Weltklasse Zürich

The two world leading results (one by Jeremy Wariner in the men’s 400m in 44.13 and the other by Team USA in the 4x100m Zurich Trophy in 37.45), David Oliver’s energetic show in the high hurdles, and a gripping 5000m race were among an entire series of Weltklasse highlights.

In the 4x100m men’s relay - the Zurich Trophy - team USA conquered their rivals from Jamaica convincingly. Their result of 37.45 represented the second world leading result of the night. The Jamaicans were competing without Usain Bolt, who had to call it a season due to an injury, last week. The winning squad of the USA included Tyson Gay, Trell Kimmons (who had won his 100m heat in 9.95 earlier in the evening), Wallace Spearmon (the winner of the 200m race and a diamond), as well as Michael Rodgers, who anchored his team confidently.

Even though David Oliver did not quite run the 110m h world record the Zurich spectators had secretly hoped for, he offered another impressive demonstration of his supremacy in the event. He clocked 12.93 - a result just four hundredths slower than his own world leading time and six hundredths away from Dayron Robles’ world record. In the race, Oliver hit the sixth hurdle, but managed to postpone a fall until after the finishing a line.

Ambitious Swiss Talents
For the first time in years, a number of Swiss athletes participated in the international programme of the meeting - and they all managed to capture the attention of the 26 000 spectators at the stadium. Their performances were a promise for the European Championship which will take place at Letzigrund Stadium in 2014.

21-year-old Lisa Urech, 7th in the final in Barcelona, placed fourth behind US-American star Lolo Jones in 12.81, improving her previous personal best of 12.84. She clearly defeated European Champion Nevin Yanit who came in sixth. The young athlete from the Emmental region is now in a position to eye Julie Baumann’s 19-year-old national record. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada won the race running 12.53, nearly beating her own world leading time. Her result represented a new stadium record.

Irene Pusterla’s Weltklasse Zürich debut offered the second Swiss highlight of the night: With her a third place at Weltklasse Zürich, Pusterla, 22 years old and ninth at the European Championships, proved her skill and excellent shape. Her 6.70m were the second best result of her career.

200m sprinter Marc Schneeberger ran a season’s best of 20.55. Even though this result earned him a mere eighth place, he managed to cut a fine figure in a field of sprint stars. Wallace Spearman won the race in 19.79, yet another stadium record.

Finally, Schneeberger and his colleagues of the 4x100m relay team inspired the Zurich fans in the Zurich Trophy. Pascal Mancini, Aron Beyene, Reto Amaru Schenkel, and Marc Schneeberger placed 5th in an exciting relay event. Clocking 38.81 - their third sub-39.00 result - they missed their own national record of Barcelona by only 12 hundredths of a second.

Next Weltklasse Zurich Meeting will be 8th September 2011.