Two-time European champion outdoors, Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands opened her campaign for a first ever European indoor title in superb style at the Omnisport Arena on Saturday (8).
Feeding off the packed audience, she launched a brilliant opening round of 19.92m to ease through to Sunday’s (9) final which was the longest ever throw in shot put qualifying in European Athletics Indoor Championships history.
“I am really happy to be able to throw at home,” she said. “The first hurdle is done. On to the final. The Dutch crowd has high expectations, but I just try to enjoy the competition. I know that will give me the best throws, so hopefully I can be relaxed in the final.”
She will be joined by Germany’s Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye, who need a second round throw of 18.95m to better the automatic standard by 15cm. Portugal’s Jessica Inchude and Auriol Dongmo qualified third and fourth with 18.85m and 18.64m respectively.
Dongmo has won gold at the last two editions in Torun 2021 and Istanbul 2023 and is making a comeback after a broken leg ruled her out of the majority of the 2024 season.
Ehammer leads Skotheim in heptathlon battle
The men’s heptathlon is simmering to boiling point. European record-holder Sander Skotheim held an overnight lead of 42 points from world indoor champion Simon Ehammer of Switzerland with 3689.
It also left the Norwegian 62 points ahead of his overnight total when setting the European record in Tallinn, Estonia in February. But in Saturday’s first event, Ehammer struck back, winning the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.68 to Skotheim’s 8.04. It put the Swiss athlete 50 points ahead.
Then, in the pole vault, 5.10m was the best either could manage, maintaining the same deficit going into the 1000m final event on Saturday night, with Ehammer leading on 5652.
However, Skotheim will be favoured to win gold, with a personal best that is more than 12 seconds better than Ehammer.
Germany’s Till Steinforth leads the charge for bronze with 5477 points with Estonia’s European decathlon champion Johannes Erm also in contention after a fine 5.30m clearance in the pole vault, leaving him just 49 points off the podium.
Ingebrigtsen back in business
The night after his brilliant victory in the men’s 1500m, Jakob Ingebrigtsen returned the Omnisport Arena for the 3000m heats and it was business as usual.
He won heat two in 7:55.32. Once again, he was content to stay at the rear of the field for the bulk of the race, but with two laps to go he surged forward and took over the lead from the Netherlands’ Stefan Nillessen as they entered the final lap and was completely unthreatened.
There was also plenty of excitement surrounding the appearance of the Dutch contenders. Nillessen ran a smart tactical race and placed fourth in 7:56.23. The Netherlands’ distance running prodigy Niels Laros had to work a little harder, but still qualified, finishing sixth in 7:56.40.
European leader George Mills of Great Britain took charge of heat one with nine laps to go and led the pack home to win in 7:50:87. Also progressing from the same heat was 1500m silver medallist Azeddine Habz of France, placing fourth in 7:51.61. The final takes place on Sunday (9) evening.
Courtney-Bryant wins 3000m heat
In the women’s 3000m heats, twice bronze medallist Melissa Courtney-Bryant of Great Britain won heat two in 9:08.19, 0.04 ahead of Roma 2024 5000m bronze medallist Marta Garcia of Spain. Portugal’s Salomé Afonso who won 1500m silver on Friday, also progressed, placing fourth in 9:08.46.
The first heat was won by Ireland’s Sarah Healy, the European U23 1500m silver medallist clocked 8:55.35, just ahead of Dutch hope Maureen Koster (8:55.40), who won silver ten years ago at the Prague 2015 European Indoor Championships.
The men’s 60m got underway and Great Britain’s 2022 European 100m bronze medallist Jeremiah Azu qualified fastest, winning heat four in 6.58.
Defending champion Samuele Ceccarelli of Italy scraped through after placing fourth in heat five in 6.67. The semi finals and final will take place tonight (8).
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics