A rematch of the 800m final from the 2018 European Championships beckons at the Stockholm Indoors - Sparet GP, a European Athletics Indoor Permit Meeting, on 11 February when Poland’s Adam Kszczot and home favourite Andreas Kramer both toe the start-line at the Satrahallen.
Kszczot won his third successive European 800m title in Berlin in 2018 but the Pole is arguably even more dominant indoors. Not only is Kszczot the reigning world indoor champion and a three-time European indoor champion, Kszczot won 23 of his 27 indoor races across a five year span between 2014 and 2018.
After setting the early pace in the European final in Berlin, Kramer came away with a silver medal - finishing ahead of the then reigning world champion Pierre Ambroise Bosse from France - and he matched his Swedish record of 1:45.03 in the process. Breaking the 1:45-barrier has continued to narrowly elude Kramer who finished last year with a season’s best of 1:45.10.
Kramer also won the first edition of this meeting last February when he clocked 1:48.50 in the 800m.
The inaugural event last year was highlighted by Fanny Roos setting Swedish indoor records of 18.27m and 18.33m in the shot put. Roos is confirmed for this meeting again along with European U23 bronze medallist Wictor Petersson in the men’s shot put.
The focus of attention in the pole vault will be on Angelica Bengtsson who cleared Swedish records both indoors (4.81m) and outdoors (4.80m) in 2019, the latter on a third attempt and on borrowed pole at the World Championships after her preferred pole snapped during her previous attempt.
European U20 100m hurdles champion Tilde Johansson is also confirmed for the long jump and Irene Ekelund, who won the 60m last year, will compete in the 200m.