GERMAN MEETINGS: DÜSSELDORF – Capacity crowd and thrilling competitions – Series winner Kszczot: “Fantastic audience”

The spectators enjoyed not only six World leads and one meeting record but also German Jenny Elbe’s victory in the women’s triple jump.  

“The PSD Bank Meeting is a get-together of the international athletics elite and also an exceptional crowd puller. The fans in the stands are probably nowhere as close to the exciting competitions in an athletics event as here in Duesseldorf. The coverage on TV and other international media spotlight the event and the entire sports city of Duesseldorf all over the world“, said Duesseldorf’s Lord Mayor Thomas Geisel.

Right at the start German Jenny Elbe provided the highlight from the German point of view when she won the women’s triple jump with 14.12 metres. “I am more than happy. I really didn’t reckon with such a result.“ Kristin Gierisch clinched a German double victory finishing second just two centimetres behind Elbe.

Elijah Manangoi of Kenya set the first World lead of the day. The World runner-up was victorious in the 1,500m clocking 3:39.77 minutes. His fellow-countryman Augustine Choge achieved a new World lead in 7:39.23min in the 3,000m. 24-year-old Spaniard Orlando Ortega recorded even two World leads, first in the 60m hurdles heats in 7.54sec and then in the final in 7.49sec. Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic set the fifth World lead finishing top in the women’s long jump with 6.79m.

The World bronze medallist also improved the five-year-old meeting record of US American Funmi Jimoh by 19 centimetres. In the last competition of the day Kim Collins (Saint Kitts and Nevis) recorded the sixth World lead in 6.53sec in the men’s 60m.

Poland’s Adam Kszczot impressed in the 800m: The World silver medallist achieved his fifth successive victory in the sports city of Duesseldorf in exactly 1:46.00min. “It is a great feeling to be here and to win for the fifth consecutive year in front of that fantastic audience,” said the 26-year-old. 

Further German athletes besides Gierisch finished second: World runner-up Cindy Roleder, who was beaten only by Belorussian Alina Talay (8.00sec) in 8.01sec in the 60m hurdles, Alexandra Wester in the long jump (6.72m) and Christina Hering in 2:02.19min in the 800m. Julian Reus came third in 6.59sec in the 60 metres.

Source: PSD Bank Meeting Düsseldorf

Pictures by David Young