Reigning world and European high jump champion Mariya Lasitskene improved her world lead for the third time in a week, equalling her lifetime best of 2.06m at the Ostrava Golden Spike on Wednesday (19) evening.
Returning to the venue where she won maximum points for Team Europe at the IAAF Continental Cup in September, Lasitskene put on another masterful display for those assembled at the Mestsky Stadium.
Lasitskene only moved into a clear lead with a first-time clearance at 2.00m after being matched all the way by Belarus’ reigning world U20 champion Karina Taranda who came away with a lifetime best of 1.98m before bowing out at 2.00m.
This height proved beyond Taranda but it didn’t pose any problems for the indomitable Lasitskene who notched up her 53rd competition at 2.00m or higher.
She then cleared a world lead of 2.03m on her first attempt - improving her mark of 2.02m from Chorzow on Sunday - before clearing 2.06m on her second attempt without even brushing the bar. This was followed by three attempts at a prospective world record of 2.10m.
But the celebrations might have to be put on ice as Lasitskene will compete on Saturday at the Tubingen Soundtrack Meeting in Germany, a European Athletics Classic Permit Meeting, where she will face world silver medallist Yulia Levchenko from Ukraine.
It was a good evening on a whole for Europe’s high jumpers. Behind Lasitskene and Taranda, Sweden’s Erika Kinsey cleared 1.94m to finish fourth and Poland’s Kamila Licwinko cleared 1.92m in just her second competition since maternity leave.
#TheMatch ambassador Mariya Lasitskene equals her lifetime best with 2.06m before three attempts at a world record of 2.10m!
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 20, 2019
Lasitskene's last week:
13 June - 2.01m WL (Oslo)
16 June - 2.02m WL (Chorzow)
20 June - 2.06m WL (Ostrava)
Next stop: Tubingen on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/WzdH43iFh3
European bronze medallist Magnus Kirt from Estonia achieved two notable firsts in the javelin.
Not only did he become the first thrower to surpass the 90 metre-line in 2019, he also entered into 90-metre territory for the first time in his career with his winning throw of 90.34m which improved his national record of 89.75m from the Rabat Diamond League last July.
But despite breaking new ground, Kirt gave a sober analysis of his evening’s work. “I’m really happy about it,” he said. “But in the big picture, it doesn’t mean anything - you have to keep working and stay focused because the season is really long and the most important competitions are at the end of the season.”
Kirt won by more than six metres from Poland’s reigning European U20 champion Cyprian Mrzyglod who also set a lifetime best of 83.88m with four Czech throwers filling the next four spots - and all surpassing the 80 metre-line as well.
The best of the Czechs was world silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch who went out to 82.97m in the fourth round.
There was a winning return to competition from Olympic champion Sara Kolak from Croatia in the women’s javelin.
Kolak has been missing from competition since August 2017 after undergoing elbow surgery last season. While she only had one throw in excess of 60 metres, her fourth round throw touched down at 64.45m and won the competition by more than three metres from Slovenian veteran Martina Ratej with 61.01m.
'This was my first competition after the injury. I’m really satisfied but there is still a lot of work to do,' said Kolak. 'I struggled with the first few throws but I managed to do one good one. I have the standard for the World Championships and for Tokyo.'
Kolak’s next competitions will be the Diamond League events in Lausanne and London in July.