Mondo’ Duplantis, Yemisi Ogunleye and numerous other stars, premieres, record-breaking races and thrilling duels – tomorrow’s ISTAF INDOOR Berlin on Valentine’s Day will be a big party for everyone who loves athletics. 12,000 fans in the sold-out Uber Arena will be in attendance at the world’s biggest indoor event in this sport. ZDF will be showing the ISTAF INDOOR live from 17:50.
‘The wait is finally over, tomorrow evening is finally time for ISTAF INDOOR,’ says meeting director Martin Seeber. ‘We are looking forward to many great athletes – and the outstanding Berlin fans who will push the stars to top performances.’
‘Mondo’ Duplantis: ’There’s always a great atmosphere in the sold-out hall’
World indoor champion, European champion, Olympic champion, unbeaten and improving his own world record three times – the 2024 season of Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis (25) was another season of superlatives. The exceptional Swedish athlete has already set ten world records in his career to date and, at 6.26 metres, has jumped ten centimetres higher than any other athlete. ‘I am very excited to be back at the ISTAF indoor in Berlin.” Duplantis, who achieved something historic at the ISTAF INDOOR 2023. He flew over 6.06 metres in grand style in today’s Uber Arena – no other athlete has jumped higher in the long history of the ISTAF, both outdoors and indoors. Duplantis: ‘There is always a great athmosphere in the sold out arena and I look forward to give them a good show!’ Only four indoor appearances in total are on the calendar of the exceptional athlete. ‘I am eager to start and get the season going. See you all in Berlin on Friday!,’ said the Swede.
The high-flyer will face world-class competition in the Uber Arena. Among others, the six-metre jumper and Olympic bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis (Greece) will be competing in Berlin. The 25-year-old has made a strong start to the winter season. Karalis has increased his national record twice to 5.92 metres and has (still) tried in vain to jump six metres indoor. Germany’s best pole vaulters will also be competing in Berlin: Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Düsseldorf Athletics, PB: 5.90 metres), Torben Blech (TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, PB: 5.86 metres) and Oleg Zernikel (ASV Landau, PB: 5.87 metres) will be aiming to sell themselves as dearly as possible in this competition and, if possible, take off in the direction of a new personal best. The trio proved that they can go high at the ISTAF INDOOR in Düsseldorf. On Sunday, Torben Blech mastered 5.80 metres with precision and jumped to victory. ‘I had goosebumps during many of the jumps, the atmosphere was so good. Now the ISTAF INDOOR in Berlin can come,’ said the Leverkusen native.
Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye full of anticipation for Berlin
For the first time in the history of the ISTAF INDOOR in Berlin, the big stage belongs to the shot-putters. Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye (MTG Mannheim) in particular will be celebrated by the frenzied fans in the Uber Arena. And the exceptional athlete is coming to Berlin in top form. In her successes in Nordhausen (19.77 m) and most recently on Sunday at the ISTAF INDOOR in Düsseldorf (19.78 m), Yemisi Ogunleye has already scratched the 20 metre mark. She would love to surpass this mark for the third time in her career in Berlin. ‘The crowd in Düsseldorf was great, it was really fun. Now I’m looking forward to Berlin. I’m super grateful to my coaches for making my technique so stable,’ says the Olympic champion, who has been preparing for the ISTAF INDOOR in Berlin this week at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Centre in Kienbaum (Brandenburg).
