Athing Mu breaks the world indoor under-20 800m record, while a remarkable 42 athletes go sub-2:10 at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, led by Kengo Suzuki’s Japanese record

All Star Perche, Clermont-Ferrand, February 27

France’s former world pole vault record-holder Renaud Lavillenie cleared 6.06m, while British record-holder Holly Bradshaw joined him in victory after a best of 4.78m at the final World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting of 2021.

That 6.06m is Lavillenie’s best clearance since 2014, when he recorded his then world record of 6.16m. He followed it with three tries at a would-have-been world record of 6.20m.

Menno Vloon improved his own Dutch indoor record to 5.96m to finish second.

Bradshaw’s clearance of 4.78m meant her winning streak continued as she beat Iryna Zhuk with 4.73m and Alysha Newman with 4.60m.

The Briton then had three attempts at what would have been a PB height of 4.88m.

4️⃣7️⃣8️⃣? SR ?

NEXT STOP ➡️ Torun European Indoor Championships! ??

Thank you @airlavillenie for such an incredible meet! I'm soooo glad I made it ?? (p.s. you are UNREAL?) pic.twitter.com/FW8wkQC768

— Holly Bradshaw (@HollyBradshawPV) February 27, 2021

Southeastern Conference Championships, Fayetteville, USA, February 27

US teenager Athing Mu stormed to a 1:58.40 800m to take just over half a second off Keely Hodgkinson’s recently-set world indoor under-20 record.

It improves Mu’s own previous best set in January by more than two seconds and also beat the US collegiate indoor record.

? 1:58.40 ?

Here is Athing Mu of @aggietfxc closing out her ?????????? ?????? & ????? ??? ?????? in the 800 at the @SEC Indoor Championships.

The previous collegiate record was 2:00.69, so she took more than 2 seconds off that. pic.twitter.com/GUr13Ug2zL

— USTFCCCA (@USTFCCCA) February 28, 2021

Joseph Fahnbulleh ran a 200m world lead of 20.32 but that didn’t last long as Terrance Laird ran 20.28 in another race.

JuVaughn Harrison leapt a PB of 8.33m to win the long jump. The world under-20 high jump bronze medallist also won that event in Fayetteville, clearing a best of 2.20m before retiring from the competition to switch his attention to the long jump contest.

Lake Biwa Marathon, Otsu, Japan, February 28

Kengo Suzuki ran a Japanese record of 2:04:56 to win a race featuring remarkable depth, as the top five athletes broke 2:07, 42 went sub-2:10 and 173 dipped under 2:20.

Hidekazu Hijikata was second with a 2:06:26 PB and Kyohei Hosoya was third, also running a lifetime best of 2:06:35.

Rud/Baerum, Norway, February 28

Two-time world 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm marked his 25th birthday by running a world-leading national indoor 300m record of 32.47.

Sir Graeme Douglas International, Auckland, New Zealand, February 27

New Zealand’s shot put great Valerie Adams threw 19.65m to equal the world lead and achieve her best throw for five years.

She also had three other throws beyond 19 metres as the world under-20 champion Maddison Wesche threw 18.12m for second place.

Tom Walsh, who is now a training partner of Adams, won the men’s event with 21.60m in the fifth round.

Big 12 Championships, Lubbock, USA, February 26

Ackera Nugent won her 60m hurdles heat in 7.91 to improve the official world under-20 record, while the mark matches the time clocked by Grace Stark last year which is pending ratification.

The Texas Qualifier — Trials of Miles, Austin, USA, February 26-27

Konstanze Klosterhalfen improved the long-standing German 10,000m record with 31:01.71 on her debut at the distance.

Ajee’ Wilson won the 800m in 1:58.93, while Gabriela DeBues-Stafford won the 1500m in 4:10.09.

The 5000m winners were Elinor Purrier in 15:08.61 and Mason Ferlic in 13:25.92.

Nairobi, Kenya, February 27-28

World half-marathon record-holder Kibiwott Kandie won the 10,000m in 28:28.0, while Gideon Rono ran 13:21.2 to win the 5000m.

Sheila Chelangat won the women’s 5000m in 15.42.2 and Daisy Cherotich took the 10,000m in 32:19.1.

Kingston, Jamaica, February 27

Britain’s European 100m champion Zharnel Hughes ran 10.37 despite a -3.7m/sec wind.

Nesta Carter won the 200m in 21.42 (-3.5).

Atlanta Half Marathon, USA, February 28

Molly Seidel ran 68:29 and Abdisamed Abdi 63:59 to claim victory.

Loughborough Elite Winter Throws, UK, February 28

Jess Mayho moved up to sixth on the British hammer all-time list with a throw of 67.07m.

Taylor Campbell threw 74.38m and Chris Bennett 72.81m in the men’s competition, while Nick Percy had a best of 60.95m in the discus and Kirsty Law threw 57.28m in the women’s discus.

More to follow…