If the field includes Gianmarco Tamberi, you know it will be beautiful. And so it was. The Italian cleared 2.31 and delighted the audience at the city event in Katowice. The prelude to the Diamond League in Silesia was viewed by an over-capacity crowd. – You enter a place like this and you know you are going to do everything at 110%. Thank you – the jumper stated, inviting everyone to the main part of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial. Tickets are still available for purchase.
At some point, there was techno music and deafening clapping from the audience. Then classical music. Another attempt? Complete silence and an explosion of joy – just the way Gianmarco planned it. On Saturday in the market square in Katowice the newly crowned European high jump champion from Birmingham won not just a Diamond League competition, but also the hearts of the Poles.
– Having such a guest in the competition you can be assured of a show. He is magnificent – said the emotional Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik, Olympic relay champion from Tokyo, now an expert for Polish tv.
– Are you surprised? – Gianmarco said jokingly afterwards. – I love competing in Poland, I love the audience that lives and breathes the competition and knows when to react. Of course I love having fun with it. To get involved. So when you have a tool in the form of a great crowd, you give 110 per cent. I had great fun today. Thank you and I cannot wait to come back here for the 2028 European Championships – the king of Saturday said.
During the event constituting a prelude to the main part of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, Tamberi had a good day in more than one way. Although the rain hindered his attempts at 2.35, he had the chance to spend two hours with his good friend Mutaz Essa Barshim. The Qatari, second on the all-time lists with 2.43, stopped at 2.23 this time, but stated afterwards: – thank you I was able to be here. Poland is my second home. Thanks to my coach I visited the Tatra mountains and even Białobrzegi – he said, laughing, while giving out autographs. Regarding his current career status, the Olympic champion said: – I am happy to be healthy right now. My competitions are about enjoying high jumping. Every single jump, as long as I am able to.
For the Polish fans, the highlight of the day was the third place of Mateusz Kołodziejski. The Pole cleared 2.26 and thus qualified for the final of the Diamond League in Brussels.
– I have enough power left in me to try to shine there. This competition was a breakthrough for me and I have several ideas to implement before travelling to the finals – he said reassuringly.
Another athlete with further plans for the season is Adrianna Sułek-Schubert, who competed in the long jump. Problems with her run-up meant it was not a successful outing, but she was thankful for the opportunity she got. She had only positive things to say about the Katowice audience, as well as her rivals. Two of them jumped 6.98, a new meeting record. First, that was the distance achieved by Agate de Sousa, then in the last round by Alyssa Jones. It was the latter who won the competition thanks to a better second jump.
Chase Jackson’s shot put was a meeting record as well. After a modest first effort, on her second attempt the American sent out the implement to a sensational 20.92. That was a mere 3 cm down on her personal best. Significantly, only Jessica Schilder has thrown farther this year, with 21.09 in Shanghai. The European champion from the Netherlands placed second on Saturday with 20.20. Defeating her must have been a significant achievement for Jackson.
The main part of the Silesia Diamond League is coming up on Sunday. The lineup includes 11 current world record holders, 55 Olympic medalists and a total of 170 World or European Championship medalists.
– As of now, 35 thousand fans are going to take their seats in the stands. But did you hear what Ewa Swoboda said at the press conference? She invited everyone in the Silesian dialect. It is only thanks to you that we can make this day one that will be talked about for years, even beyond the athletics world. Or perhaps just for a year, until the elite of the sport comes back here – said Piotr Małachowski, sports director of the Skolimowska Memorial.
The start of the competition in the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium is scheduled for 2 PM on Sunday.