The meet began with the women’s 100-metre hurdles. In the absence of Nafi Thiam – who was absent with tired BK legs – was the Anne Zagré who provided the show and the first Belgian win of the evening. She won in 13.09 with a slightly unfavourable wind (-0.2 m/s), ahead of Germany’s Marlene Meier (13.49) and Japan’s Tamaoki Nanako (13.55).
However, Nafi Thiam reassured everyone and received an ovation from the whole stadium later in the evening. She took her momentum on the new Naimette Province Arena track to win the high jump competition with a jump over 1m91. Thiam made it ahead of Estonia’s Elisabeth Pihela (1m86). Claire Orcel finished fourth (1m81).
Also encouraging, Robin Vanderbemden’s second-place finish in the 200 metres (20.83) behind Cameroonian Emmanuel Eseme, winner in 20.62 Vanderbemden later teamed up with Jordan Paquot, Simon Verherstraeten and Kobe Vleminckx to win the 4×100 metres in 39.48. The Belgian Falcons will try to get closer to the European top-16 this summer.
In the 400 metres, surely one of the three Borlées would win and so it happened. Kevin (46.10) eventually made it ahead of Dylan (46.18). Dutchman Pim Van Bakel took third place. Jonathan Borlée was the unlucky one of the evening, injuring his hamstrings and abandoning the race after 350 metres. Further investigation should clarify the severity of the injury.
In the women’s event, South African Miranda Coetzee (52.07), African champion, pulled ahead in the track lap. Our compatriot Helena Ponette finished second in her first summer race of the season in a very encouraging time of 52.25.
In the 110-metre hurdles, Briton Miguel Perera triumphed with 13.64, a time close to his personal record. Our compatriot Nolan Vancauwemberghe improved his personal record by 11 hundredths to 13.85, good for fifth place.
In the women’s 100 metres, Rani Rosius, had to settle for second place. She finished two hundredths behind Luxembourg’s Patrizia Vanderweken (11.44).
In the 600 metres, Eliott Crestan had to make peace with fifth place in a race rocked by a fall of three athletes, fortunately without seriousness. The race was won by Australian Peter Bol in 1:16.04 ahead of Kenyan Cornelius Tuwei (1:16.64).
Ukrainian double in high jump
In the men’s high jump competition, there was a third-place finish for Thomas Carmoy (2m23). Ukrainian Andrey Protsenko, who has a personal record of 2m40, made it to Liège with 2m26 ahead of his compatriot Oleh Doroshchuk.
In the pole vault, it was the Netherlands on top with Rutger Koppelaar. The “Flying Dutchman” triumphed with 5m61. Arnaud Art came second with 5m41.