Golden Gala: Kipyegon drops the 1500m world record, Kerley wins the men’s 100m in 9’94

From our correspondent Claudio Lenzi

June 2nd
– FLORENCE

The real Festa della Repubblica on June 2 sports is in Florence, in front of the seven thousand of the Ridolfi stadium. The Italy of athletics is still great for one night and at the Golden Gala number 43 it celebrates three specialty successes with the Florentine Larissa Iapichino in the long shot, Leo Fabbri in the shot put and the Italian from Cuba Andy Diaz in the triple, complete with a record national team paraded to his coach Fabrizio Donato. Samuele Ceccarelli also participates in the party with his personal best in the 100 (10”13) won by the usual Kerley. After surprisingly conquering the Euroindoors in the 60s, the “Cecca” is now a reality also in the queen competition. But above all the new 1500m world record holder Faith Kipyegon. That of the 29-year-old Kenyan is a crazy race that will remain in the annals, celebrated by all her rivals: her stratospheric 3’49″11 cancels out the Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba (3’50″07) who has been resisting since 2015.

Diaz the Italian

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The national triple jump record falls after 23 years: thanks to Andy Diaz, an Italian citizen for less than three months, who flies 17.75 (+0.9) on his first jump, canceling the 17.60 of his coach Fabrizio Donato – the first to congratulate grandstand – and as reigning champion he takes the third stage of the Diamond League by beating the season leader Zango (“only” 17.68/-0.1). While waiting for World Athletics to certify his new nationality, the 27-year-old from Libertas Livorno leaves Florence wrapped in the tricolor and confirms himself as an additional weapon in the blue key, in addition to Dallavalle (injured), the NCAA champion Ihemeje (today fourth with 16.69/ -0.6) and Bocchi (eighth with 16.24/-0.9).

Leo and Larisa

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Leo Fabbri is reborn in his native Florence with a convincing 21.73 and stadium support. The weight contest ends with the 26-year-old from Bagno a Ripoli kneeling under the bend after putting behind the 2017 world champion, the New Zealander Walsh (21.69), and the Czech Stanek (21.64). Fourth the two world champion Kovacs (21.55), sixth the other blue Weir (21.13). “An immense joy, I finally managed to hit a measure that I felt I had but didn’t arrive. It happened on the platform where I learned to throw – comments Fabbri – since it was wet it was an advantage for me “. Platform friend also for Larissa Iapichino, who triumphs in her Florence with 6.79 (+0.7), just four centimeters from the personal best, in a very high level competition. Only fifth Mihambo (6.57 / -0.4), Olympic and reigning world champion.

Samuel is there

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Fred Kerley confirms himself unbeatable in the 100m in this first part of the season with three successes out of three stages in the Diamond League. Without Jacobs, the American vice-Olympic champion and world gold medalist prevails in 9″94 over the Kenyan Omanyala (10″05) and his compatriot Bromell (10″09). Ceccarelli is there: in the first 100m after his exploit at the European Championships in Istanbul he is fifth in 10”13, a personal result that immediately enters the Italian top 10 ever. Even Erriyon Knighton is already from another planet: the 19-year-old world bronze takes the 200m in 19″89, the only one under 20″ in the race where Tortu is fourth in 20″41 and Desalu seventh in 20″90. The 110 hurdles are Holloway as usual: the two world champion does 13”04 (-0.2) while the blue Simonelli finishes eighth with his personal best (13”57). Also in the 100m, without the British Asher-Smith absent at the last minute, the Ivorian Ta Lou prevails (10”97/-0.4).

The other races

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Four participations in a row and four successes for the 400m hurdles phenomenon Femke Bol, who signs an excellent 52″43, new meeting record and best world performance of the season, ahead of the Americans Shamier (53″38) and the surprising heptathlete Hall ( 54”42). The blue Ayo Folorunso is seventh on her debut in 2023 in 55”34. The meeting record also falls in the women’s 3000 steeplechase with the extraordinary Ethiopian Almayew who also signs the best time of 2023: 9’00”71. The Kenyan world record holder Chepkoech was dethroned by 10”. In the men’s 5000m neither Cheptegei nor Barega: Spaniard Katir is the fastest, triumph in 12’52”09, no one like him this year. Tamberi isn’t here yet and the male alto goes to mr. Jump JuVaughn Harrison with 2.32. The Polish Kaczmarek takes the 400m in 50”41, the blue Alice Mangione is eighth (52”61). The American Moon, however, conquered the auction with 4.71, with the blue Roberta Bruni (4.61) fourth and Elisa Molinarolo (4.41) eighth. Finally, the women’s discus pitted the Olympic champion Allman (USA) against the world champion Feng Bin (China): the American got the better of 5 centimeters with 65.96, against 65.91 of the Chinese. Seventh the blue Osakue (61.55, in addition to a 58.83 and three nulls).