Report05 Aug 2017


Report: heptathlon high jump – IAAF World Championships London 2017

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Nafissatou Thiam in the heptathlon high jump at the IAAF World Championships London 2017 (© Getty Images)

One of the biggest developments in the heptathlon happed before the start of the second event as world bronze medallist Laura Ikauniece-Admidina withdrew from the competition.

The Latvian, who broke her own national heptathlon record with 6815 in Gotzis earlier this year, picked up an injury in the first event and was unable to participate in the high jump.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s medal chances would have been improved by Ikauniece-Admidina’s unfortunate withdrawal, but the Briton had a disaster of her own. After a first-time clearance at 1.80m, she passed at 1.83m and then had three failures at 1.86m.

Her best mark of the day, 1.80m, was 18 centimetres short of the British record she set in Rio last year. In heptathlon terms, that 18-centimetre difference is worth 233 points. And in a field of such good depth, no heptathlete – not event pre-event favourite Nafissatou Thiam – can afford to throw away that number of points.

The misfortunes of Ikauniece-Admidina and Johnson-Thompson means a slightly easier path to the title for Thiam. Competing in her strongest event, the Belgian equalled the championship heptathlon best of 1.95m

Cuban record-holder Yorgelis Rodriguez was the biggest surprise performer in the high jump. The 2012 world U20 champion first cleared a PB of 1.89m, then got over 1.92m and ended her morning with a leap of 1.95m.

It meant that Thiam tops the tables after two events with 2215, just eight points ahead of Rodriguez.

Germany’s Carolin Schafer, who consolidated her chances of a medal by equalling her PB of 1.86m, currently sits in third place overall.

European champion Anouk Vetter performed up to par with a 1.77m jump. The Dutch all-rounder is currently down in ninth, but has some of her best events yet to come and can be expected to make her way up the leader board as the competition progresses.

The same is true of Schafer’s teammate Claudia Salman-Rath. Currently in 16th after 13.51 in the 100m hurdles and 1.74m in the high jump, Salman-Rath will aim to bank big points in tomorrow’s long jump and 800m.

Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

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