From the ranking of All-Athletics database, Herculis Monaco ends up 2014 with an exceptional total of 95486 points, best score since Weltklasse Zurich 2001 and the establishment of this ranking the same year.
Beyond thes figures, the 16587 spectators had the chance to attend exceptional performances, made possible by the extraordinary and warm atmosphere which reigned in the stadium.
1 World Junior Record, 3 Area Records and 11 National Records have been set in Monaco, as well as 2 Diamond League Records, 4 Meeting Records, and 7 World Leading Performances of the year, still standing at the end of this season.
A really strong density in mid-distance events, assisted by prestigious victories in sprints and field events, allowed Herculis Monaco to finish at the first place of the meetings’ ranking.
The race of the night is without a doubt the 1500m Men, where no less than 7 athletes ran under the mythic barrier of 3’30’’. In this historical race, we can mark the victory of Silas KIPLAGAT in 3’27’’64, new Diamond League Record and World Lead and becoming 4th best performer of all time, followed by last year’s winner Asbel KIPROP in 3’28’’45 and Ronald KWEMOI in 3’28’’81, establishing a new World Junior Record. But this 1500m also hosted an Oceanian Record from New Zealander Nick WILLIS, while Ayanleh SOULEIMAN for Djibouti, Aman WOTE for Ethiopia, and Henrik INGEBRISTEN for Norway have all set new National Records.
Both 800m Men and Women have shown great depth as well. 5 Men under 1’43’’ and 8 Women under 2’00; this has happened for the Men’s race only once, during 2012 Olympic Final where Rudisha has set a new World Record… These 2 races provided the meet with World Leads, with Nigel AMOS winning in 1’42’’45, setting on his way a new Meeting Record, and Ajee WILSON in 1’57’’67, beating World Champion Eunice SUM. The Women race has offered Winnie NANYONDO to set a National Record for Uganda, while Australian Alex ROWE equaled the National Record in the Men’s race.
But in an overheated Louis II Stadium, the 800m Men offered Pierre-Ambroise BOSSE the opportunity to establish a new French Record in 1’42’’53, beating the old record of Mehdi BAALA from 2002 with 0’’62. One French Record in a meeting is already superb, but 2 is simply fantastic: Pascal MARTINOT-LAGARDE ran this splendid performance on 110m Hurdles, winning in 12’’95 and beating current Olympic and World Champions.
Spectators also witnessed an amazing 100m Women, where Tori BOWIE won in a World Lead time of 10’’80, leading 7 competitors under 11’’03, whose 4 under 11’’00.
Another packed event was the High Jump Men, where Bohdan BONDARENKO has set a new Meeting Record of 2.40m after a beautiful battle against Mutaz Barshim whom jumped to 2.37m, but especially with all the competitors jumped over 2.30m !
Regarding individual performances, Triple Jumper Caterine IBARGUEN from Colombia definitively left her mark on Herculis 2014 realizing a performance of 15.31m, only 19cm away from the World Record, making her 5th best performer of all-time on her way to set new Diamond League and South American Records.
Justin GATLIN, who chose the meeting of Monaco to start his international season on the 200m, has dominated the race like he has dominated the 100m this season. In 19’’68, he has run a new World Lead, but also a new personal best, cutting away 0’’32 from his previous mark!
On the 5000m Women, a high-quality duel between Ethiopians Genzebe DIBABA and Almaz AYANA led DIBABA to a new World Lead of 14’28’’88, while Molly HUDDLE took the opportunity to set a new American Record.
The Monaco Federation of Athletics, organizer of the Herculis meeting, and its President H.S.H Prince Albert II, would like to thank the athletes, the audience, the sponsors and local partners as well as the volunteers for making this wonderful night possible.
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