SWOBODA DASHES TO 7.08 WORLD LEAD

Now in its fourth season, the World Indoor Tour is comprised of the six finest indoor meetings on the planet, in which athletes compete for points in designated tour disciplines. Nine were on the programme in Karlsruhe, with world leads emerging in three.

Ewa Swoboda made an auspicious season’s debut en route to her dominant victory in the 60m. The 21-year-old Pole shook the winter rust from her legs with a quick 7.08 dash in the first of two heats, a world lead and just 0.01 shy of the national record she set two years ago.

She fell to her knees in shock in the immediate aftermath, but that wore off as soon as she blasted from the blocks in the final 54 minutes later. Quickly building a clear lead by the midway point, Swoboda forged on to a 7.10 clocking, handily beating pre-race favourite Dafne Schippers, who clocked 7.19 in second.

“I’m very happy and relieved with my time,” said Swoboda, who raced to European indoor silver over the distance two years ago. “I didn’t know where I stood and the pressure to know was high.”

Germany’s Rebekka Haase was third, clocking 7.23.

The Heat

The Final