WRITTEN FOR THE STOCKHOLM BAUHAUS MEDIA TEAM
The Stockholm Bauhaus Athletics meeting began this evening with the women’s shot put held in the Kungstradgarden in the city centre, only metres away from the Parliament building where the IAAF was founded in 1912, following the Stockholm Olympics.
In cold, wet conditions the event returned to the scene which last held the competition in 2011 and enjoyed a strong supporting crowd, as Germany’s Christina Schwanitz took the honours in the first IAAF Diamond League discipline in the Swedish capital.
The 29-year-old world indoor and outdoor silver medallist took charge with the lead from the first round with a commanding 19.90m, before stretching clear to victory with a fine 20.31m in round two.
The current world leader with a 20.77m lifetime best from Beijing in May, Schwanitz also cleared 19.94m and 19.66m in the fourth and fifth rounds, respectively in an impressive display which maintains her position as the IAAF Diamond League series leader.
A strong favourite for gold at next month’s IAAF World Championships in Beijing, such is her dominance in 2015 she has additionally enjoyed victories in Birmingham, Oslo and Paris of late.
Meanwhile, the runner-up position went to the USA’s Michelle Carter with 19.24m – over a metre adrift of her rival.
The 29-year-old 2012 world indoor bronze medallist’s best effort arrived in round four, following 19.09m to assist in remaining in the second spot in the IAAF Diamond League series.
With a 20.02m season’s best set en-route to winning the US Championships in Eugene last month, Carter was victorious in London last weekend in addition to notching up second place in Oslo and third position in Paris.
Hungary’s European indoor champion, Anita Marton finished third courtesy of her 18.74m throw in round five – twenty centimetres short of her 2015 best – and the 26-year-old enjoyed a fairly consistent series.
Down in fourth, two-time Olympic and four-time world champion, Valerie Adams continued her return from surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation lay-off with a best of 18.69m in round two.
The 30-year-old New Zealander just fell short of her 18.79m season’s best set whilst finishing fifth in Paris earlier this month, but it represented an improvement on her 18.59m in second place in London last weekend.
The winner here in 2011, 2012 and 2013, Adams threw 18.05m on her first attempt before registering four fouls in the later rounds.
The USA’s Brittany Smith recorded 18.54m in round three to take the fifth position. The 21-year-old amassed an 18.96m personal best back in April ahead of taking third and fifth place in Oslo and London, respectively.
