World and European shot put champion Jessica Schilder from the Netherlands achieved the second longest mark of her career on Friday (13) evening in Apeldoorn.
Returning to the arena in which she won the European indoor title last March with a lifetime best and outright Dutch record of 20.69m, Schilder was in comparable form as she launched the four kilogram implement to a world leading mark of 20.49m in the fourth round.
Schilder produced a full series of valid efforts with all six throws measured over the 19 metre-line. 2024 European shot put and discus silver medallist Jorinde Van Klinken finished second with 18.14m.
Schilder is due to renew her rivalry with Canada’s Sarah Mitton, who defeated the Dutchwoman for the world indoor title in Nanjing last March and held the previous world lead with 20.27m, at the Hvezdy v Nehvizdech on 25 February.
Home victories for Thiery and Bonnin
Baptiste Thiery and Marie-Julie Bonnin made it a French double on home soil at the Perche aux Etoiles in Tremblay-en-France, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze event, on Saturday (14).
Thiery defeated strong American opposition for victory in the men's pole vault, clearing 5.85m for victory on countback over 2020 Olympic silver medallist Chris Nilsen with Zach Bradford third with a 5.75m clearance.
Bonnin cleared 4.63m for victory in the women's pole vault, also on countback from United States' Emily Grove, before three attempts at an outright French record of 4.76m.
Elsewhere around Europe...
European 110m hurdles champion Lorenzo Simonelli clocked 7.60 in the 60m hurdles in Padua on Saturday.
2023 European indoor champion Jason Joseph also clocked 7.60 on his season's debut in the 60m hurdles in Magglingen on Saturday. Leonie Pointet won the women's 60m in a lifetime best of 7.15.
Double European U20 champion Kelly Doualla, 16, won the 60m title at the Italian U18 Championships in Ancona.