Sunday 13 February 2005
Karlsruhe, Germany - Even after the pounding the season’s lists took at Friday night’s Tyson meeting in Fayetteville, there was still room for improvement, as seven athletes demonstrated with world-leading performances at the LBBW Meeting on this Sunday afternoon in Karlsruhe.
European record but “my start wasn’t perfect”
With superlatives two-a-penny today, the best ones had to be reserved for Ronald Pognon. Coming to Karlsruhe with the year’s top time of 6.51 in the men’s 60 metres, run last week in Gent, the French sprinter proceeded to equal that mark in the heats, and then earned his place in athletics’ history with a 6.45 European record.
Only four sprinters have ever run faster indoors than Pognon did today, and his achievement further adds to Karlsruhe’s reputation for producing fast results.
“I wanted to confirm my performance last weekend in Gent,” the 22-year-old Martinique-born Pognon said. “I’ve had five races this year, and in each one, I have gotten faster. But my start really wasn’t perfect tonight,” he admitted. “It’s a new feeling for me, of course, being the European record holder. But now I’d like to get closer to the world record (6.39),” he added eagerly.
Last year, Jason Gardener came to the Europahalle for the first time, after having heard from so many sprinters about the hall’s “magic”. And on that day, the British sprinter equalled his own continental record for the 60. Today, it was Pognon’s turn to assume the mantle from Gardener.
Finishing behind Pognon were Americans Leonard Scott (6.53) and Dwight Phillips (6.55 PB), the Olympic champion in the Men’s Long Jump.