IAAF
– Russia’s Svetlana Feofanova with a first time
clearance of 4.78m recaptured her European outdoor mark tonight in Stockholm’s
DN Galan, a mark which Germany’s Annika Becker had so recently deprived her of
on 7 July (4.77m).
In bright sunshine on a perfect Scandinavian summer evening, the 36th DN Galan got underway in front of a capacity crowd of 15,790 in Stockholm’s 1912 Olympic stadium, a venue which has produced more world records in it’s history - 83 in total - than any other in the world. Many of Athletics’ greatest memories reside here in this sporting temple and as apparent from tonight’s impressive performances so did many of the sports' current world elite for tonight’s IAAF Grand Prix meeting.
Feofanova the world indoor record holder for the women's pole vault matched the brilliance of the sunshine with a wonderful display of vaulting. Entering the competition at 4.42, she sailed through first attempts at this and all her other early heights – 4.52, 4.62, 4.73 – and did the same at the European record height of 4.78 too. The height was of course a stadium record and the feat earned the Russian a one carat diamond – the unique extra incentive that the DN Galan offers to all athletes who establish new stadium marks each year. Feofanova later took three failed attempts at a new world record of 4.82 but none were close. Dragila who holds the world mark (4.81) was out of sorts finishing back in sixth with 4.42.
"It was good to win the diamond and set a stadium and European record...I will try to jump for the world record in Monte Carlo.... The stadium here is very, very good but the wind is not good, because it goes back and forth, a swirling wind," said Feofanova.
Minutes after Feofanova’s European record, Sweden’s world indoor champion Kajsa Bergqvist having already defeated South Africa’s world outdoor champion Hestrie Cloete (1.98), sailed over the high jump bar on her second attempt at 2.00m for a stadium record to wild applause from the crowd, who had rhythmically clapped Bergqvist as she approached the bar for the attempt. So she also gained a diamond which should go down very well back home, as she now resides with many of the world’s rich in Monaco.
The crowd was in such great humour this evening that Britain’s world and Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards’ winning 17.78m leap in the men’s triple jump was equally well received by them, even though it saw off local favourite and world silver medallist Christian Olsson, who came second with 17.39.
On the track, events commenced with world and Olympic champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique pitched against 1999 world champion Czech Ludmila Formanova and the new world indoor record holder Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia.
However, it was America’s Nicole Teter who lies third on his season’s world list (1:57.97 behind Mutola 1:56.25 and Ceplak 1:57.63) who was in the ascendant tonight. Coming off the final bend Teter had a metre lead on Mutola and battle as much as she might, the world champion could never close on Teter and at one point also seemed about to lose second spot to Ceplak. The final result was Teter 1:58.13, Mutola 1:58.23 and Ceplak 1:58.63, with Canada’s Diane Cummins also under 2 minutes with 1:59.80.
Next on the track the men’s 400m race not wanting to be out done, saw USA’s Alvin Harrison the Olympic silver medallist run the fourth fastest time in the world this year 44.57, which more significantly was also a stadium record and so earned a diamond (the first of the evening to be awarded). Leonard Byrd was second, also under 45 with a 44.82 clocking.
World and Olympic champion Maurice Greene has won a few diamonds in this stadium over the years but was absent this time but his shoes were adequately filled by world silver medallist Tim Montgomery and veteran Frank Fredericks in the heats. Both men won their 100m preliminaries - 10.04 and 10.19 respectively - which set up a promising clash for the final later in the evening.
As it turned out the final was unexpectedly close but without Fredericks in the frame (fifth in 10.16), as Montgomery narrowly got the verdict over Kim Collins, both clocking 10.08 with USA’s Bernard Williams, third 10.14.
The women’s 100m was won simply and most convincingly by Ukraine’s world champion Zhanna Pintusevich-Block in 10.91, with a gun to tape sprint.
The same also went for the women’s 100m hurdles where three time world champion Gail Devers was ahead straight out of the blocks, though she was challenged off the last barrier by Jamaica’s Bridgette Foster. Devers held on to win in a lightning quick 12.42 stadium record (and diamond prize) - only 200th/sec off her world season’s lead - to Foster’s 12.49, which was a personal best and a national, area, and Commonwealth record for the Jamaican. World champion Anjanette Kirkland was third in 12.63. .
Cuba’s Olympic champion Anier Garcia’s task proved to be somewhat harder to accomplish in the men’s sprint hurdles (Isuffering from a groin strain) where he had to fight back when USA’s Larry Wade and world champion Allen Johnson, mounted winning bids in the middle of the race. By the line the Cuban just attained the winning advantage with 13.13 from Johnson 13.17 and Wade third in 13.18.
The men’s steeplechase produced an amazing three way duel between Morocco’s world record holder Brahim Boulami and the Kenyans Wilson Boit Kipketer the former holder of the world mark, and Stephen Cherono the world junior record holder.
Two laps to go, it was Boulami in the lead who was passed by Boit Kipketer with Cherono close behind. However, 400 metres later the Moroccan had managed to get his nose back in front but this time it was Cherono who made the challenge and stole a three metre lead. Boulami was not going to let this race go without a fight, and once gain closed the gap coming off the last water jump.
At that point it was expected that the world record holder would surge away but that burst never materialized and after the three - Cherono, Boulami and Boit Kipketer - jumped the last barrier three abreast, it was the latter who had the better sprint and the Moroccan was beaten at the line. The result – Boit Kipketer 8:00.56, Boulami 8:00.77, Cherono 8:01.65. Another stadium record and another diamond as a reward for Boit Kipketer’s efforts.
Making up for Boulami’s defeat his compatriot Abderrahim Goumri restored Morocco’s pride by winning the men’s 5000m in 13:00.76 from Kenya’s Sammy Kipketer 13:01.14 and a second Moroccan, Mohamed Amine 13:01.98.
Kenya’s Edith Masai and Ethiopia’s Berhane Adere the two conquerors of Romania’s Olympic 5000m champion Gabriela Szabo in Rome last Friday, had their own private battle this evening and again it was the Kenyan who stole the final sprint in the women’s 5k, 15:05.31 to Adere’s 15:05.98, with Canada’s Courtney Babcock third in 15:07.53.
Kenya’s Bernard Lagat, the world silver medallist was also triumphant in the men’s 1500m (3:31.38) though he was surprisingly pushed by USA’s David Krummenacker who sliced his personal best from 3:36.15 to 3:31.93 for second. Kenya’s William Chirchir was third 3:32.50.
Unlike Bergqvist’s win in the women’s high jump, the men’s competition didn’t go Sweden’s way with Stefan Holm (3rd equal 2.28 with Canada’s Mark Boswell) and Staffan Strand (10th = 2.20) having to settle for the minor positions. The winner with 2.32m was Belarus’ European Junior champion Andrei Chubsa, who dramatically improved on his personal best (2.28m outdoor / 2.31m indoor).
On a packed night of many highlights, world season’s leader Sergey Makarov won the men’s javelin with 87.73. The women’s long jump was taken with a 7.02m leap by Russia’s Tatyana Kotova, the world outdoor and indoor silver medallist. The women’s 400m went to Jamaica’s Lorraine Fenton the world and Olympic silver medallist in 50.13. Not under 50 seconds as she had run in Rome last Friday but yes, you’ve guessed it, a stadium record and yet another diamond, one of six the organizers awarded this evening.
Excusing the pun, this was a diamond evening of athletics, a more than appropriate way to celebrate both the 90th birthday of the Olympic stadium and tomorrow’s 90th anniversary of the foundation of the sports’ world governing body the IAAF, in Stockholm on 17th July 1912.
