Svetlana Feofanova in action in the women's pole vault final (© Getty Images)
Russia's Svetlana Feofanova established a women's Pole Vault World record on Sunday (22 Feb), clearing 4.85 metres at the “Athina 2004” - IAAF permit meeting - so improving compatriot Yelena Isinbayeva's 4.83 mark set in Donetsk, Ukraine on 15 February 2004.
A World record in the “Athina 2004” was not only the objective of the meeting promoters, but also a fondest wish for Feofanova, who many times had attempted to set a record in front of her Greek fans in the last few years, both in indoor and outdoor competitions.
Although in yesterday's meeting Feofanova needed three attempts to clear 4.70m, it was with that height that she won the competition, as Yelena Isinbayeva, who after clearing 4.55 had by-passed 4.60m, failed to clear that bar.
With victory over the World record holder confirmed, Feofanova the World indoor and outdoor champion decided to go to for a new World record at 4.85m, and only needed one attempt!
"Something was making it difficult for me to gather my strength, but today I am very pleased because at last I have managed to do this jump."
“I am fifteen centimetres from the 5.00m. I cannot say it’s easy, but it is a realistic objective”, she commented after the celebrations.
Yesterday in Athens, we had many other good performances, but also some surprises.
Theodoridis back from injury - 6.54
In the women’s 60m race, reigning World Indoor champion Ukraine’s Zhanna Block was third with 7.36, defeated by both Natalya Safronnikova of Belarus who clocked 7.28, and Cuba’s Virgen Benavides, who was second with 7.29.
In the men’s event, the Greek champion Georgios Theodoridis was the winner with 6.54, third best in the world this season. Theodoridis, who had been faced with injury problems in the last years, left the favourite of the race Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu, the double European outdoor silver medallist, in the second position with 6.56.
Dulecha's way short of the mark
An expected world record, which didn’t come, was in the women’s 1500m. Besides the strong pace making support by the Russian Tatyana Adrianova, Ethiopia’s Kutre Dulecha entered the last lap strongly but tired a lot in the last metres, to cross the line in a time of 4.04.47
The men’s Long Jump was an event with many changes. Ivan Pedroso took the lead of the event just on his fifth attempt, when he jumped 7.90m to replace Vitaliy Shkurlatov on the top but, in the last round, the Greek Champion Louis Tsatoumas, achieved a 8.00m. jump, after five previous fouls to take the win. Tsatoumas has twice won the European Under-23 outdoor Championships and is already included in the Greek team for the World Indoor Championships to be held in Budapest, Hungary (5-7 March).
6.81 Long and 14.81m Triple
With double World outdoor Triple Jump champion Tatyana Lebedeva, withdrawing late from her long jump and triple Jump appearances, it was left to fellow Russian Tatyana Kotova to win the Long Jump with 6.81, the third best mark in the world this season. Next best was Italy’s Fiona May who jumped 6.69m.
The women’s Triple Jump was an amazing competition. Romania’s Adelina Gavrila open the competition with a personal best of 14.58m, to which the Greek champion Chrysopigi Devetzi replied well with 14.47 m. In the third round Devetzi improved to 14.81, just three centimeters off the Greek record and, also, second world mark for this season. Cuba’s Gay Mabel jumped 14.34 m. to take third place.
Bungei and Lagat victorious
Kenya’s Winfred Bungei was very fast from the beginning of the 800m giving no margins to anyone wanted to doubt about the winner of the event. 1500m specialist Ivan Heshko of Ukraine made a late counter-attack about 150m before the finish, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Kenyan. Winfred Bungei clocked 1.46.70 leaving enough behind Ivan Heshko who was second with 1.47.10.
An even more convincing Kenyan victory came in the men’s 3000m where a 1500m specialist did take the win. Bernard Lagat won in 7.34.96, the third fastest time this season.
Romania’s Ionela Tirlea was by the far the best in the second heat of the 400m race. Tirlea improved her season’s best to 51.59 to defeat Britain’s Catherine Murphy who clocked 52.29, and Greece’s Chrysa Goudenoudi, who again improved her own national record to 52.65
In the other events, Bahamas Dominic Demeritte clocked 20.90 to win the men’s 200m and Grenada’s Alleyne Francique dominated the 400m with 46.68.
Stefan Vasilache of Romania cleared 2.30m to win the High Jump, the same height as Russia’s Aleksy Dmitrik who placed second.
In the men’s 60m hurdles, Cuba’s Yoel Hernandez was the winner with 7.60, while Haitian Nadine Faustin won the women’s hurdles in 8.00.
