 2:48.95 and went through the bell in 3:03.08 with a lap of 27.95 to open up a gap. Then, in his final lap, he went even faster with 27.54 and his 3:30.60 took 0.44 of a second off Tefera’s 3:31.04 and he looked like there is more to come.
“This is always a fast race and it’s a really nice arena,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I like to finish strong. I think it’s nice for the crowd but it’s also nice for me to speed up going into the finish.”
At this meeting last year Ingebrigtsen ran a European indoor record of 3:31.80 and, while this was his 2022 track debut, he had already shown formidable form this winter by winning the European cross-country title with ease in Dublin in December and he will now start favourite at the World Indoors where he could also tackle the 3000m.
Tefera was eventually a distant second in a still fast 3:33.70 which was two seconds up on the previous world lead of Neil Gourley.
The meeting also saw a cracking women’s 800m. Olympic finalist Natoya Goule warmed up for her clash with Keely Hodgkinson in the Müller Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham less than 48 hours later with a world-leading Jamaican record of 1:58.46.
The pacemaker blasted the first 400m in 57.56 and Goule then took over the running and was through 600m in 87.64.
Following her closely was the world champion Halimah Nakaayi, who had run the previous lead of 1:59.55 at Val-de-Reuil, a few days earlier,. Nakaayi looked the stronger but she made the mistake of trying to pass Goule on the inside as she came into the final straight.
Goule closed the gap off which meant the Ugandan had to slow and then try and come around the outside and she fell a metre short in improving her Ugandan record by almost a second to 1:58.58.
In the men’s 800m, Spain’s Mariano Garcia followed up his victory in Staten Island in New York with another assured win. The world-leader at 1:45.12, who was only second at the World Indoor Tour meeting in Manchester in January, ran 1:46.29.
Making a good move at the bell, he comfortably held off the world’s second ever fastest man at the distance indoors, Elliot Giles.
The Briton, previously unbeaten in 2022, followed Garcia around the last lap and swung wide in the straight but couldn’t close the two metres margin down the finishing straight and ran 1:46.50.
The 2018 world indoor champion Adam Kszczot of Poland, who is enjoying a retirement tour, was only sixth in 1:48.06.
Before the live broadcast began, Ethiopia’s former world junior champion Dawit Seyaum, won the women’s 3000m in the fifth fastest indoor time in history.
Dawit Seyaum (Getty)
The 2016 world indoor medallist ran a world-leading 8:23.24 in leading home an Ethiopian one-two three. Her previous best indoor time was set in Birmingham in 2017.
Olympic 5000m fifth-placer Ejgayehu Taye, the recent world 5km road record-holder, was second in her indoor debut in 8:26.77 while consistent Fantu Worku, who was sixth in both the last World Championships indoors (3000m) and outdoors (5000m) was a distant third in 8:38.15.
The Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs comfortably won the 60m in 6.50 though relatively little-known American Cravont Charleston wasn’t far back on the outside as he finished second in a PB 6.52 with Elijah Hall-Thompson third in 6.57 just ahead of African 100m record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala who ran a Kenyan record 6.57 with world indoor medallist Ronnie Baker a disappointing fifth.
The Italian winner said: “It is amazing competing here. The track is fast. I work hard every day and want to win the world title.”
Marcell Jacobs (Getty)
World 60m hurdles record-holder Grant Holloway was a class apart in an event that he hasn’t lost since 2014 when he was aged just 16.
He won in a world lead 7.35 a metre clear of Pascal Martinot-Lagarde of France who was timed in 7.46.
Only Holloway himself, Colin Jackson and Dayron Robles have ever run faster than the American.
World indoor champion Andrew Pozzi of Britain was fifth in a season’s best of 7.62 and he will take on Holloway again in Birmingham on Saturday.
Holloway said: “That was only the second race of the season so I am excited.”
There was also some world leads in the field. The two-times world junior triple jump champion Lazaro Martinez of Cuba was an easy winner of the men’s event as he set a world leading 17.21m.
Anzhelika Sidorova also set a world lead in the women’s pole vault as she improved her previous 4.80m to 4.85m.
Iryna Zhuk improved her Belarus record to 4.80m to finish second and defeat Olympic champion Katie Nageotte on countback.
Olympic silver medallist Chris Nilsen dominated the pole vault going clear all the way up to 5.91m and then having some good attempts at an US record 6.03m.
Brazil’s 2016 Olympic champion Thiago Braz was second with a 5.81m vault.
One athlete no stranger to setting records – the Olympic triple jump champion Yulimar Rojas – won the long jump with a PB 6.81m backed up by a 6.77m as she showed she could challenge for medals in single jump events too.
There was talk of a record in the men’s 3000m but clearly none of the athletes were interested as after a fast opening kilometre they dawdled through the second with Spain’s Mohamed Katir ahead in 5:02.28.
The pace got even slower as they eased back with 62.69 for the next 400m before the race got back to a quicker tempo.
Last year Getnet Wale won in a near world record 7:24.98 from Selemon Barega’s 7:26.10 and Lamecha Girma’s 7:27.98 and the same three eventually broke clear on the last lap but this time there was a different order.
Lamecha Girma (Getty)
The long-legged Olympic steeplechase silver medallist Girma who covered his last 600m inside 85 seconds managed to sprint past the Olympic 10,000m champion Barega with his final strides to time 7:30.54 to his rival’s 7:30.66 and 7:30.88.
Andreas Almgren set a Swedish record 7:34.31 in fifth.
Gudaf Tsegay’s plans to attack the world indoor mile record of 4:13.32 set by fellow Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba six years ago, ended with a heavy fall in the opening laps.
At this event 12 months ago Tsegay broke Dibaba’s world 1500m record with 3:53.09 but, despite falling, she quickly got up and re-caught the leaders and won in a meeting record 4:21.72.
Esther Guerrero set a Spanish record of 4:28.54 in fifth.
Unusually there was a men’s 2000m and that saw a very close race though Olympic 1500m fourth-placer Abel Kipsang appeared to have an unassailable lead at 1500m and on for a time of around 4:54.
He was treading water in the last 100m and was caught on the line by 3:32.80 1500m runner Samuel Zeleke who won in 4:57.00 to the Kenyan’s 4:57.21 with Azzedine Habz also close with a French record 4:57.22.
Men:
60:
1 Lamont Marcell Jacobs ITA 6.50
2 Cravont Charleston USA 6.52
3 Elijah Hall-Thompson USA 6.57
4 Ferdinand Omurwa KEN 6.57 NR
5 Ronnie Baker USA 6.59
6 Jimmy Vicaut 6.61
7 Sean Safo-Antwi GHA 6.66,
Arthur Gue Cissé CIV DNS,
Heat 1:
1 Ferdinand Omurwa KEN 6.62
2 Ronnie Baker USA 6.65
3 Arthur Gue Cissé CIV 6.65
4 Mike Rodgers USA 6.67
Heat 2:
1 Lamont Marcell Jacobs ITA 6.53
2 Jimmy Vicaut 6.59
3 Cravont Charleston USA 6.61
4 Elijah Hall-Thompson USA 6.63
5 Sean Safo-Antwi GHA 6.63
6 Devin Quinn USA 6.67
800:
1 Mariano Garcia ESP 1:46.29
2 Elliot Giles GBR 1:46.50
3 Andreas Kramer SWE 1:47.61
4 Eliott Crestan BEL 1:47.75
5 Noah Kibet KEN 1:47.98
6 Adam Kszczot POL 1:48.06
7 Tony van Diepen NED 1:48.11
8 Gabriel Tual 1:48.16
9 Collins Kipruto KEN 1:49.08
Race B:
1 Benjamin Robert 1:47.20
2 Catalin Tecuceanu ROU 1:47.48
3 Cornelius Tuwei KEN 1:47.78
4 Mostafa Smaili MAR 1:47.83
5 Adrian Ben ESP 1:47.89
6 Nasredine Khatir 1:48.15
7 Elias Ngeny KEN 1:48.21
8 Nabil Oussama MAR 1:48.60
1500:
1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen NOR 3:30.60 world record
2 Samuel Tefera ETH 3:33.70
3 Ignacio Fontes ESP 3:37.39
4 Saul Ordóñez ESP 3:37.99
5 Michał Rozmys POL 3:38.82
6 Charles Grethen LUX 3:38.84
7 Marcin Lewandowski POL 3:44.87
8 Adihana Kasaye ETH 3:45.15
9 Baptiste Mischler 3:48.92
10 Vincent Keter KEN 3:48.97
2000:
1 Samuel Zeleke ETH 4:57.00
2 Abel Kipsang KEN 4:57.21
3 Azeddine Habz 4:57.22 rec
4 Jimmy Gressier 4:57.97
5 Maximilian Thorwirth GER 4:59.93
6 Hicham Akankam MAR 5:00.51
7 István Szögi HUN 5:00.73 rec
8 Simon Denissel 5:01.19
9 Ismael Debjani BEL 5:02.02
10 Hailemariyam Amare ETH 5:03.52
11 Tolesa Bodena ETH 5:03.92
12 Mike Foppen NED 5:04.10 NR
13 Ruben Verheyden BEL 5:04.89
14 Abraham Seme ETH 5:08.30
3000:
1 Lamecha Girma ETH 7:30.54
2 Selemon Barega ETH 7:30.66
3 Getnet Wale ETH 7:30.88
4 Birhanu Yemataw BRN 7:31.77 rec
5 Andreas Almgren SWE 7:34.31 rec
6 Jacob Krop KEN 7:34.67
7 Mohamed Katir ESP 7:36.62
8 Girma Diriba ETH 7:38.79
9 Elzan Bibić SRB 7:42.95 rec
10 Nicholas Kimeli KEN 7:43.31
11 Mohamed Mohumed GER 7:43.61
12 Hugo Hay 7:43.88
13 Nibret Melak ETH 7:53.22
60H:
1 Grant Holloway USA 7.35
2 Pascal Martinot-Lagarde 7.46
3 Jarret Eaton USA 7.51
4 Enrique Llopis ESP 7.62
5 Andy Pozzi GBR 7.62
6 Wellington Zaza LBR 7.63
7 Daniel Roberts USA 7.67
8 Wilhem Belocian 7.72
Heat 1:
1 Jarret Eaton USA 7.55
2 Pascal Martinot-Lagarde 7.55
3 Enrique Llopis ESP 7.63
4 Andy Pozzi GBR 7.63
5 Wellington Zaza LBR 7.63
6 Damian Czykier POL 7.67
7 Kevin Mayer 7.72
8 Just Kwaou-Mathey 7.75
Heat 2:
1 Grant Holloway USA 7.40
2 Wilhem Belocian 7.57
3 Daniel Roberts USA 7.58
4 Michael Dickson USA 7.64
5 Michael Obasuyi BEL 7.65
6 Yaqoub Al-Yoha KUW 7.73
7 Elmo Lakka FIN 7.98
PV:
1 Chris Nilsen USA 5.91
2 Thiago Braz BRA 5.81
3 Menno Vloon NED 5.81
4 Jacob Wooten USA 5.76
5 Emmanouíl Karalís GRE 5.76
6 Piotr Lisek POL 5.71
6 Kurtis Marschall AUS 5.71
8 Matt Ludwig USA 5.71
9 Valentin Lavillenie 5.71
10 Ernest John Obiena PHI 5.61
11 Alioune Sène 5.61
12 Rutger Koppelaar NED 5.51
TJ:
1 Lázaro Martínez CUB 17.21
2 Max Hess GER 16.76
3 Simo Lipsanen FIN 16.59
4 Yasser Triki ALG 16.53
5 Nazim Babayev AZE 16.39
6 Thomas Gogois 16.35
7 Andréas Pantazís GRE 16.00
Women:
800:
1 Natoya Goule JAM 1:58.46 rec
2 Halimah Nakaayi UGA 1:58.58 rec
3 Eglay Nalyanya KEN 2:00.26
4 Angelika Cichocka POL 2:01.52
5 Freweyni Hailu ETH 2:01.89
6 Tigist Girma ETH 2:02.20
7 Hedda Hynne NOR 2:02.82
8 Cynthia Anais 2:03.18
9 Noélie Yarigo BEN 2:04.52
Mile:
1 Gudaf Tsegay ETH 4:21.72
2 Axumawit Embaye ETH 4:25.30
3 Hirut Meshesha ETH 4:27.19
4 Netsanet Desta ETH 4:27.22
5 Esther Guerrero ESP 4:28.54 rec
6 Edina Jebitok KEN 4:28.73
7 Sara Kuivisto FIN 4:29.64 rec
8 Winnie Nanyondo UGA 4:30.11
9 Wezam Tesfay ETH 4:30.65
10 Aurore Fleury 4:32.88
11 Tigist Ketema ETH 4:33.50
12 Giulia Aprile ITA 4:33.84
13 Hanna Hermansson SWE 4:35.47
3000:
1 Dawit Seyaum ETH 8:23.24
2 Ejgayehu Taye ETH 8:26.77
3 Fantu Worku ETH 8:38.15
4 Beatrice Chebet KEN 8:41.92
5 Werkwuha Getachew ETH 8:44.43
6 Hanna Klein GER 8:44.61
7 Zerfe Wondemagegn ETH 8:47.27
8 Ayal Dagnachew ETH 8:51.04
9 Selamawit Teferi ISR 8:57.77
10 Sara Benfarès GER 9:10.73
11 Edna Chepkemoi KEN 9:19.48
60H:
1 Laeticia Bapte 8.00
2 Reetta Hurske FIN 8.06
3 Devynne Charlton BAH 8.11
4 Elvira Herman BLR 8.12
5 Luca Kozák HUN 8.12
6 Klaudia Siciarz POL 8.19
7 Hanna Plotitsyna UKR 8.22
8 Nooralotta Neziri FIN 8.38
Heat 1:
1 Devynne Charlton BAH 8.04
2 Luca Kozák HUN 8.11
3 Elvira Herman BLR 8.12
4 Klaudia Siciarz POL 8.15
5 Hanna Plotitsyna UKR 8.19
6 Awa Sene 8.20
7 Gréta Kerekes HUN 8.33
Heat 2:
1 Laeticia Bapte 8.03
2 Reetta Hurske FIN 8.08
3 Nooralotta Neziri FIN 8.17
4 Victoria Rausch LUX 8.23 =rec
5 Luminosa Bogliolo ITA 8.23
6 Elisa Maria Di Lazzaro ITA 8.29
7 Pauline Lett 8.42
PV:
1 Anzhelika Sidorova RUS 4.85
2 Iryna Zhuk BLR 4.80 rec
3 Katie Nageotte USA 4.80
4 Xu Huiqin CHN 4.65
4 Tina Šutej SLO 4.65
6 Yarisley Silva CUB 4.55
7 Polina Knoroz RUS 4.55
8 Ninon Chapelle 4.40
9 Roberta Bruni ITA 4.20
10 Margot Chevrier 4.20
LJ:
1 Yulimar Rojas VEN 6.81
2 Fatima Diame ESP 6.64
3 María Vicente ESP 6.62
4 Akela Inatta-Jones BAR 6.54
5 Noor Vidts BEL 6.51
6 Maelly Dalmat 6.43
7 Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova BLR 6.42
8 Anasztázia Nguyen HUN 6.37
9 Quanesha Burks USA 6.23
10 Yanis David 6.18
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk UKR NM
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