Hall Breaks Meet Record, Now Tied For Second On All-Time List Behind Jackie Joyner-Kersee

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photo courtesy @hypomeeting_goetzis

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is the only one to do it better.

Anna Hall scored 7,032 points Sunday to win the heptathlon in the 50th Hypo-Meeting at Gotzis, Austria.

The 24-year-old Colorado native broke the meet record and tied Sweden’s Carolina Kluft for second on the all-time list. JJK has exceeded their score six times, topped by a world record of 7,291 from 1988.

Hall had personal bests in the high jump, shot put, javelin and 800 meters. She climbed past 7,000 points by running the closing 800 in 2:01.23, a heptathlon world record.

Her previous heptathlon best was 6,988 at Gotzis two years ago. Previous meet record was 7,013 in 2017 by Belgium’s Nifissatou Thiam, the three-time Olympic gold medalist.

Hall, who won silver and bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, finished fifth at the 2024 Paris Olympics after coming off knee surgery.

“The last heptathlon I did before this broke my heart,” Hall told World Athletics.  “But I feel like this heptathlon healed it.

“I haven’t run an 800 this year, so I was a bit scared. I knew I was fit, but I didn’t know how I’d feel in the race. When I came through the first lap in 58 seconds, I was like, ‘Oh no.’ But this is what you train for, and thankfully I was able to hold on. I’m really pleased with it.

“It means so much to break the meeting record on the 50th anniversary of this competition. To have all these past legends here – some of them met with my family, some gave me words of encouragement – makes it all the more special.”

Sofie Dokter of the Netherlands finished second with a PB of 6,576. Colombia’s Martha Araujo was third with 6,475, a South American record.

Among Americans, Michelle Atherley was fourth with 6,425, Allie Jones sixth with 6,367 and Erin Marsh 11th with 6,171. Atherley and Marsh tied for first in the 100-meter hurdles at 12.93.

 Timara Chapman, the 2024 NCAA champion from Texas A&M, was 10th after day 1 and did not finish.

Hall’s results by event:

>> 100 hurdles, 13.19, 1,096 points, sixth.

>> High jump, 6-4.75 (1.95m), 1,171, first

>> Shot put, 48-9 (14.86m), 852, first.

>> 200 meters, 23.37, 1,042, second.

>> Long jump, 21-2.5 (6.44m), 988, fourth.

>> Javelin, 151-5 (46.16m), 786, fifth.

>> 800 meters, 2:01.23, 1,092, first.

Hall’s high jump ranks No. 6 in the world this year and first among Americans.

Sander Skotheim breaks Olympic champ’s record

Norway has seized decathlon dominance.

Sander Skotheim won at Gotzis with 8,909 points, reclaiming the national record. Previous Norwegian record was 8,796 by Markus Rooth in winning Paris gold.

Skotheim, coming off world indoor gold in the heptathlon, is tied for No. 7 on the all-time list.

Kyle Garland finished second with 8,626. Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer and Germany’s Niklaus Kaul tied for third with 8,575. Ehammer long jumped 27-4.5 (8.34m), equaling the outdoor world lead.

Germany’s Leo Neugebauer, the Paris silver medalist, was fifth with 8,555.

Canada’s Damian Warner, gold medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, was sixth with 8,527. Warner, 35, is an eight-time champion at Gotzis.

Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme was seventh with 8,486, setting a meet record of 46.20 in the 400.  He led after day 1 with 4,652.

Olympic Trials winner Heath Baldwin was eighth with 8,430.

Another American, Harrison Williams, was seventh through seven events before failing at his opening pole vault bar of 16-0.75 (4.90m). World champion Pierce LePage of Canada dropped out before the vault. Olympic bronze medalist Lindon Victor of Grenada withdrew after three events.

Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.