Polish shot putter Konrad Bukowiecki (© Getty Images)
Konrad Bukowiecki smashed through the 22-metre barrier to highlight the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzow, Poland, on Saturday (14).
Continuing his strong late season momentum, the 22-year-old Pole improved his lifetime best outdoors for the fourth time in as many competitions this month, reaching 22.04m with his first throw. He went even better in the second round, sending the iron ball 22.25m to effectively put the competition out of reach.
World champion Tom Walsh was second, reaching 21.90m in the second round to narrowly edge Michal Haratyk who threw 21.88m in round three.
Celebrating its 10th edition, the meeting, held to honour the 2000 Olympic hammer throw champion who died in 2009, is usually a late season-capping competition for most athletes but this year served as one last warm-up competition ahead of the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 which get underway on 27 September. Besides Bukowiecki, several displayed good form.
Steven Gardiner produced the best sprint performance of the late afternoon, dominating the 400m in 44.14 in comfortable fashion, a season's best in his first race since winning the Bahamian title on 27 July.
Fitting for the event, the evening belonged to the throwers.
Wojciech Nowicki won the hammer throw with 79.55m, topping compatriot Pawel Faydek, who reached 79.33m. Malwina Kopron threw a 75.23m season's best to win on the women's side.
Alin Alexandru Firfirica of Romania, the 2015 European U23 champion, improved his lifetime best to 67.32m to notch an upset victory in the discus throw. The 23-year-old showed good consistency, too, reaching 67.26m with his final throw.
Piotr Malachowski was second with 65.71m with Andrius Gudzius, the reigning world and European champion, third with 65.17m
Earlier in the programme, Chase Ealey won the women's shot put with 19.06m.
Back on the track, Shannon Osika of the US dominated the women's 1500m, winning by nearly nine seconds in 4:01.80. The performance clipped nearly three seconds from the 26-year-old's previous best of 4:04.22 set one month ago. Dariya Barysevich of Belarus was a distant second in 4:10.75.
Elsewhere, Mariya Lasitskene topped 1.94m to win the high jump before three misses at 1.96m forced an early earlier than she's used to. Piotr Lisek topped 5.82m to take the pole vault before bowing out with three misses at 5.92m.
Isiah Young took the men's 100m in 10.22 and Ewa Swoboda the women's in 11.29. And Italy's Luminosa Bogliolo won the 100m hurdles in 12.84.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF