We were expecting the Polish Ewa Swoboda, who arrived in Serbia with the fastest time of the year (6 sec 99), or as always the Americans or the racing cars from Jamaica.

But it was Kambundji who beat everyone to the finish line, at the cost of a supersonic start.

The two US representatives, Mikiah Brisco (2nd in 6 sec 99) and Marybeth Sant-Price (3rd in 7 sec 04), and Swoboda, planted in the starting blocks and only 4th (6 sec 99), saw only fire.

The feat is immense on the part of Kambundji, hitherto a subscriber to runners-up (3rd over the distance at the Indoor World Championships in 2018 and bronze medalist in the 200m at the Doha Worlds in 2019): no one had run so quickly since March 1999.

The one from the canton of Bern thus becomes at 29 the fourth performer of all time tied with the Jamaican Merlene Ottey and the Greek Ekaterini Thanou.

An unexpected consecration which she struggled to take the measure of, a few minutes after the race.

"I wasn't sure I had won at all, she said. I saw that the camera was focusing on me, so I thought maybe I had won. Then, I was really happy to see that I had won. I knew that gold would be decided under 7 seconds but I felt capable of beating my personal best. I don't really like starting from lane 8 but I stayed focused on myself."

Swiss Mujinga Kambundji, Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye and Jamaican Briana Williamsen 60m final in Belgrade, March 18, 2022 Pedja Milosavljevic AFP

The Pontvianne disappointment

On the other hand, there will be no surprises to be expected from the 400m where we are heading straight for a very high level duel on Saturday between the double Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo and the Dutch prodigy Femke Bol (22), specialist in the 400m hurdles (in bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, 3rd performer in history and holder of the European record in 52 sec 03).

If Miller-Uibo wandered in the series and in the semi-finals (51 sec 38), the Batavian runner had a little scare when she fell at the finish of her semi-final, concluded in 2nd place (51 sec 28) behind the Jamaican Stephenie Ann Mcpherson (51 sec 26).

The logic was also respected at length, largely dominated by the winner of the Olympics, Miltiadis Tentoglu.

The Greek won by achieving the best jump of the year (8.55 m).

Frenchman Jean-Marc Pontvianne in the triple jump final at the Belgrade Worlds, March 18, 2022 ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

On the French side, the first day of the Indoor Worlds was quite disappointing.

Jean-Marc Pontvianne, one of the rare chances of a tricolor medal, completely missed out on the triple jump competition (7th) won by the Cuban Lazaro Martinez (17.64 m, best performance of 2022).

Arrived in Serbia with the 3rd best jump of the year (17.08 m) and the 2nd of the entries, Pontvianne (27) had to settle for 16.62 m on his 2nd attempt before stopping the costs before his last two attempts due to a left thigh injury.

A huge disappointment for the Nîmes, who has never reached a podium internationally and who had said before the start of the competition "to have passed a milestone".

Pontvianne, who had also experienced disappointment at the Tokyo Games (elimination in qualifying), even finished behind his young compatriot Melvin Raffin, 6th (16.68 m).

The meager hopes of the Blues now rest more than ever on the two hurdlers Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and Wilhem Belocian, engaged on Sunday in the 60m hurdles.

© 2022 AFP