Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji delivered a standout performance at the European Indoor Championships, setting a European indoor record of 7.67 seconds to win the 60m hurdles final in Apeldoorn on Friday (7).
Her winning time ranks as the second-fastest in history, just behind Devynne Charlton’s world indoor record of 7.65, and surpasses Susanna Kallur’s long-standing European mark of 7.68 from 2008.
Kambundji, who secured bronze at the previous edition of these championships and silver at last year’s outdoor European Championships in Rome, arrived in Apeldoorn in peak form. She had already set a Swiss indoor record of 7.80 in Torun last month.
After winning her heat in 7.92 and improving to 7.82 in the semifinals, the 22-year-old produced her career-best performance in the final. Despite a strong challenge from two-time champion Nadine Visser, Kambundji surged ahead in the second half of the race, crossing the line in 7.67. Visser took silver with a Dutch indoor record of 7.72, while Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska claimed bronze in a season-best 7.83.
The men’s 60m hurdles final was a tight contest, with Jakub Szymanski timing his finish perfectly to win gold in 7.43, narrowly ahead of France’s Wilhem Belocian (7.45) and Just Kwaou-Mathey (7.50).
Meanwhile, reigning world and Olympic 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen successfully defended his 1500m title, aiming for a third consecutive 1500m/3000m double at these championships. Controlling the race early, he accelerated in the final lap to take gold in 3:36.56, ahead of France’s Azeddine Habz (3:36.92) and Portugal’s Isaac Nader (3:37.10).
The men’s long jump final was decided by the slimmest of margins, with Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Saraboyukov leaping 8.13m in the final round to edge out Italy’s Mattia Furlani and Spain’s Lester Lescay, who both recorded 8.12m.
Six years after her first European indoor title, Ana Peleteiro-Compaore reclaimed the women’s triple jump gold with a mark of 14.37m.
The championships began with a victory for the host nation, as the Netherlands triumphed in the mixed 4x400m relay on Thursday (6). The Dutch team, anchored by Femke Bol, secured gold in 3:15.63.
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