Indoor Track Update 13

Feb. 21, 2021

Fontana dethrones Siragusa in Italian 60 meter finals

Above: Vittoria Fontana

Vittoria Fontana won the 60-meter dash final at the National Indoor Championships in Ancona, Italy. She ran a time of 7.35 which was a personal best for the 20-year-old. Fontana was a gold medal winner at the European Under 20 Championships in the 100 meters in 2019.

Above: Irene Siragusa

The Italian national champ finished in front of Irene Siragusa who placed second at 7.39 and Chiara Melon's third place time of 7.43. Siragusa, 27, was last year's 60 meters Italian champ. She ran 7.34 in 2020. Melon was an outdoor national champ in the 400-meter relay in both 2019 and 2020.

Above: Chiara Melon

Eighteen-year-old Iapichino has world's best mark in long jump

Above: Larissa Iapichino

Larissa Iapichino won the Italian long jump championship. The 18-year-old jumped 6.91 meters which is the world record for all women's athletes under 20 years old. She has the longest jump in the world for the 2021 indoor season. Iapichino finished ahead of 30-year-old runner up Laura Strati (6.66), who was the defending champ.

Below: Laura Strati

Strati has won indoor gold in the long jump in 2020, 2017, 2015 and 2011. She's also won national titles in the outdoor long jump three straight times from 2016-18. Third place went to 26-year-old Elenora Filippetto who jumped 6.34.

Alessia Trost becomes five-time high jump champ in Italy

Above: Alessia Trost

Alessia Trost, 27, won the long jump for the first time at the Italian National Indoor Championships since 2018, when she jumped 1.92 at this year's meet. Trost previously won national crowns in 2018, 2016, 2015 and 2013. She currently has the fifth highest jump in the world, this indoor season. She jumped 1.94, Feb. 12 in Poland. Trost won by a wide margin, however, 19-year-old Rebecca Mihalescul had a strong showing with a jump of 1.84, which awarded her the silver. Teresa Maria Rossi, 28, was the oldest athlete in the final and she won the bronze at 1.80.

Rice's Forbes wins Mile, 3000 meters in Conference USA

Above: Grace Forbes

Rice sophomore Grace Forbes took three championships at the Conference USA meet held in Birmingham, Alabama. Forbes won the mile in a time of 4:37.53, which was a personal best, school and conference record. That time is the 11th best in all of the NCAA for the season. She took the 3,000 meters at 9:18.76 and was a member of the first place Distance Medley Relay (11:56.19) with Alyssa Balandran, Lindsay Simms and Sara Ivackovic.

Forbes won both races last year at the conference meet and was an All-American in the 3,000 meters last season.

Feb. 19, 2021

WSU's Taylor climbs up national ranks in hurdles, triple jump

Above: Charisma Taylor

Washington State junior Charisma Taylor had a big day on Feb. 19, at the Texas Tech Matador Qualifier. She ran a winning 60-meter hurdles time of 8.16, which was converted to 8.18 due to the altitude. That time is currently 18th in the NCAA this season. She also won the triple jump at 13.45 meters which is eighth in the NCAA. Taylor won the triple jump crown at the MPSF Indoor Track & Field Championships last season.

NC State's Cobb wins triple jump at Virginia Tech Challenge

Above: Michelle Cobb

Michelle Cobb earned her second win of the season when she won the triple jump at the Virginia Tech Challenge. Cobb jumped 13.17 which is her longest jump of the year. That mark currently sits 15th in the NCAA. Cobb, a senior, was also a winner at the Hokie Invitational with a jump of 13.07, last month. Cobb was a third place finisher in the ACC Indoor Championships last season. Ironically she has the third longest jump during the regular season out of all ACC triple jump participants.