Field events take centre stage this week with four streamed World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver and Bronze events in Europe focusing exclusively on field action, three of which will be dedicated solely to the pole vault.
Here’s a rundown of what's on, who’s in action as well as where to watch.
Hvězdy v Nehvizdech, Nehvizdy (World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver)
- When? 20 February
- Live streaming on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 5.00pm local time
- Start-lists and results
World class men’s and women’s shot put competitions take centre stage in the intimate setting of the Nehvizdy Sports Hall, just outside Prague.
Fresh from setting a world lead of 20.31m to win the Dutch indoor title, European champion Jessica Schilder goes head-to-head with Canada’s world silver medallist Sarah Mitton in the women’s shot put while Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri faces Tom Walsh from New Zealand - both of whom have broken the 22 metre-line this year - in the men’s competition.
Reigning world indoor champion Sang-Hyeok Woo from South Korea headlines the high jump and he could target an outright world lead. Woo currently shares joint ownership of the world’s best mark in 2024 with 2.33m.
Josip Gasparac Memorial (World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze)
- When? 20 February
- Live streaming on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 2.30pm CET
- Start-lists and results
The star name in action in Osijek is world silver medallist Ernest John Obiena from the Philippines who makes his first appearance of the indoor season.
The line-up also includes the rapidly improving Portuguese vaulter Pedro Buaro who has already taken his lifetime best from 5.65m to a national record of 5.82m this year.
The women’s line-up features Greece’s Eleni-Klaoudia Polak, a 4.71m performer at her best, and last year’s winner Caroline Bonde Holm from Denmark.
All-Star Perche, Clermont Ferrand (World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver)
- When? 22 February
- Live streaming on the European Athletics Facebook page from 7.55pm CET
- Start list and results
Armand Duplantis cleared a world record of 6.22m in last year’s meeting and was greeted on the mat in celebration by a jubilant meeting director Renaud Lavillenie, the previous owner of the world pole vault record.
Duplantis hasn’t quite reached these rarefied heights at this early juncture of the season but the Swede will be hoping to return to six metre-plus territory in his last competition before the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, one of three major titles Duplantis will be defending in 2024.
The men’s field also includes world bronze medallist Kurtis Marschall from Australia and 2017 and 2019 world champion Sam Kendricks from the United States along with leading French vaulter Thibaut Collet.
The women's field is headed by Canada's Alysha Newman and Bridget Williams from the United States along with 2021 European indoor champion Angelica Moser from Switzerland.
Perche Elite Tour, Rouen (World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver)
- When? 24 February
- Live streaming on the European Athletics Facebook page from 7.55pm CET
- Start-list
- Result link
Molly Caudery regained the world lead with a 4.85m lifetime best clearance at the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham on the Saturday and will take on some major title winners in Rouen.
The line-up includes the consummate championship performer Wilma Murto, the reigning European indoor and outdoor champion who has cleared 4.81m this year, and reigning world indoor champion Sandi Morris from the United States.
The men’s line-up features US vaulters Chris Nilsen, Sam Kendricks and KC Lightfoot, all of whom have cleared six metres or higher. Nilsen holds the meeting record with a 6.05m vault dating back to 2022.
Steven Mills for European Athletics
