Chorzów, Poland, August 16 — Finally, the rematch of the Paris 100 medalists (minus Fred Kerley, who’s now sidelined facing whereabouts charges) came at the Skolimowska Memorial in Silesian Stadium: undefeated Kishane Thompson and USATF century champ Kenny Bednarek got a chance to even the score with their Olympic conqueror, Noah Lyles. Said the Jamaican, “Paris last year was a big learning factor. I learned it is me against myself.” He won that battle here.
Despite a start that he was not happy with — yet one that outblitzed the field — the Olympic silver medalist got in front and stayed there, holding off Lyles’ late charge to take the win in 9.87 (wind 0.3) while the American ran 9.90. Bednarek never quite hit his stride and finished in 9.96, barely holding off Christian Coleman’s 9.96.
Saying, “My race today was not so good, not so bad,” Thompson added, “It is all about execution: I had problems with that, but I am finding it. The key is to find the momentum in the race and to maintain it till the end. Nobody is perfect, but I am working on improving my strengths and improving on my weaknesses.”
Karsten Warholm hadn’t raced in two months but clearly has been making progress in training. Starting in lane 8, the Tokyo Olympic champion took off at a characteristically fast clip and was never approached. He came cleanly off the final hurdle and dashed to the line in 46.28, a Diamond League record and the No. 3 performance ever. Only the ’21 Olympics gold and silver times by Warholm and Rai Benjamin are faster.
More than a second behind, NCAA champion Nathaniel Ezekiel broke the Nigerian record and caught Abderrahmane Samba before the line, 47.31 to 47.34. Chris Robinson (48.09) and Trevor Bassitt (48.37) came next.
Warholm, who was named the meet’s MVP, said, “I was a little bit surprised that it was this good. But still I knew that I was very fast in the training camps that I did. It shows that I am on the right way. To me this was a very good start to the second half of my season. I think it is promising towards Tokyo.”
Cordell Tinch continued his roll in the 110 hurdles, using a late-race drive to defeat defending world champion Grant Holloway, 13.03–13.15. Eric Edwards grabbed 3rd in 13.20.
“I competed well,” said Tinch. “My mindset this year is: I am the best. In a field like that with Grant Holloway, you got to take on those wins and build on that. It is always tough with Grant next to you. When you are racing with him it is a matter of putting yourself in a good position and I managed that today.”
Holloway said, “It was not my best day and it has not been my best year so far. But I am working hard on figuring it out.”
The 1500 represented a big victory for Yared Nuguse. In the same boat as Hobbs Kessler and Jonah Hoey, he won’t be on the World Championships team unless he can qualify for and win the DL Final. This time around he did not take to the lead. Instead, it was Olli Hoare who was the solitary competitor following the pacers through a fast 55.58 opener. Nuguse ran 5th at that point in 58.6.
Still well back at 800 (6th in 1:57.7), Nuguse started moving on the third lap and took charge on the final circuit. His last 400 took 53.1 to clinch the win in 3:33.19. Timothy Cheruiyot ran 2nd in 3:33.35 and Narve Gilje Nordås was 3rd in 3:33.41. Both Hoey (5th in 3:33.75) and Kessler (7th in 3:34.14) are looking at a tough road to the DL Final.
“My plan today was not to take the lead, just wait for my time, the last 300,” said Nuguse. “I felt really good on the last 300 and the kick came.”
Fans hoping to see Mondo Duplantis set his second World Record in a row might have been disappointed, but plenty were thrilled to see a good battle with Greece’s Emmanouíl Karalís. An early miss put the Swede behind, while Karalís jumped flawlessly through 19-8¼ (6.00), a bar where his knees just cleared but his torso had massive height. When Duplantis also cleared, he remained in 2nd.
That’s when Kurtis Marschall and Menno Vloon went out, tied for 3rd at 19-4¼. The next height, 20-0 (6.10), proved decisive. It would be a Greek record, and Karalís came close to clearing on his first try, but that was as good as it got for him. Duplantis had huge height on his first try but dislodged the bar coming down. His second attempt produced a massive clearance.
“It was a different type of competition today,” said Duplantis, who finished up with three tries at 20-4 (6.20). “It was more of a fight for me, a fight over some bars.”
Payton Otterdahl came out on top of a spirited shot competition. Joe Kovacs produced his best throw first, a 71-7¼ (21.82) for the lead. In round 2, Otterdahl took over at 71-11¾ (21.94). Italy’s Leonardo Fabri moved ahead with his round 4 effort of 72-6¼ (22.10). Otterdahl came back a round later to produce the winning throw of 73-1¼ (22.28).
The high jump belonged to Olympic champion Hamish Kerr. He was the only one who could clear 7-6½ (2.30), and then he added a bar at 7-7¾ (2.33). JuVaughn Harrison jumped to 2nd with his 7-5¾ (2.28) — though he had a solid attempt at 7-6½.
Bence Halász, the Olympic silver medalist in the hammer and ’25 world leader, continued his strong summer, with his fourth-straight meet over 81-meters. Here he produced four throws good enough for the win over Canada’s Ethan Katzberg, the world and Olympic champion. His 268-3 (81.77) came in round 2. Katzberg topped out at 260-2 (79.30).
Julius Yego captured the javelin at 274-3 (83.60) over Keshorn Walcott at 270-9 (82.54) and the 270-3 (82.38) by Moldovan Andrian Mardare.
CHORZÓW MEN’S RESULTS
100(0.3): 1. Kishane Thompson (Jam) 9.87; 2. Noah Lyles (US) 9.90; 3. Kenny Bednarek (US) 9.96; 4. Christian Coleman (US) 9.96; 5. Trayvon Bromell (US) 9.97; 6. Courtney Lindsey (US) 10.05; 7. Akani Simbine (SA) 10.10; 8. Ackeem Blake (Jam) 10.11.
1500: 1. Yared Nuguse (US) 3:33.19; 2. Timothy Cheruiyot (Ken) 3:33.35; 3. Narve Gilje Nordås (Nor) 3:33.41; 4. Reynold Kipkorir (Ken) 3:33.42; 5. Josh Hoey (US) 3:33.75; 6. Cameron Myers (Aus) 3:33.82; 7. Hobbs Kessler (US) 3:34.14; 8. Olli Hoare (Aus) 3:34.40 (2:53.47); 9. Stefan Nillessen (Neth) 3:34.65; 10. Festus Lagat (Ken) 3:34.69; 11. Maciej Wyderka (Pol) 3:34.77 PR; 12. Soufiane El Bakkali (Mor) 3:34.84.
Non-DL 110H(-0.5): 1. Cordell Tinch (US) 13.03; 2. Grant Holloway (US) 13.15; 3. Eric Edwards (US) 13.20; 4. Enzo Diessl (Aut) 13.20; 5. Orlando Bennett (Jam) 13.25; 6. Hansle Parchment (Jam) 13.27.
400H: 1. Karsten Warholm (Nor) 46.28 (WL) (x, 3 W);
2. Nathaniel Ezekiel (Ngr) 47.31 NR; 3. Abderrahmane Samba (Qat) 47.34; 4. Chris Robinson (US) 48.09; 5. Trevor Bassitt (US) 48.37; 6. Roshawn Clarke (Jam) 48.81.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Hamish Kerr (NZ) 7-7¾ (2.33); 2. JuVaughn Harrison (US) 7-5¾ (2.28); 3. Oleh Doroshchuk (Ukr) 7-5¾; 4. Romaine Beckford (Jam) 7-4½ (2.25); 5. Shelby McEwen (US) 7-4½.
PV: 1. Mondo Duplantis (Swe) 20-0 (6.10) (18-4½ [2], 19-¼, 19-8¼, 20-0 [2], 20-4 [xxx]) (5.60 [2], 5.80, 6.00, 6.10 [2], 6.20 [xxx]);
2. Emmanouíl Karalís (Gre) 19-8¼ (6.00); 3. tie, Kurtis Marschall (Aus) & Menno Vloon (Neth) 19-4¼ (5.90); 5. tie, Sam Kendricks (US) & Renaud Lavillenie (Fra) 19-¼ (5.80).
SP: 1. Payton Otterdahl (US) 73-1¼ (22.28); 2. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 72-6¼ (22.10); 3. Joe Kovacs (US) 71-7¼ (21.82); 4. Tom Walsh (NZ) 71-3¼ (21.72); 5. Tripp Piperi (US) 71-2 (21.69); 6. Rajindra Campbell (Jam) 70-9¾ (21.58).
Non-DL HT: 1. Bence Halász (Hun) 268-3 (81.77); 2. Ethan Katzberg (Can) 260-2 (79.30); 3. Merlin Hummel (Ger) 259-8 (79.16); 4. Mykhaylo Kokhan (Ukr) 255-10 (77.98); 5. Yann Chaussinand (Fra) 255-8 (77.94); 6. Paweł Fajdek (Pol) 252-1 (76.84).
JT: 1. Julius Yego (Ken) 274-3 (83.60); 2. Keshorn Walcott (Tri) 270-9 (82.54); 3. Andrian Mardare (Mol) 270-3 (82.38); 4. Dawid Wegner (Pol) 266-4 (81.19); 5. Cyprian Mrzygłód (Pol) 266-1 (81.10); 6. Anderson Peters (Grn) 264-6 (80.63).
