Germany’s world long jump champion and USA’s Christina Clemons among winners at ISTAF Indoor meeting

Malaika Mihambo and Christina Clemons set world leading marks at the ISTAF Indoor meeting in Berlin on Friday (February 5), with Mihambo leaping 6.77m in the long jump and Clemons clocking 7.83 in the 60m hurdles.

As it turned out, just one jump would have been enough to secure victory for Mihambo, as Germany’s world long jump champion produced her best mark in the first round. She followed it with jumps of 6.62m and 6.61m before three fouls for a second consecutive win after her 6.74m to finish top in Düsseldorf at the end of last month.

World silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk was second with her jump of 6.64m from the fifth round.

Over on the track, Clemons ran 7.90 in the first hurdles event and then returned 80 minutes later to improve to 7.83, with European champion Nadine Visser second in 7.90.

“A world lead is exactly what I have been training for,” said Clemons.”I could have been a little more aggressive in the middle of the race but I was able to recover and ran a really good time.

“I want to make this my best indoor season so far.”

The world indoor silver medallist is next set to race in Liévin on February 9 and added: “My coach and I are striving for the world record!”

It took a photo finish to decide the second of the men’s races, as both Aaron Mallett and Orlando Ortega clocked 7.64 with Mallett getting the nod.

The 60m races saw Arthur Cissé improve his Ivory Coast record to 6.53 to win ahead of Lamont Marcell Jacobs with a PB of 6.55 and Maja Mihalinec Zidar win the women’s race in 7.23 from Lisa Mayer with 7.26.

Ernest John Obiena was another national record-breaker as he improved his own Philippines indoor pole vault best to 5.80m, which he achieved on his first attempt.

He claimed the win on countback ahead of Germany’s Torben Blech, while Oleg Zernikel finished third thanks to his 5.72m clearance.

There had been drama for Robert Sobera earlier in the competition, with the 2016 European champion’s pole snapping as he attempted 5.72m after soaring over 5.62m first time.

He went on to try 5.80m but finished fourth when his three attempts were not successful.

“At 5.72m I had an accident, my pole broke,” he explained. “I do not know why, it was a brand new pole. I had never touched it before.”

Results can be found here.

Over in Nehvizdy, British champion Reynold Banigo won the long jump with a leap of 7.73m, while Tomáš Staněk topped the shot put with 21.22m from his final throw.

Thomas Carmoy won the men’s high jump on countback ahead of Gianmarco Tamberi as both cleared 2.24m, while the women’s competition was won by Levern Spencer with a 1.86m clearance.