German Meetings – BW-Bank Meeting in Karlsruhe – European Athletics (EAA) – News – Records tumble in Karlsruhe, Spiegelburg clears 4.76m

Five 2011 European-leading marks and a plethora of national records were posted at the  BW-Bank Meeting in Karlsruhe on Sunday but, once again, German pole vaulter Silke Spiegelburg who grabbed the headlines.

Spiegelburg cleared a new German indoor record of 4.76m, improving by one centimetre her own mark from two years ago when she took the silver medal at the 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships.

“I’m so happy. I needed three attempts to clear 4.66m and then I got the German record with my third try. Karlsruhe only seems to give me good memories, I jumped another personal best here in 2006, when the German championships were here,” said Spiegelburg.

The year only Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva jumped higher. Another Russian vaulter Aleksandra Kiryashova finished second in Karlsruhe with 4.61m while Germany’s Kristina Gadschiew equalled her personal best when clearing the same height but had to settle for third.

Kellie Wells, from the United States, won the women’s 60m hurdles in a world-leading 7.82 but she towed Norway’s Christina Vukicevic to a national record and European-leading time of 7.90.

In similar fashion, Kenya’s Mercy Njoroge won the women’s 3000 m a world-leading 8:42.75 but Poland’s Sylwia Ejdys of Poland finished second in a personal best of 8:43.22, the fastest time by a European runner this year, while Portugal’s Sara Moreira also improved to 8:44.22.

There were also two Kenyan wins in the men’s distance events but a brace of European-leading times immediately behind them.

Bethwel Birgen won the 1500m in 3:35.38 but France’s Mehdi Baala finished a close second in 3:35.97 while Gideon Gathimba won the 3000m in 7:41.77 while Azerbaijan’s Hayle Ibrahimov set a national record of 7:42.54 as the runner up in an entertaining contest..

Ukraine’s Marya Ryemyen improved her personal best to win the 60m in 7.15, the second fastest time by a European this winter, but Norway’s former European junior 100m champion Ezinne Okparaebo of Norway was a close second in a national record 7.17. Germany’s 2010 European Athletics Championships 100 m gold medallist Verena Sailer made her 2011 debut and was third in 7.28.

“I’m glad I got that out of the way, I was quite nervous. Now I can relax and I’m aiming for a medal at the European Indoor Championships although, I can see the opposition will be tough” admitted Sailer.

The 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships will be held in the French capital Paris at the Palais Omnisport Paris-Bercy from 4-6 March.

American hurdler David Oliver confirmed his position as this year’s top man at the 60m hurdles as he sped to a winning time of 7.40. However, France’s talented Dimitri Bascou improved his personal best to 7.53 in second place, the best time by a European this year, while his compatriot Garfield Darien also clocked a personal best of 7.56 when finishing fourth.

In remaining women’s events, high jumper Antonietta Di Martino, perhaps a little tired after travelling from the Slovakian city of Banská Bystrica where just four days before she cleared an Italian record of 2.04m, beat Russia’s Viktoriya Klyugina on count-back after both women cleared 1.92m.

Czech 400m hurdler Zuzana Hejnová won over two laps of the track without the barriers in 52.86.

European Athletics (EAA)