Tatyana Lysenko (RUS) (© Getty Images)
The heavy rains that put a damper on the All-Russian competition in Sochi over the weekend apparently didn't affect the Hammer Throw competition, particularly World record holder Tatyana Lysenko.
Solid Hammer Throw competition
Lysenko, who increased the global standard to 77.06 last year less than a month before taking bronze at the World Championships, is clearly in good form early this season, exceeding 70 metres twice in Sochi. Her best attempt was at 75.33 and her follow-up of 75.19 leads many to believe that she’ll be one if the most serious contenders at the European Championships in Sweden. The worst of her six attempts was at 71.28.
But runner-up Gulfiya Khanafeeva was impressive as well. She exceeded the 74m mark four times topped by a best of 74.95. Third place was taken by the winner of Ekaterina Khorishikh, the European U-23 Champion, who reached 72.81 with two other throws landing beyond 72 metres. Yelena Konevtseva's best of 71.31 was good enough for fourth.
Ludmila Kolchanova didn't let the rain stop her when she leaped 7.00 to win the Long Jump, the year's second farthest. Displaying good consistency, the shortest of her jumps was 6.72. Runner-up Olga Kucherenko reached 6.72 while Yelena Ivanova was third after a 6.61 effort, just a centimetre ahead of Natalya Lebusova.
Four under 2:00 in the women's 800m
Russia's deep talent pool in the 800 showed its colors in a race won by Svetlana Kluka in 1:58.62, leading three others below the two-minute mark. Olga Kotlyarova was the runner-up in 1:58.95, with Juliya Chizhenko third (1:59.23) and Natalya Tziganova fourth (1:59.59). Well back in fifth was Larisa Zhao with a nonetheless respectable early-season 2:00.44.
Elsewere, Victorya Gurova, who lives in Sochi, reached 14.60 in the Triple Jump, the year's second farthest jump. Natalya Rusakova (Kresova) took the sprint double clocking 11.39/23.10, Svetlana Pospelova won the 400 over Olga Kotlyarova 50.62 to 50.99, and Juliya Golubkova won the Pole Vault with a 4.40 clearance.
A double family victory was celebrated in Discus throw by Darya and Bogdan Pilzshikov. Darya won women’s event – 61.48, and Bogdan was the strongest among men – 64.19.
Dmitryi Sapinskiy won the men's Long Jump with an 8.01 leap, while Aleksandr Petrenko took top honours in the Triple jump, besting Olympic bronze medallist Danila Burkenya 16.72 to 16.66.
19-year-old Arkadiy Vasiliev put together an impressive tally in the Decathlon with 8132 points. His results were – 11.28 – 7.70 – 14.59 – 2.00 – 49.17 – 14.67 – 46.30 – 4.70 – 56.96 – 4.32.10. His senior colleagues who were competing for the Cup of Russia were not at their best. Mikhail Logvinenko won the Cup with the mediocre 7552.
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
