Yelena Isinbayeva leaps 4.90m World Indoor record (© Getty Images)
Madrid, SpainFor the fourth time in as many competitions this winter, Yelena Isinbayeva added yet another centimetre to the World Indoor record in the Pole Vault to cap a thoroughly entertaining and fiercely competitive final day at the European Indoor Championships in the Spanish capital.
After an early miss at 4.60, a height only five in the field ultimately cleared, the 22-year-old Olympic champion displayed exemplary form as she sailed over 4.70, 4.80 and 4.90 with ease, the last with perhaps a dozen centimetres to spare.
“I’m just very happy that I was able to jump a World record for the crowd here,” said Isinbayeva after collecting one of two major titles that remained missing from her already immense collection. “It was very important to jump at the European Indoor Championships.”
This winter, Isinbayeva has been inundated with questioners asking how high she can jump, and how many World records she could ultimately break. Again she avoided answering either directly, saying only: “I want to be like Bubka. He had 35 records. I want to have 36.”
As was the case in virtually each of her competitions this year, the battle for the runner-up spot was between the Polish duo of Anna Rogowska, the Olympic bronze medallist, and Monika Pyrek, the 2003 World Indoor bronze medallist. Both sailed through 4.70 without a miss, briefly leading the Russian. Rogowska topped out with her second attempt success at 4.75, equalling her national record. With a pair of misses at 4.75, Pyrek elected to move on to 4.80, but brushing the bar on the way down, finished third for the second consecutive time in these championships.
After a second-attempt clearance at 4.65 -adding five centimetres to her PB and just three shy of the German national record- 4.70 proved too much for Carolin Hingst, who settled for fourth. Russian Tatyana Polnova was fifth with a season best-equalling 4.60 best, with Czech national record holder Pavla Hamackova sixth with a 4.55 clearance, also a season’s best.
Kallur blasts to national record
While Isinbayeva provided the proverbial icing on the competition cake, a number of world-leading performances prepped the vociferous capacity crowd for the finest day of athletics on this year’s international calendar.
In the 60 metre Hurdles, Swede Susanna Kallur blasted to a 7.80 win and national record, crushing her own personal best by 8/100s and overpowering rest of field as well.
On a performance that only ten women have ever bettered, Kallur offered a one-word assessment: “Crazy!” With the field virtually even through the first two hurdles, the 24-year-old shifted gears en route to one of the largest victory margins ever witnessed at these championships. Adding a bit of family affair flair to the podium, Susanna’s sister Jenny won the battle for second, clocking 7.99. Prior to Madrid, Sweden had never claimed a medal in the hurdles event.
“The result was great,” said runner-up Jenny, “but the race itself could have been a little better.”
Sorting out the blanket finish, defending silver medallist Kirsten Bolm of Germany was given the edge for bronze over Spain’s Glory Alozie; both were credited with 8.00 clockings. Disappointment continued for pre-Madrid World leader Irina Shevchenko, fifth here in 8.02. Patricia Girard of France, who had collected two golds, a silver and a bronze in the previous four editions, was sixth this time around, clocking 8.04.
200m
The evening’s action kicked of with the final 200 metre final ever to be held at the continental indoor championships. Perhaps with that in mind, Ivet Lalova and Karin Mary-Krifka were enmeshed in a brilliant duel to capture that final honour. After their thrilling homestretch battle, the 20-year-old Lalova emerged victorious over the defending silver medallist.
“I’m very happy because I will be the last one,” said the Olympic double sprint finalist after her 22.91 performance, a Bulgarian national record. Running in lane five, Lalova had a commanding lead heading into the final turn when Krifka powered through the curve, making up ground on the Bulgarian with every stride. But Lalova powered on, holding off the Austrian, who reached the line a half step behind in 22.94, a season’s best.
“I felt Karin coming at the end,” Lalova said, “and just wanted to hold on a little bit more.”
Filling out the podium was Dutchwoman Jacqueline Poelman, whose 23.42 was well ahead of Poland’s Anna Pacholak (23.55). Poelman took the bronze in these championships in 1994, clocking a nearly identical 23.43.
800m
Larisa Chzhao, who spent most of the year as the world’s fastest over 800 metres, capped her season with a commanding win and the first major title of her career with her 1:59.97 victory.
Patiently sitting behind early leader Monika Gradzki, the 34-year-old took the lead for good approaching the bell. Spurred on by the supportive crowd, Mayte Martinez, one of the host teams biggest hopes for gold, closed hard over the final lap, but couldn’t match the Russian’s sustained kick, and finished second in 2:00.52. Displaying Russian depth in this event, national record holder Natalya Tsyganova was third in 2:01.62 ahead of Irina Vashentseva, who was a distant fourth in 2:01:84.
After the race, Martinez told the crowd that her medal, one of 12 won by Spaniards this weekend, was dedicated to the victims of last March’s terrorist attack in Madrid.
3000m
Lidia Chojecka of Poland turned in a commanding performance of her own with her win in the 3000. Never further back than second throughout the proceedings, the 28-year-old two-time Olympic 1500 metre finalists pulled away at the bell to win in 8:43.76.
“It was a wonderful race,” said Chojecka, who was the world leader in the 1500 prior to this weekend. While it’s her preferred event, Chojecka added that it was her coach that decided against her weekend double. In hindsight, she said, “It was a good decision.”
The surprise runner-up was Tezeta Desalegn-Dengersa of Turkey, who looked ready to strike for the victory until the Pole began puling away in the final 250 metres. Despite her late race struggle, she clocked a creditable 8:46.65 national record, nearly 14 seconds better than her personal best. Austrian Susanne Pumper was in the battle throughout until she was passed by the Turk, but nonetheless hung on for third, edging Germany’s fast-closing Sabrina Mockenhaupt by just 2/100s in 8:47.74.
Briton Jo Pavey, a pre-race favourite for gold, led virtually the entire race until she began to struggle visibly in the final two laps, before finally dropping. Pavey had been plagued by a calf injury for the past month, and arrived in Madrid hoping that there wouldn’t be a preliminary race.
Triple Jump
Russian Viktoriya Gurova took top honours in the Triple Jump after her 14.74 World leading leap in the third round. For the 22-year-old, the 2003 European Under 23 champion, the effort exceeded both her outdoor (14:65) and indoor (14.43) bests.
Magdelin Martinez claimed the only medal for Italy with her runner-up performance, a last round season’s best 14.54 effort. Rising to the occasion before the enthusiastic crowd, Carlota Castrejana extended her own national record in each of her last three jumps, first to 14.42, then 14.44 and again to 14.45 to easily take the bronze. Two-time silver medallist Sarka Kasparkova was a distant fourth (14.34) while Romania’s Adelina Gavrila, the World leader prior to Madrid, was a distant fifth, reaching just 14.33.
4x400 Relay
As expected, Russia was the easy winner in the 4x400 relay. The quartet raced to a new championships record of 3:28.00, eclipsing the mark set by a Russian squad in Vienna four years ago by more than four seconds. Poland took the silver in 3:29.37, with Great Britain taking the bronze (3:29.37).
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
