08.02.2025

3 meeting records, eight national records and two world annual bests: Numerous record gifts for the 40th anniversary

At the brilliant return of the INIT INDOOR MEETING Karlsruhe to the sold-out Europahalle in Karlsruhe, 3,500 enthusiastic spectators witnessed exciting competitions at the highest level on Friday evening. In 11 disciplines, the top international athletes showed their best form at the anniversary meeting and set meeting records, national records and world best performances.

With a giant leap of 7.07 metres, the silver medallist from the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Malaika Mihambo, broke the 31-year-old meeting record in the long jump set by long jump legend Heike Drechsler.

The previous meeting record was also broken in the second event of the evening: US American Brian Faust sprinted the men's 400 metres in 46:03 seconds, beating Thomas Schönlebe's meeting record from 1990 and relegating Italy's Luca Sito (46.27) and South Africa's Zakithi Nene (46.58) to second and third place.

In the women's shot put, the Karlsruhe meeting record was improved several times: after Jessica Schilder (Netherlands) beat Auriol Dongmo's (Portugal) existing record with 19.72 metres in her first attempt, the US American Chase Jackson followed suit just a few minutes later and became the first woman in Karlsruhe to throw over 20 metres: with 20.06 metres, she nevertheless ‘only’ ended up in second place, as Canada's Sarah Mitton heaved the shot put to a fantastic 20.68 metres in her final attempt - meeting victory, meeting record, world best performance of the year, Canadian record and longest throw under an indoor roof since 2013!

Italy's Alice Mangione won the women's 400 metres in 51.75 seconds (national record) ahead of Lina Nielsen (Great Britain) and Bassant Hemida from Egypt (national record, 52.17 seconds).

The first middle distance of the evening was won by the Swede Samuel Pihlström, who ran the 1,500 metres in 3:35.62 minutes, beating Federico Riva (Italy, 3:36.78) and Romain Mornet (France, 3:37.03). Stefan Nillessen won the men's 3,000 metres in a new Dutch record time of 7:37.10 minutes ahead of the Kenyan Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (7:38.00) and his compatriot Mike Foppen (7:38.20).

With a new South African national record, Prudence Sekgodiso won the women's 800 metres, which she ran in under two minutes in 1:59.88. Lomi Muleta from Ethiopia won the 3,000 metres in 8:57.54 minutes ahead of Portugal's Mariana Machado (8:57.77) and Italy's Federica Del Buono (8:57.88). The women's pole vault remained exciting right up to the last attempt. In a neck-and-neck competition, Great Britain's Molly Caudery finally won with a vault of 4.75 metres ahead of Tina Šutej from Slovenia.

The last two decisions of the evening were made over the short distance: the men's 60 metre hurdles and the women's 60 metre hurdles. Wilhem Belocian (France) won the men's 60 metre hurdles final in 7.53 seconds ahead of Manuel Mordi (Hamburger SV, 7.62) and Asier Martinez (ESP, 7.66). Patrizia van der Weken from Luxembourg won the women's sprint in 7.13 seconds ahead of Gémima Joseph from France (7.15) and Switzerland's Géraldine Frey (7.16). The German bronze Olympians Gina Lückenkemper and Lisa Mayer finished in 5th and 8th place.

You can find all the results here...