In 2014 Renaud Lavillenie jumped over 5.96m in Brussels. On Friday night Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis became the first man to clear the mythical 6.00m barrier at the King Baudouin Stadium. That height is perhaps not that mythical for the Swedish-American, considering he only just jumped a 6.07m in Lausanne on Wednesday.
In Brussels Mondo then had three attempts at 6.15m to try and beat Sergi Bubka’s outdoor world record, but just two days after Lausanne Duplantis admitted to being not quite fresh enough. Second place went to Ben Broeders (5.70m), who unsuccessfully tried to beat the 5.80m Belgian record.
24 YEAR OLD RECORD STILL STANDS
Faith Kipyegon also shone on the 1000 metres. The Kenyan reigning 1500 metres world champion tried to beat Svetlana Masterkova's 24-year-old record which was also set at the AG Memorial Van Damme, but clocked a 2:29.92, just a second shy of the world record of 2:28.98.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the 1500 metres with a time of 3:30.69. The 19-year-old Norwegian superstar only just stayed above his new European record of 3:28.68, which he set last month in Monaco. Spain's Jesus Gomez (3:34.64) was second, ahead of Kenyan Boaz Kiprugut (3:37.93) and Belgian record holder Ismael Debjani (3:38.00).
20-YEAR-OLD ROSIUS DEBUTS
Rani Rosius is Belgium’s new sprint sensation. The 20-year-old took a Belgian 100m title by setting a 11.39, the second-fastest time for a Belgian behind Kim Gevaert (11.04). At the AG Memorial Van Damme Rosius confirmed her status. She won the race in 11.43, beating France's Carolle Zahi (11.56) and Italy’s Irena Siragusa (11.57).
The 100 metre hurdles also delivered a home victory. Anne Zagré won in 13.21 ahead of Denmark’s Mette Graversgaard (13.26) and fellow Belgian Sarah Missinne (13.55). Britain’s heptathlon world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson took fourth in 13.57.
1.84 for KJT
Later on KJT competed in a second discipline, jumping over 1.84m, far removed from her personal best of 1.98m. The win went to Australian Nicola McDermott with 1.91m.
Poland's Iga Baumgart-Witan took the 400 metre win with a time of 52.13. Belgian Cheetah Camille Laus was fourth in 52.81. Italian Eseosa Fostine Desalu won the 200 metres in 20.39. Belgian Tornados Julien Watrin (21.04) and Jonathan Borlée (21.30) were fifth and seventh respectively.
