Dafne Schippers sent out a spectacular message to her rivals across the world on a brilliant night for European athletes at the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday evening.
The Dutch sprinter, in her last race before next month's European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam, could not have put down a bigger statement as she won the 200m in 21.93 - narrowly breaking the meeting record of 21.94 that American Gwen Torrence set 22 years ago.
At the time, Torrence was the Olympic champion, a title which could be heading the way of Schippers if this type of speed is the start of her upward climb towards a peak in Rio.
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She is, of course, the world champion at the distance after her glory in Beijing last summer in 21.63, a European and national record - and the third best of all time.
And from the way she burst from the blocks at this IAAF Diamond League meeting, she is going to take some stopping.
Her performance augurs well for a week-to-remember at home in Amsterdam, where she will be feted wherever she goes as she defends her European 100m title and runs in the 4x100m relay.
Her Oslo triumph, on a damp night, was also a Diamond League record and a world lead as she beat Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson (22.64) and Bulgaria’s Ivet Lalova-Collio (22.78) - and her attention then turned to the European Athletics Championships.
'No more races until then,' said Schippers, of the championships which start on 6 July. 'After all the Diamond Leagues, I need to rest and train a little bit before the European Championships in my country. To run under 22 seconds in these conditions is special for me.'
Schippers' 21.93 in Oslo was:
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 9, 2016
World-lead
Meeting record
Diamond League record
Second fastest time of her career
Watch out, world!
Poland's European shot put champion Konrad Bukowiecki, 19, has moved onto the senior stage seamlessly and once more he demonstrated what a bright future he has in the sport.
With a fourth round 21.14m, he broke his own world junior record of 21.01m with a senior implement to lead the competition, spinning away in delight, punching the air when he realised how far he had reached.
It was not enough for victory as American Joe Kovacs hit back with 21.51m and 22.01m but Bukowiecki still beat his fellow Pole Tomasz Majewski (20.56m), the Olympic champion.
He's done it again!
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 9, 2016
World junior shot put record of 21.14m for Konrad Bukowiecki in Oslo! pic.twitter.com/V8UdXRFSWo
Serbian long jumper Ivana Spanovic, the European indoor champion, has been knocking on the door of a major outdoor gold medal for three years and she is heading into the championships with the determination to end that run.
After leading with a second round 6.79m, she then stretched that to 6.94m to secure the win ahead of Canada's Christabel Nettey (6.68m) and consolidate her place at the top of the Diamond Race standings.
A double bronze medallist at the world championships and a silver medallist at the European Athletics Championships, Spanovic will be among the favourites in Amsterdam and Rio.
The Bislett Games has a glorious reputation for javelin throwing - as shown by a presentation to mark the retirement of Norway's double Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen.
In the competition itself, Germany’s Thomas Röhler furthered the meeting's reputation for the event as he extended his world lead with 89.03m, a superb effort as he beat countryman Johannes Vetter (87.11m) and Trinidad’s Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (86.35m).
Another victory for Thomas Rohler!
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 9, 2016
1 Shanghai 85.71m
1 Ostrava 87.37m
3 Eugene 82.53m
1 Jena 87.91m
1 Oslo 89.30m pic.twitter.com/mKxjSH3Niz
Renaud Lavillenie did not start well in the pole vault, needing three attempts as he entered the competition at 5.65m, but then normal service resumed as he won with 5.80m from Canada’s world champion Shawn Barber (5.73) and Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski (5.65m).
Lavillenie then tried and failed at 5.87m, but his progress was good.
Yasmani Copello, of Türkiye, won the 400m hurdles in 48.79, Spain’s Ruth Beitia was first in the high jump with 1.90m and Sandra Perkovic, of Croatia, reached 67.10m for victory in the discus.
The women’s mile brought a fine run from Great Britain’s Laura Muir. She finished second in 4:19.12 behind Kenyan Faith Chepngetich (4:18.60) with Sweden’s Meraf Bahta third (4:25.26), while France's Teddy Tamgho produced a season’s best of 16.80m for second in the triple jump won by Cuban Alexis Copello (16.91m).
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