By Ulrike Krieger
Finally a full hut again at the ISTAF Indoor. The motto: FASTER! HIGHER! FURTHER!
After the Corona years 2021 without and 2022 with only 1500 spectators, 11,850 sports fans celebrate the track and field stars with fireworks and cool music at the largest indoor meeting in the world on Friday.
And for the 10th anniversary, the tartan heroes let it rip. A total of 10 personal bests, 22 season bests, a national record, a world annual best and two mega meeting records are set.
Finally ISTAF Indoor with a full hall again: 11,850 fans celebrated an athletics festival
Photo: picture alliance / Andreas Gora
The first with an announcement! 5.60 meters, 5.82 meters, 5.91 meters – all in the first attempt, then pole vault superstar Armand Duplantis can hang up 6.06 meters and flies over it.
The Swede not only breaks his own meeting record, but has finally overtaken the great Sergej Bubka (59/Ukraine), who previously held the ISTAF record in the capital in the Olympic Stadium (6.05 meters/1994).
After that, the fans stand up, but Duplantis only narrowly fails three times at the new world record of 6.22 meters. And says: “I’ll keep trying and I’ll be back next year!”
Things are also happening over the 60 meters: The Brit Reece Prescod sprints to the meeting record and world annual record with 6.49 seconds.
Despite back problems, Gina Lückenkemper finished third and improved her best performance of the season to 7.16 seconds Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa
Briton Daryll Neita also runs faster than ever with 7.05 seconds. Gina Lückenkemper (26) is third in 7.16 seconds: “I’ve never started a season so quickly.”
Britany Anderson (7.85 seconds) wins the 60m hurdles. The Jamaican: “This is my first time here. This is by far the best indoor meeting I’ve run in.”
Malaika Mihambo only made two valid jumps, would have won with both. In the first attempt she jumps 6.72 meters, in the last 6.81 meters Photo: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP
Superstar Malaika Mihambo (29) from Heidelberg also makes the fans cheer. With 6.81 m she wins the long jump discipline in the last attempt!