The History of the INIT INDOOR MEETING Karlsruhe

The INIT INDOOR MEETING Karlsruhe 2023 could not have had a better ending. Because the last act at the opening of the World Indoor Tour Gold was the highlight of the 39^th edition of the Karlsruhe meeting in front of 3,000 spectators in a completely sold-out athletics arena in Messehalle 3. It was the highlight of the evening and it belonged to the British Dina Asher-Smith. “I came to Karlsruhe to run fast and somehow I hoped it would end up being a British record,” she said after her race in the 60 metres. In the end, that was exactly what happened for the sprint queen from Great Britain. With a blazing time of 7.04 seconds, she not only set a British record, but also equalled Irina Privalova's 27-year-old meeting record, thus making Karlsruhe history.

For the first time ever - due to the COVID-19 pandemic - the INDOOR MEETING takes place without visitors and in front of empty seats in the Karlsruhe Europahalle. However, even in difficult times like these, Karlsruhe presents a world-class Meeting for viewers to follow on their television at home, thus kicking off the World Athletics Indoor Tour. The Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie triumphs in the pole vault competition with a new Meeting record (5.95 metres) and expresses his gratitude after the match, saying, ”Usually, we receive a great atmosphere here in Karlsruhe, and that was a little different today. But the atmosphere here in Karlsruhe is truly always very special. Each and every one of us athletes wants to deliver top performances, as a gift to the organisers.” In addition to Renaud Lavillenie, Auriol Dongmo from Portugal also sets a new Meeting record. She wins the women's shot put fixture by throwing 19.65 metres, resulting in a world record for the year and national record on top of the Meeting record.

For the visitors in the once again completely sold-out athletics arena in Hall 3 of the Messe Karlsruhe, this Meeting is an experience with three world records for the year, three national records, as well as a Meeting record. The 2.35 metres jumped over by Japanese pole vaulter Naoto Tobe are a personal best, national record and equal to the 1994 Meeting record. The athletics fans are able to witness even more national records in the women's triple jump and pole vault, where Patricia Mamona from Portugal (14.34 metres in the triple jump) and Alysha Newman from Canada (4.71 metres in the pole vault) both improve upon their national records.

4,500 elated viewers closely track the 2017 Meeting in the completely sold-out athletics arena in Karlsruhe. The results of more than 120 athletes from roughly 40 countries confirm that Karlsruhe has witnessed world-class athletics once again. In a dream finale, the 100-metre hurdles world record holder Kendra Harrison wins the women's 60-metre hurdles in 7.76 seconds, thereby just one hundredth of a second behind her world annual record. Coming in a close second and third are European champion Cindy Roleder (7.90 seconds) and Australian sprinting star Sally Pearson (7.91 seconds). In the end, Laura Muir from the UK sets a new European indoor record and Meeting record (8:26.41 minutes) for the 3000 metres at once.

In 2015, the Meeting's organisers, above all the new Meeting Director Martin Wacker which took over the position of Klaus Hoffmann, are faced with an enormous challenge. As a result of fire protection measures, events with crowds of spectators are henceforth prohibited in the Europahalle. A mobile athletics track is quickly purchased and installed in the Dm-Arena of the Messe Karlsruhe together with stands, transforming the venue into a modern athletics arena. And the results of the premiere year are impressive. Especially Renaud Lavillenie, Mr. Pole Vault, shows the heights he is capable of once again. At the premiere in the new arena, the Frenchman leaps 5.86 metres and thus equalises his own Meeting record from 2013. While he doesn't reach the subsequently marked 6.01 metres, the atmosphere in the sold-out athletics arena in the Dm-Arena Karlsruhe is bombastic nevertheless.

The ”INDOOR MEETING – World Class in Karlsruhe“ lives up to its name. Both Olympic champion Meseret Defar in the 3000-metre race and pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie secure a Meeting record in their respective discipline. The final match, being the women's 60-metre race, fills the arena with an atmosphere of suspense that can hardly be topped. Here, the photograph of the finish shows Ivet Lalova, the European champion over 100 metres in Helsinki from Bulgaria, with a razor-thin lead in front of her predecessor Verena Sailer. The timer stops at 7.19 seconds for both competitors.

With a soaring jump of 4.76 metres, Silke Spiegelburg provides the icing on the cake at the Meeting. At this height, the silver medallist of the European Championship in Barcelona tops the German record in front of 4,500 visitors by one centimetre. In addition to the German record, the performances by Kim Collins (60 metres), Kellie Wells (60-metre hurdles) and Mercy Njoroge (3000 metres) provide three world records for the year to be entered into the books.

The highlight of the jubilee Meeting: The duel between the two high jumpers Blanka Vlasic and Ariane Friedrich. They deliver a thrilling competition and provide the athletics fans in the Europahalle with a superb final match for the 25th anniversary. Under the eyes of the former world record holder Heike Henken, Friedrich wins against the world champion with a jumping height of 2.05 metres, resulting in a new world record for the year and Meeting record. Vlasic also overleaps the 2.05 metres but requires an additional attempt and therefore comes in second place behind Friedrich. Also it´s the first meeting of the new Sports Director, Alain Blondel.

In 2007, the 100,000th visitor is welcomed by the organisers, led by the Meeting Director Siegfried König. Storms of enthusiasm among the 4,500 visitors are evoked by the Olympic champion and world record holder for the 110-metre hurdles, Liu Xiang. In 7.42 seconds, the Chinese sprinter achieves the anticipated Asian record in the Europahalle. Numerous journalists and four TV broadcasters follow the Chinese superstar and make sure that approximately 400 million Chinese viewers are able to watch Liu Xiang's performance.

21. LBBW Meeting on 13 February 2005 Once again, the Meeting ranks as number 1 in the world. The European record for 60 metres (6.45 seconds), achieved by the Frenchman Ronald Pognon, is one of the top performances of the 21st Meeting. Also worth mentioning are the indoor records set by Mehdi Baala in the 1000-metre race (2:17.01 minutes), Daniel Kipchirchir Komen in the 3000-metre race (3:33.08 minutes) and Tobias Unger, who finishes the 200-meter race in 20.61 seconds.

Despite the Meeting reaching world class and ranking fourth in the IAAF scoring table, the interest among spectators seems to be dwindling. The highlight is once again Haile Gebreselassie, running the 3000-metre race with 7:27.29 minutes, the fifth-fastest time to be reached in an indoor race ever. The triple jump athlete Yamile Aldama jumps a world-class distance of 14.88 metres – Meeting record. Another Meeting record is set by Robert Chirchir, at just 19 years old, with 3:34.85 minutes for 1500 metres. The hurdles sprinter Colin Jackson is charged with a second false start, which, according to the new rules, would have meant disqualification. However, since it is his last race, he is permitted to run and subsequently removed from the list of results. He nevertheless visibly enjoys the audience's ovations.

With a new name and sponsor, the Indoor Meeting establishes itself as among the ten best in the world. Once again, several athletes rise to top form, such as the Russian pole vaulter Svetlana Feofanova, who reaches a new European record height with 4.58 metres. Juri Borzakowky sets the still relevant Meeting record with 1:44.15 minutes for the 800 metres. German athletes equally hold their ground with six victories. Falk Balzner (7.54 seconds) narrowly wins the hurdle sprint, Irina Mikitenko reaches a time of 4:07.45 minutes for the 1500 metres, Heike Meißner runs 800 metres in 2:00.75 minutes and crowd favourite Heike Drechsler – wearing a KSC jersey for the first time – wins the long jump with a distance of 6.69 metres.

Selling out several days in advance, the Meeting draws crowds that, once again, feverishly await Haile Gebreselassie's attempt at a world record. However, he misses the planned 3000-metre world record. His time of 7:26.80 minutes, though, still ranks as the third-best running time in the arena. Nicole Rieger-Humbert and Tim Lobinger triumph in the pole vault competition.

Sold out once again! The "Ethiopian running wonder" Haile Gebreselassie had advertised with a world record for the 3000 metres. With 7:31.27 minutes, he just falls short of reaching the world record – but still sets the Meeting record and the world annual record. Tim Lobinger makes it into the pole vault winners list for the first time ever with 5.70 metres.

More than 5,000 fans cheer on the Swabian Dieter Baumann as he sets a new European record for the 3000 metres (7:37.51 minutes). With a jump of 4.13 metres, Sun Caiyun places in the world record list for women's pole vault, which had become effective on 1 January. Allen Johnson, Olympic and world champion, sprints the 60-metre hurdles and sets the world annual record. In a captivating race, Nico Motchebon wins the 800-metre race with 1:46.59 minutes.

Hurdles sprinters, Colin Jackson and Mark McKoy, push each other to run world-class times in the 60-metre hurdles, just missing the world indoor record by three and five hundredths of a second (7.44 and 7.46 seconds), respectively. Placing just second in the hurdles, McKoy then clinches victory on the flat track with a brilliant time of 6.49 seconds.

Arena sold out – and packed! Tickets are sold out several days in advance. Ben Johnson entices the masses. It is his first run since his doping suspension following the Olympic Games in 1988. However, in this run, the electronic timekeeping malfunctions and Johnson "only" comes in second place for the 60 metres, drawing with Cuban Joel Isassi with a hand-timed result of 6.3 seconds. Correspondingly, the phenomenal 60-metre hurdles times of Igor Kasanov, with 7.44 seconds and thus only eight hundredths of a second behind the world record, and McKoy (7.47 seconds) are tagged with a small question mark. Sergej Bubka has to accept a pole vault of 5.80 metres, which ultimately allows him to win.

A first small crisis. A mere 2,000 spectators watch as the Brazilian sprinter, Robson da Silva, just bolts past Steve Lewis, the 400-metre Olympic champion, and raises the 300-metre world record to 32.19 seconds. Merlene Ottey wins the 200 metres with the world record of the year. The event organisers, on the other hand, are faced with the question of quitting or carrying on with the Meeting?

Although athletes travel from 22 nations to participate, there is little interest among the spectators. The US stars, Myricks (long jump), Stewart (60-metre hurdles) and the 400-metre runner, Walter McCoy, provide an exciting atmosphere nevertheless.

After 20 years of abstinence, athletics returns to Karlsruhe. The last sports meeting had taken place in the Wildparkstadion in 1965. Thereby, the number one Olympic discipline celebrated its premiere in the Karlsruhe Europahalle. The Meeting's co-founder and long-standing director, Siegfried König, describes the motivation for his dedication: ”I've profited so much from athletics. So, I wanted to give something back to athletics.” The International Indoor Athletics Meeting (IHM) celebrates its premiere in the brand-new Europahalle in front of 2,600 spectators. For this, athletes from twelve nations travel to the fan-shaped city, among them the long jump star Larry Myricks. What's more, a new German record is set by Alfons Schwarz for the 5000 metres.