Event of the Day: World Indoor Championships Birmingham
Our event of the day is the fourth and final day of the 2018 World Indoor Championships in Athletics at the Arena Birmingham. The city of Birmingham hosts the Championships for the second time, having done so in 2003 as well. Since Thursday, the Arena Birmingham with seating for 8,000 spectators has been the home for 632 athletes from 144 countries, taking part in total of 26 events. Today’s programme includes only the afternoon session with final events in five disciplines in men’s competition and three in women’s competition.
First on the schedule is the Men’s Pole Vault final with France’s world record holder Renaud Lavillenie and the American Sam Kendricks, the favourites. In the Men’s 3000m final, Selemon Barega of Ethiopia is the expected winner of the gold medal. Abdelaati Iguider from Morocco who won the Men’s 1500m race in 2012 is favourite again this time in the same event, as the 2014 champion and 2018 world leader, Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti, did not arrive to Birmingham because of visa problems. In the Women’s Long Jump event, the main contenders are the defending champion from USA, Brittney Reese and the European indoor champion from Serbia, Ivana Španović, who has the season’s best result of 6.93m. The Women’s 800m final will see Francine Niyonsaba defend her title from Portland in 2016, which was Burundi’s first world indoor title. Other events of the final day include the finals of both the Men’s and Women’s 4x400m Relay and the Men’s 60m Hurdles semi-final and final. It’s going to be a highly entertaining closing day of the championships.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. The Citizens have a comfortable 15-point lead with a game in hand at the top of the table, while the Blues are fifth with 53 points, five less than Tottenham in fourth, but with a game in hand. It’s Day 4 of the 1st Test between South Africa and Australia at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban. It’s the fifth day of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. In La Liga, the two leading clubs, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid face off in a big match at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. It’s the final day of the WGC-Mexico Championship at the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Naucalpan. The Edinburgh International Swim Meet in Edinburgh enters its fourth day. In Serie A, AC Milan host Inter Milan at the San Siro in the Milan derby. The pick of the NHL action is the duel between the San Jose Sharks and the Columbus Blue Jackets at the SAP Center in San Jose. It’s the third and final day of the men’s tournament at the World Rugby Sevens Series at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. In the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks come up against the Philadelphia 76ers at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Fixture
Photos by IAAF Athletics