ISTAF IN BERLIN’S OLYMPIC STADIUM Mary Moraa breaks 600 m world record at the ISTAF

The ISTAF Berlin meeting is one the oldest continuous meetings of athletics in the world. ISTAF was held first on 3 July 1921 in Berlin. In 1937, the ISTAF Berlin was held in the 1936 Olympic stadium for the first time and has been held there ever since. Some fantastic performances have been seen in the ISTAF Berlin, and this year was no exception. 

The Olympic stadium in Berlin is iconic, to say the least. ISTAF has called the Olympic stadium home each and every year since 1936. 

ISTAF IN BERLIN’S OLYMPIC STADIUM

Mary Moraa breaks the 600 m world record at the ISTAF.

BERLIN. Mary Moraa (Kenya) fought for every hundredth of a second on the home straight of the 600 meters at the ISTAF in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Because nothing less than the world record was at stake. The Olympic bronze medallist made a precision landing on the blue track of the Olympic Stadium in front of 40,500 spectators. With a time of 1:21.63 minutes, the 800-meter world champion improved the record – officially listed by World Athletics as the world’s best time – by 14 hundredths of a second.

Seven years ago, Caster Semenya (South Africa) also ran a world record (1:21.77 minutes) at the ISTAF. “I am feeling so well and happy. To achieve this record on the first attempt is just overwhelming. I am so satisfied with how I ran today”, said a jubilant Mary Moraa after her record-breaking coup.

There were also world-class performances in the technical disciplines. Javelin thrower Julian Weber gave himself a belated birthday present. The Berlin-based runner-up in the European Championships came to the Olympic Stadium by public transport and, three days after his 30th birthday, threw the javelin to 88.64 meters. A season’s best and six throws between 84.45 and 88.64 meters – simply world-class! “It was wonderful, just as I imagined it would be. So many fans here in the stadium. It was so much fun. The people were so into it. The great series is awesome,” said the local hero after the fourth-best competition of his career.

In the pole vault, two athletes were still competing at 6.01 meters. And Sam Kendricks (USA) catapulted himself over this height on his first attempt. It was the first six-meter jump at the ISTAF in 25 years. For Menno Vloon (Netherlands), the 6.01 meters on this Sunday afternoon were (still) too high. He finished second with 5.92 meters ahead of the solid German duo Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (ART Düsseldorf; 5.782 m) and Torben Blech…