World-Leading 1500m Performance By Barega In Metz

METZ, France – REPORT — A pair of world-leading marks were set at the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlelor in France on Saturday, while several personal bests, national records, and season-best marks were also established at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting.

Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega and Femke Bol from The Netherlands each posted world-leading performances on the day.

Barega Improves 1500m WL

Barega, the 2019 World Championships silver medalist in the 5,000m, clocked a new personal best of 3:34.62 to win the men’s 1500m – improving the previous 2021 best of 3:37.55, which was set by István Szögi of Hungary in Wien on Jan. 30.

Six of the top 8 best times in the world this season were achieved in this race, as Kenyan world indoor 3000m bronze medalist Bethwel Birgen ran 3:34.67 for second place and the No. 2 best time this year, while Briton’s Elliot Giles, the European 800m bronze medalist in 2016 collected third with the fourth fastest of the season with a personal best of 3:37.61.

Marcin Lewandowski (3:39.06) of Poland, Ignacio Fontes (3:39.19) of Spain, and Polish runner Michał Rozmys (3:39.48) also produced times ranked inside the top 8 this season.

Meanwhile, Bol ran 50.81 seconds to win the women’s 400m and improved her own previous 2021 best of 50.96.

However, the mark was lowered later in the day in Bryan-College Station at the Charlie Thomas Invitational by Athing Mu, who ran a meeting record of 50.52.

Lieke Klaver made it a 1-2 finish for Dutch sprinters in the event in Metz after winning her heat with the second-fastest time of the day at 51.73, with France’s Amandine Brossier taking third overall with 52.14, this after winning the third heat.

Klaver returned to set an indoor Dutch record of 23.10 seconds to win the 200m.

Quality 800m Display From Alemu

Habitam Alemu of Ethiopia crossed the finishing line in 2:00.85 to secure the top spot in the women’s 800m, with Swiss Lore Hoffmann posting a personal best of 2:01.99 for second and third going to Poland’s Joanna Jóźwik in 2:02.19.

In the men’s 800m, Eliott Crestan ran a Belgian national record of 1:46.40 for first place as he defeated Frenchman Baptiste Mischler (1:46.63) and Great Britain’s Guy Learmonth (1:46.92).

Sprint And Hurdles Titles For Americans

The men’s and women’s 60m sprints went to Americans Devin Quinn and Javianne Oliver.

Quinn flashed to a personal best of 6.54 seconds to capture the men’s race ahead of countryman Mike Rodgers (6.59) and Amaury Golitin of France who ran a personal best of 6.62 for third.

Oliver stopped the clock at 7.10 seconds to take the honor in the women’s 60m, topping Swiss rising star Ajla Del Ponte, who ran a personal best of 7.14, and American Dezerea Bryant, 7.19.

In Other Results….

Jarret Eaton ran the third quickest time of the season to land the men’s 60m hurdles with 7.54 seconds, after France’s Wilhem Belocian, who posted an impressive lifetime best of 7.45 in the heats for the second-fastest in the world this season, failed to finish the race.

Belocian go off to a strong start but hit the third hurdle before tumbling to the ground.

Nigerian Tobi Amusan clocked 8.00 second to win the women’s 60m hurdles.

Elsewhere, at the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlelor, Cuba’s Maykel D. Masso edged Greek jumper Miltiádis Tentóglou in the men’s 800m after both finished with a mark of 8.02m, Andy Díaz of Cuba jumped a lifetime best of 17.06m for first place in the men’s triple jump, while Irishman Seán Tobin led the field in the men’s 3000m with his personal best of 7:48.01.