The new world record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp will be racing in the 110 metre hurdles in Silesia on August 23rd. One of the 21-year old’s rivals will be Poland’s world indoor champion Jakub Szymański. – He is a great hurdler and I will be happy to race him. Preferably in an adjacent lane – the Pole said of his rival. Tickets to the Diamond League are available for purchase.
It is one of those star name announcements of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial that give you goosebumps. The Silesia Diamond League has accustomed everyone to a sky-high level. Two world records were set in the Witches’ Cauldron – by Armand Duplantis in the pole vault and Jakob Ingebrigtsen at 3000 metres – as well as numerous area and national records and dozens of world-leading marks. The kings of their events, athletics legends come to Poland year after year.
– But when you can tell the fans the freshly made world record holder will come to run in front of them soon, it is something special. I am excited about it, too – confessed Piotr Małachowski, sports director of Central-Eastern Europe’s prime meeting.
World record holder in the hurdles to race in Silesia! A major announcement
Meet Ja’Kobe Tharp – the newly crowned king of the 110 metre hurdles since mid-June.
You may call him an American, but also – and perhaps more appropriately – an Auburn University student. And a member of the Tigers team. Tharp, representing the team in the last NCAA championships in Eugene, ran the distance in an unprecedented 12.75. No one had even been this fast, after the previous world record set by Aries Merritt survived all of 14 years.
– That was despite all the technological progress, the carbon-plated shoes. Even though the women’s world record at 100 metre hurdles was broken twice in the same period. Considering that, beating Merritt’s mark is impressive. Even more so as the record was not set by the great Grant Holloway, but by a man the world had not heard about until last year – commented Marek Plawgo, communications director of the Skolimowska Memorial and a former hurdler himself.
Merritt congratulated Tharp personally in Eugene. He stated he had been waiting for someone like him. The world did as well and now Silesia and the Polish fans are waiting. Tickets for the event on August 23rd are still available – they can be ordered on the MemorialKamili.pl website.
Tharp’s development is extremely impressive, as the 21-year old only reached his first global final last year at the World Championships in Tokyo. But he had shown great promise, winning the last World U20 Championships. What is more, at the NCAA indoor championships, he ran the 60 metre hurdles in 7.32. Only two athletes have ever run faster.
– These times are truly incredible. I believe it is only a matter of time before he breaks the indoor world record as well. He is a great hurdles and I am happy to race against him. Preferably in a lane next to him. I hope I can hold on to him and will also run a great time in doing so – said Jakub Szymański, the world indoor champion from Toruń. The 24-year old will be one of the world record holder’s rivals in the Silesian Stadium.
A symbolic clash will thus take place on August 23rd: the Polish indoor hurdling king versus the American king of the outdoor.
Szymański hunting for the national record. Wanting one just for himself, as he now shares it
By taking gold at the World Indoor Championships in March, Szymański opened the door wide for competing against the greats. He is inspired by them and he has admitted multiple times having such athletes in the lanes next to him gives him an extra drive to compete. Before this season, the 24-year old stated he was capable of improving on the national record. It currently belongs to him, but he shares it with Damian Czykier. The two men respect each other, but on the track each of them would like to assert his dominance.
Szymański, along with Natalia Bukowiecka, Ewa Swoboda, Pia Skrzyszowska, Paweł Fajdek and Piotr Lisek, has been assigned his own sector at the Polish Diamond League. This year they will approach the fans in them a week after the European Championships in Birmingham.
– It is not just them. Mondo Duplantis, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Karsten Warholm, whose presence in Silesia has already been confirmed, will be fighting for European Championships medals as well. That means one thing: when they get here, they will be at their peak form. And that promises a lot – Małachowski stated. – You can be sure about the others. Having Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Julien Alfred or Oblique Seville and Kenny Bednarek in the 100m, you can be assured the level of competition will be fantastic.
The only kid race of its kind. You can be Natalia Bukowiecka
Other star names for this year’s Diamond League in Poland will be revealed soon. Interestingly, not only can you watch them from the stands. You can become one as well.
– We welcome children aged 7-12 to join a 400-metre race. All you have to do is to buy a family 3+1 ticket package. Then fill in the form available on the Memorial’s website to enter the same path the champions are following on the day of the meeting – Plawgo said. He added that the initiative is becoming a tradition. – It is definitely worthwhile, looking at the level of interest last year.
Importantly, the children will not only be racing. Their run will be a part of the event’s opening ceremony. Apart from the memories, they will come out with T-shirts and medals.
Naturally, there will be more events accompanying the main Diamond League meeting. Outside the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium, many attractions await at the Diamond Picnic. It is worth noting that, just like last year, the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial will take place over two days. On Saturday, August 22nd, high jump, long jump and shot put competitions will take place in the Katowice town square. Two Diamond Cup by Patec events will also be featured, with the participation of popular influencers.