A sprint double by Matic Osovnikar was the chief highlight of the Slovenian national championships held over the weekend (28-29) in the western border town of Nova Gorica.

After cruising to the 100m title on Saturday (28) in 10.28, Osovnikar, the reigning European 100m bronze medallist, doubled back to take the 200 on Sunday (29) in 20.62 (+2.0), to collect national titles No. 20 and 21, a record for the small Alpine nation of two million.

Bouncing back from recent illness that curtailed her training, Merlene Ottey won the women’s 100m title in 11.69, a season’s best for the 47-year-old, to become the oldest-ever national champion for Slovenia.

“This isn’t nearly fast enough to compete at the World championships,” Ottey said, expressing some disappointment with her time. But she hasn’t yet ruled out competing in Osaka, and with her 11.34 best from last year, Ottey has the standard to be named to the team, an astounding 24 years after her appearance at the inaugural World Championship.

“I’m feeling better, so I expect to run faster by the end of the week,” Ottey added.

Both Osovnikar and Ottey also anchored their victorious MASS club to victory in the 4x100m Relay.

Triple Jump standout Marija Sestak, who has spanned 14.92 this season, took just two leaps with a short 13-step approach to take the national title. After an opening round foul, she reached 14.12 to take the win before calling it a day.

The women’s Long Jump featured the fiercest duel of the weekend, with Nina Kolaric winning by one centimetre over Snezana Rodic with a 6.41 leap. Both efforts, assisted by an illegal +2.3 wind, came in the final round.

Elsewhere, Miran Vodovnik won the Shot Put with a 20.40 throw, Sonja Roman took the 800/1500 double in 2:06.11 and 4:17.67, 800m standout Brigita Langerholc won the 400m in 53.22, and Bostjan Buc won the 3000m Steeplechase by more than a minute (8:49.57).

The Hammer Throw was contested on Friday in Ljubljana. Ana Susec extended the national record to 63.89 to take the women’s title, while the men’s event, with only one entrant showing up, was cancelled.