Isinbayeva raises World record to 4.87 in Gateshead

Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva improved her World Pole Vault record to 4.87m, so acquiring the Russian World Indoor champion a bonus cheque of $50,000 at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Gateshead International Stadium this evening.

Weather determines most results but not all

Most Performances at this IAAF Super Grand Prix were dominated by extremely windy but thankfully dry conditions. The wind was at one stage helping the jumpers (women’s Long Jump) but later turned completely around to hold them back (the triple jumpers) on the home straight runway. Most events suffered including the 100m sprints, though the later men's 200m did derive some benefit from the wind's change.

Isinbayeva conquers the weather

Given the conditions it was remarkable that any World record was possible, let alone in the Pole Vault an event which is usually so much at the mercy of wind conditions. Yet then no one was counting on the unbelievable talent of Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva.

The crowd in an unusually sunny warm Gateshead on 13 July last year had been surprised by an end of meeting World record (4.82) in the women’s Pole Vault from Isinbayeva. In fact television had gone off air and most of the crowd had disappeared at the time. So this year the organisers were taking no chances and had scheduled the event as the second to start, and the planning paid dividends as the 22 year-old once again produced a World record.

First attempt close

Isinbayeva’s third attempt clearance at 4.87 added a centimetre to the World record she set in Budapest this winter when winning the World Indoor title.  However, today's winning mark very nearly came on her first vault at the height with the bar tantalisingly wobbling on it’s pegs for a second before disappointingly crashing to the mat.

The World record holder was by no means unchallenged in the competition with compatriot and World outdoor champion Svetlana Feofanova clearing 4.70 on her third but no heighting at 4.80, a level which Isinbayeva took on her first jump.

5m best in training

”It’s nice to get the World record here,” said Isinbayeva. “In training two weeks ago I cleared 5 metres. I also tried 5.05 but failed. I am now ready to jump higher but I want to do it step by step. I think 5 metres will happen eventually."

And about today’s windy conditions?

“At home I train in similar conditions. I’ll jump in anything, a strong wind or a hurricane,” concluded the record breaker.

Bekele battered by the wind

Well, it might be usual weather in some areas of Russia but the windy conditions were not the norm for Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele who took the men’s 3000m in 7:41.31. The World 10,000m champion summed up the feeling of many with his comments, “it was very cold and windy out there, and it made me feel very tired.”

Radcliffe’s wonderful drive takes her to Athens goal

Equally blown away by the wind was any possibility of a new personal best for Britain’s Paula Radcliffe in the women’s 10,000m. However, the World marathon record holder who set her best (30:01.09), the European and Commonwealth record, when winning the European title in 2002, did all she could to defy the conditions this evening.

The 30 year-old Briton who has the Olympic Marathon as her main priority this summer, was looking for an Olympic safety net in the form of the Olympic 10,000m qualification time of 31:45, so that she could keep her Athens racing options open.

In reality little was going to stop a determined gutsy Radcliffe, certainly not the opposition all of whom, including the 1996 Olympic champion Fernanda Ribeiro (second 31:32.28), she passed on her way to victory.

In the end after a lone effort for 8000m of the race (3000m 8:58.21; 5000m 15:00.67; 7000m 21:07.62)) Radcliffe took apart her target, winning in 30:17.15, not surprising a world season’s lead.

Yelena Prokopcuka of Latvia was third (31:42.91), with Portugal’s Marina Bastos, fourth in 31:54.91. Yet all the eight finishing competitors deserved a medal in these blustery conditions.

“Very difficult conditions but I am satisfied with the run,” said Radcliffe. “I am now qualified for both the Marathon and 10,000m but it is impossible to do both, though it is very nice to have the option.”

”I am going back into another block of training after which I think I will do another race (before the Olympics) but I am not sure whether it will be on the track or the road.”

Olsson responds to challenge

Christian Olsson showed just why he is the World and European indoor and outdoor champion. The Swede who had led the Triple Jump since his opening 17.15, seemed, as the only competitor over the 17 metres in the windy conditions, to be cruising to a comfortable win. However, he was momentarily out gunned in the final round today by Brazil’s Jadel Gregorio who produced 17.23 (-0.2m/s).

With only Olsson left to go in the competition, the pressure was suddenly on, and he duly responded in magnificent style with a massive 17.43 (-0.4m/s) to regain first place. The World Indoor record holder now has a win streak of 27 competitions.

Guevara takes heavy legged win

The women’s 400m saw a season’s opener for World champion Ana Guevara but it was not the dominant win that we were perhaps expecting from the Mexican who has not lost since 2001, and now has a win record of 24 straight races (counting finals only). Guevara looked very heavy legged in the last 100m but hung on for a win in 50.16 seconds.

Russia’s Natalya Antyukh (second 50.21) and Bahamas’ Christine Amertil (third 50.30) who closely followed the Mexican’s heels down the final straight, seemingly mesmerised that they were running so close to the champion, just could not manage to go the final metre and pass Guevara.

“I am coming off an injury at the beginning of the year,” confirmed Guevara, “and with it being Olympic year, I cannot come back too quickly. I did win today and it was very windy. I hope to be under 50 secs but in this wind I am very happy with the time.”

Lebedeva on top

The women’s Long Jump had everything you could want in a start list. The three Olympic medallists from Sydney - Heike Drechsler, Fiona May and Marion Jones - European champion Tatyana Kotova, Olympic Heptathlon winner Denise Lewis, and the World Indoor Long Jump champion Tatyana Lebedeva.

However, despite good assisting winds the competition never really sparked into life, with Lebedeva taking the win with a second round 6.87. The double World Triple Jump champion then fouled her remaining efforts.

Jones with her sixth round 6.77 took second but with a consistent series the American legend would have taken that position anyway due to her second attempt of 6.71. Kotova leapt 6.64 for third. The two Olympic champions on show Drechsler (6.29) and Lewis (6.14) were back in seventh and eighth. 

Collins - gun to tape win 

The strong wind which should have been helping the women’s long jumpers was of course only a hindrance to the men's 100m sprinters who were running in the opposite direction to the long jumpers runway, and consequently times were slow.

Slow they might have been but the quality of the solo near 'gun to tape' dash of World champion Kim Collins was anything but slight. Despite not the best of starts, the St. Kitts athlete powered into his running with a 1.6 wind in his face, and was well clear of the field, with only Ghana’s Aziz Zakari (in the last 30m) presenting any real challenge. Collins crossed in 10.21, with Zakari next with 10.26.

Britain’s Mark Lewis Francis was in third (10.34), while World Indoor 60m champion Jason Gardener was still well off top form in 6th (10.37) following his hernia operation this spring. Darren Campbell, World bronze medallist was 7th (10.44).

Only Rawlinson below 50

There was a dominant performance by Britain’s Chris Rawlinson in the men’s 400m Hurdles, who took the win in 48.54. The race lacked the spark of real competition despite the presence of South Africa’s Alwyn Myburgh, the third fastest in the world this year (48.35). Myburgh was third here (50.17), with Nick Stewart of Canada (50.26) in second.

Laban Rotich of Kenya took the men’s 1500m in 3:36.47, while the crowd applauded World 800m silver medallist Kelly Holmes home in the women’s 1500m in 4:06.83.

Ceplak untroubled

The women’s 800m went to Jolanda Ceplak the European champion in 1:59.68, a race in which the Slovenian remained confidently untroubled by the opposition throughout.

In the women’s 100m, Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus finished in 11.32, not bad considering she was running into a 2.5m/s head wind.

Making even better head way into the wind, this time (-2.2) was the Cayman Islands Cydonie Mothersill who captured a very confident win in the women’s 200m in 22.94, which considering the conditions was also a very credible performance.

Towards the end of the meeting however the wind began to turn, and the men in fact found themselves with an assisting gust (+1.9) for their 200m, with Chris Lambert taking a largely domestic 'head to head' in 20.57 from Christian Malcolm (20.64).

Alozie - Spanish record

Glory Alozie, the Olympic silver medallist, took full advantage in the change in the wind and with a 1.3 gust in her favour she produced a Spanish record in the women’s 100m Hurdles (12.57). Ukraine’s Krasovska’s 12.74 in second was a PB, with USA’s Jenny Adams third in 12.77, in a race in which the top five went sub 13 seconds.

Athens relay hopes

A solid 4x100m relay leg by the British “B” team was brought home by Campbell in 38.79. Poland were a close second in 38.86 and Britain’s “Á” squad which was led off by Gardener and anchored by Lewis Francis, was third (39.16).

The women’s sprint relay was taken by the Netherlands (43.85) from Britain “A” (43.89) and Poland (44.02). It was an important run by the home side who lie 17th in the qualification battle for Athens which will go to the best 16 teams in the world. Their time was their fastest of the year, and so will improve their ‘two best’ average. The Dutch and the Polish squads are presently already in the top 16 places.

There was a rare international win for the Congo, as Gary Kikaya held off Britain’s former World Indoor champion Daniel Caines, 45.25 to 45.29.

Backley beaten

Another British favourite, four-time European champion Steve Backley also found the competition and the unpredictable wind too much, finishing fourth in the men’s Javelin (79.02). Russia’s Aleksandr Ivanov was the only thrower to master the blustery weather with a brilliant 85.74, with compatriot and World champion Sergey Makarov second with 82.81. Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway, the World Junior record holder, was third with 80.72.

The men’s Shot was won by Carl Myerscough with 20.85m in what was a very low key competition which only produced three puts over 20m.

IAAF