“An impossible undertaking, but within my goals,” he said Jakob Ingebrigtsen on the eve. The 1500m world record of Hicham el Guerrouj, twenty-five years old, does not arrive but the 22-year-old Norwegian drives himself to the European record, 3’27″95 (it was his with 3’28″32), and the wetsuit that chases him to the greatest race in history: eight of them finish under 3’30”. Competition launched by the two hares, Akbache first and Kiprugut after. Ingebrigtsen is hunted by the Spanish Mohamed Katir and his progression only gets the better of it in the last 150 metres. Katir closes in 3’28”89. The continental record goes to keep company with the world record over the two miles and the European one over the 3000m. It is also the record of one of the noblest meetings: it was 3’29″12 by el Guerrouj who today has a very strong chance of celebrating the wedding of silver with 3’26”00 achieved at the Olimpico on 14 July 1998.
The ending is Norwegian. Karsten Warholm it’s in its infancy. Yells, slaps and a violent start. Thirteen steps between one barrier and another in the first part, fifteen later. The others, very far away and dizzying time: 46″52, his second time ever after the monstrous 45″94 in Tokyo.
The dream mile, this year, is female and owned by 17-year-old Ethiopian Birke Haylom, new Under 20 world record brought to 4’17”13 after two laps in perfect solitude. It is the record of the meeting, no small thing at the Bislett, and entry into the top ten ever. And the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha and the Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo find a place in the top five all-time of the 5000m, in 12’41″73, separated by a few millimeters at the end of a furious last kilometer and an equally furious final straight just as Armand Duplantis fails the third assault at 6.12. For him 6.01 is pure routine.
Femke Bol said Bambi plans to meet Sydney McLaughlin soon face to face that will leave deep marks both at the Budapest World Cup and at the Paris Olympics. The transition from 15 to 14 paces between one barrier and another doesn’t disturb the Dutchman’s relaxed race who, after the 52”43 in Florence, the seasonal world championship, has to tackle the Bislett track: tight curves and rather long straights. A 52”29 comes out of it, improving its apex, with a very wise distribution, before exiting with great confidence from the seventh hurdle. Best time of the year, 10”75, also for Marie Josè Ta Lou over 100 metres: the launched phase of the 34-year-old little Ivorian is a masterpiece. Jamaican Shericka Jackson pays more than two meters.
After troubled years following an accident in a rugby match, Wayde van Niiekerk, world record holder and Olympic champion in Rio, demonstrates that if the fibers hold up, he can play an important role again: in an African derby Wayde beats the surprising Zambian Samukonga, who fell under 44” in his first taste of the season. For the South African 44″38, not far from his season high at 44″17. Samukonga wakes up late. Good final straight and 44”49.
After two descents under 20″, the prodigious 19-year-old Erriyon Knighton also tames this difficult track: perhaps a small heel at the junction between the bend and the straight before opening the compass and closing in 19″77, one tenth off the best time of the year by Noah Lyles.
Accustomed to winning by impressive margins, the “grasshopper” Yulimar Rojas saves the unbeaten run with the small margin of four centimeters on the young Cuban Leyanis Perez Hernandez: for the Venezuelan 14.91 with an illegal wind gust, +2.1, for the Cuban 14.87 with a regular breeze. In continuous progress, 14.75, the Ukrainian Maryna Romanchuk, long jumper increasingly converted to triple. Evening opened by the great hammering of the Polish giant Wojciech Novicki, 81.92, largely seasonal world championship for those who rarely fail in big events.
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