Gulnara Galkina-Samitova of Russia in Oslo (© Getty Images)
There were world season leads set in two women’s track races at yesterday’s second day of the 2008 Russian National Championships (18) where a total of 13 events were decided.
With the World champion Yekaterina Volkova pre-selected for the Olympics, the battle was to win the two remaining places on the women’s 3000m Steeplechase squad for the Olympics.
The intensity of that fight brought with along with it the fastest time in the world this year in Kazan, as World record holder Gulnara Samitova-Galkina clocked 9:08.22, the third fastest race of all-time. The race went through 1000m in 3:04.67 and 2000m in 6:15.91
Tatyana Petrova, the World silver medallist in Osaka, was also runner-up here in 9:15.84, and so joins the global champion and the record holder as the third Russian woman in Beijing.
In third place but missing the Games was Yelena Sidorchenkova who was well beaten but ran a personal best of 9:24.04 PB.
Ildar Minshin triumphed in the men's 3000m Steeplechase - 8:22.51.
In the 800m, World Indoor 1500m record holder Yelena Soboleva also ran a world season lead of 1:54.85 (200m - 29.10; 400m - 56.73; 600m - 1:25.41). Indicating the continuing Russian depth over two laps Tatyana Andrianova clocked 1:56.00 for second and Svetlana Klyuka 1:56.64. That reigning European champion Olga Kotlyarova could only finish fifth in 1:58.12, and not make the Beijing line-up says it all about the national strength in this event.
In the men’s 800m, Yuriy Borzakovskiy won in 1:46.59, and looks able to give a firm defence of his Olympic title in China.
Yelena Isinbayeva has been pre-selected for Beijing, and in her absence the Pole Vault’s two remaining team places should be going to former World champion and record holder Svetlana Feofanova (4.70m), and Yulia Golubchikova (4.65). Third place was taken by Tatyana Polnova with 4.60m.
Feofanova has begun the present summer season a little bit late and it was her the second start, but she seems assured enough. She took only four vaults in the competition and the winning height 4.70m was overcome on her second attempt.
In the sprints, Yulia Guschhina took the one lap sprint in 50.12, and will be joined in Beijing by Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (50.20). With the top six all sub-50.80, Russia’s relay quartet in the Olympics will be impressive. The top four in the men’s 400m also ran in under 46 sec, led home by Denis Alekseyev (45.50).
The women's 100m was taken again by last year's victor Yevgeniya Polyakova (11.30) – Irina Privalova’s comeback came to halt in the semi-final stage - and the 100m Hurdles was won by Yulia Kondakova (12.91). She was followed home by Tatyana Dektjaryova - 12.96, Olga Korsunova - 13.12.
Andrey Yepishin won the men's 100m dash in 10.28 sec, and Yevgeniy Borisov, the 110m Hurdles in 13.51.
Yekaterina Bikert ran 54.34 sec in the women’s 400m Hurdles. After two years of illnesses and traumas Bikert is again in top form at just the right moment for Russia. 2000 Olympic champion Irina Privalova is not running this discipline any more, while 2005 World champion Yulia Pechyonkina and the European champion Yevgeniya Isakova are ill.
And now Bikert is going to replace them, her 54.34, the fifth fastest time in the world this year. 23-years-old Irina Obedina was second, 54.86 and 20-years-old Anastas Ott, third 55.07.
Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
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