Poland’s Jakub Szymanski moved to outright second on the European all-time 60m hurdles list with a 7.39 clocking on home soil at the ORLEN Cup in Lodz, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting, on Saturday (8) evening.
Szymanski looked imperious in the heats with 7.43 but the 22-year-old kept something in reserve for the final, stopping the clock at 7.39 to shave 0.02 from his previous world lead and national record of 7.41 from the CMCM Indoor Meeting in Luxembourg last month.
That performance put Szymanski at equal second on the European all-time list but the Pole now occupies that position outright after his performance in Lodz. He also becomes just the second European after Colin Jackson - the European record-holder at 7.30 - to break the 7:40-barrier for the 60m hurdles.
“I didn't plan to run so fast today. It was the first time I had such a feeling. From race to race my technique is improving, I am getting stronger mentally,” said Szymanski who is beaten in six races - heats and finals included - this season.
Szymanski is planning to contest both the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn from 6-9 March as well as the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing from 21-23 March.
Two-time European outdoor medallist Ditaji Kambundji from Switzerland was also in impressive form, winning the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.83 by a clear margin from Finland’s Lotta Harala (8.01) with home favourite Pia Skrzyszowska having to settle for third with 8.02.
The track programme concluded with a popular victory for 2019 European indoor champion Ewa Swoboda taking her seventh victory at this meeting in 7.13 ahead of Italy’s Zaynab Dosso in 7.16.
Switzerland’s reigning European indoor champion Mujinga Kambundji stumbled out of the blocks but recovered to finish fourth in 7.27.
Other highlights included Greece’s Olympic bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis improving his national indoor record with a first-time clearance at 5.92m and Konrad Bukowiecki winning the shot put on home soil with 20.95m.
Steven Mills for European Athletics
