English
The sun shone on the home straight when the champions entered the Stadium in Renault cars to be hailed by the crowd: Abeba Aregawi, David Oliver, Zuzana Hejnova, Valerie Adams, Asbel Kiprop, Meseret Defar and Emma Green Tregaro were just of few of them. After that, singer, Anna Sahlene stepped up and sang “Homes of Mississippi”, followed by the Swedish national anthem.
Celebrated Junior Champions
This was followed by a celebration of the five Swedish medals from the junior and youth championships one month earlier: Sofi Flink, Västerås FK (European Junior Gold in Javelin in Rieti), Irene Ekelund, Kils AIK (World Youth Champion Gold in 200m in Donetsk), Sofia Linde, Täby IS (European Junior Silver medallist in heptathlon in Rieti), Emma Stenlöf, Väasterås FK (World Youth silver medallist in heptathlon in Donetsk) and Angelica Bengtsson, Hässelby SK (European under-23 bronze in pole vault in Tampere).
Adam took the first diamond
The sun shone for a good part of the event and the first to set a stadium record and earn a 1-carat diamond was the four time World Champion, Valerie Adams, in the shot put. Her 20.30m throw was an 18cm improvement on her 2012 mark and she recorded five puts within 18 centimetres.
Revenge for Abakumova
In the women’s javelin, the World bronze medallist threw 68.59m in the second round and broke Trine Hattestad’s 13 year old stadium record by almost half a metre. In doing so she got her revenge over World Champion and birthday girl, Christina Obergföll, who settled for 3rd place with 62.36.
– The World Championships in Moscow didn’t too well as I felt under pressure and was really nervous. But today everything worked when I felt more relaxed it, said Mariya Abakumova.
World Junior Champion and World Championships finalist, Sofi Flink finished with a 59.66 throw, her 4th best ever, and came in 5th place. The distance was actually further than she threw in the final in Moscow and she beat both Sunette Viljoen and Viktoriya Sudarusjkina, respectively 6th and 7th in Moscow.
Hejnova – fastest of all time at the Stadium
The imperious world 400m hurdles champion, Zuzana Hejnova is undefeated this year and recorded her 12th consecutive victory at the Stadium. With 53.70 she broke Kaliese Spencer’s two year old stadium record and won the race by a whole second! Her finish was particularly impressive and she built up such a victory margin in the home straight to reduce the stadium best by four hundredths of a second.
– I was incredibly tired after the World Championships but anyway I managed to win tonight which makes me really happy! It was fantastic to set the stadium record, I love this arena. I was also here for the European Team Championships in 2011, said Hejnova, who finished last night one place in front of the previous record holder, Kaliese Spencer.
The three stadium records mean that diamonds number 69, 70 and 71 have been awarded since the premier in 1994.
Sum demonstrated once again who is best
The women’s 800m was the last event of the evening and was an close fight in which Eunice Sum was the strongest in the home straight and won with a tenth of a second in 1:58.84. Swedish World 1500m Champion, Abeba Aregawi was never really in the race and finished sixth in 2:01.22
– The crowd really helped me with this victory! It is only the second time I have won a major competition and it feels as if, step by step, I’m going in the right direction, said Eunice Sum.
Merritt displayed class
LaShawn Merritt displayed his world class when, a week after his Moscow gold, he won the 400m with over half a second in 44.69.
–It was a bit cold but I held my race together and I’m pleased with the victory I’m still in good shape and that is why I train every day – to win ! Tonight I could sense the crowd throughout the whole race, remarked Merritt.
Swede, Johan Wissman finished 7th in 46.97 in his season’s debut over the distance, which was also the best Swedish time of the year.
Fourth time lucky for Oliver
The favourite, David Oliver won the 110m hurdles with 0.14 in 13.21 and a slight tailwind. The victory was his first at DN Galan after three second places in earlier appearances in 2005, 2008 and 2011.
– Wonderful to compete against these great guys! The goal was to take as many Diamond League points as possible and I managed to do just that, said David Oliver.
Jump-off to decide the victory
In the women’s pole vault, four girls stopped at 4.59 and after a jump-off, Silke Spiegelburg won in 4.69 with World bronze medallist, Yarisley Silva second. Young Swedish talent, Angelica Bengtsson cleared the opening height of 4.39 in her first attempt but struggled with 4.49 and finished eighth.
Emma Green Tregaro cleared 1.90 in her first attempt and looked good at 1.94 but the bar just wouldn’t stay on. She had to settle for sixth place but beat World silver medallist, Brigetta Barrett. World Champion, Svetlana Shkolina won in 1.98, the same height as compatriot, Anna Chicherova.
Jonas Hedman
Photo:
Three diamond winners from left: Mariya Abakumova, javelin, Valerie Adams, shot, and Zuzana Hejnova, 400 m hurdles, presented by DN Galan’s head of operations, Anders Tallgren, left, and chairman, Jan Kowalski. Photo: Deca Text & Bild
Three stadium records
W 400 m hurdles: 53.70 Zuzana Hejnova, CZE
W Shot: 20.30 Valerie Adams, NZL
W Javelin: 68.59 Mariya Abakumova, RUS
15 World Champions who competed at DN Galan 2013
M 400 m: LaShawn Merritt, USA (won by 0.36 in 44.69).
M 1500 m: Asbel Kiprop, KEN (finished 6th in 3:35.49).
M 3000 m steeplechase: Ezekiel Kemboi, KEN (pulled out two laps from the finish).
M 110 m hurdles: David Oliver, USA (won by 0.14 in 13.21).
M Long Jump: Aleksandr Menkov, RUS (won by 12 cm with 8.18).
W 100 m: Kerron Stewart, JAM (Gold in 4×100 m, won 100 m at DN Galan by 0.01 in 11.24), Schillonie Calvert, JAM (Gold in 4×100 m, finished 7th in 100m at DN Galan in 11.49).
W 800 m: Eunice Sum, KEN (won by 0.12 in 1:58.84), Abeba Aregawi, Hammarby IF (Gold in 1500 m, finished 6th in 2:01.22).
W 3000 m: Meseret Defar, ETH (Gold in 5000 m, won 3000 m at DN Galan by 0.96 in a world best time 8:30.29).
W 400 m hurdles: Zuzana Hejnova, CZE (won by 1.18 in a stadium record of 53.70).
W High Jump: Svetlana Shkolina, RUS (won in 1.98).
W Triple Jump: Caterine Ibargüen, COL (won by 55 cm with 14.61).
W Shot Put: Valerie Adams, NZL (won with a stadium record of 20.30).
W Javelin: Christina Obergföll, GER (3rd in 62.36).