Blanka Vlasic of Croatia celebrates successfully defending her women's High Jump title in the Berlin Olympic Stadium (© Getty Images)
head battles of the World championships, and the women’s High Jump certainly delivered in every respect.
Blanka Vlasic became just the second woman to win back-to-back World titles in the event, but it didn’t come easily and without some of the most dramatic and theatrical moments of these championships.
The Croatian’s biggest obstacle was German star Ariane Friedrich, whose national record leap of 2.06m at the ISTAF meeting at this very stadium back in June, when she defeated Vlasic, guaranteed a sell-out on the sixth day of competition.
But also arriving very prepared, as is her norm, was Russian Anna Chicherova, who finished second to Vlasic in Osaka two years ago, and third behind the Croatian in Beijing last year.
Together, the trio played lead roles in a competition that they, along with the capacity crowd in Olympic Stadium, will not soon forget.
Vlasic and Chicherova opened their competition at 1.87m, Friedrich at 1.92m, with easy first attempt clearances. While Friedrich passed the next height, 1.96m, Vlasic sailed over on her first try, while Chicherova need a second go.
At 1.99m, Chicherova was first to clear, followed by Friedrich and then Vlasic who brushed the bar but it stayed on. Italy’s Antonietta Di Martino, who shared the silver in Osaka with the Russian, needed a pair of tries, while Spaniard Ruth Beitia need all three before moving on. In between, Usain Bolt lifted the drama to a fever pitch with his mind-boggling and indescribable 19.19 World record in the 200m. With that out of the way,
2.02m would decide the medals. Chicherova forged into the lead with her first attempt clearance, putting the pressure on Vlasic and Friedrich. Vlasic didn’t fly clear until her second try while Friedrich, after a pair of sub-par efforts, went clean on her third try. The roar of the crowd was immeasurable.
While 2.04m proved too much for Chicherova, Vlasic took command with a second attempt clearance. Friedrich missed twice, forcing the only card she had left, and saved her last try for a PB-equalling 2.06m. She made a solid effort but missed by the slightest of margins, sealing the vitory for Vlasic.
“I didn’t expect 2.04m to be enough for the victory,” said Vlasic, who has sailed over 2.05 this season. “These championships were perfect and I was ready to give everything from myself.”
Chicherova, who was largely ignored in the lead-in to the championships, won her second consecutive silver in her fourth successive World championships appearance. Friedrich had to settle for the bronze on her first World championships stage.
“I had so much pressure,” said Friedrich, who was among the most prominent faces of the championships. “It was so loud in the stadium. I’ve never experience anything like it before.”
Vlasic then bowed out with three attempts at a would-be 2.10m World record, but the adrenaline was gone. But the gold wasn’t.
Di Martino had to settle for fourth, just ahead of Beitia on the countback. Topping out at 1.96m, Russian Svetlana Shkolina was sixth, with American Chaunte Howard Lowe and Swede Emma Green, the silver and bronze medallists in 2005, tying for seventh.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Blanka Vlasic became just the second woman to win back-to-back World titles in the event, but it didn’t come easily and without some of the most dramatic and theatrical moments of these championships.
The Croatian’s biggest obstacle was German star Ariane Friedrich, whose national record leap of 2.06m at the ISTAF meeting at this very stadium back in June, when she defeated Vlasic, guaranteed a sell-out on the sixth day of competition.
But also arriving very prepared, as is her norm, was Russian Anna Chicherova, who finished second to Vlasic in Osaka two years ago, and third behind the Croatian in Beijing last year.
Together, the trio played lead roles in a competition that they, along with the capacity crowd in Olympic Stadium, will not soon forget.
Vlasic and Chicherova opened their competition at 1.87m, Friedrich at 1.92m, with easy first attempt clearances. While Friedrich passed the next height, 1.96m, Vlasic sailed over on her first try, while Chicherova need a second go.
At 1.99m, Chicherova was first to clear, followed by Friedrich and then Vlasic who brushed the bar but it stayed on. Italy’s Antonietta Di Martino, who shared the silver in Osaka with the Russian, needed a pair of tries, while Spaniard Ruth Beitia need all three before moving on. In between, Usain Bolt lifted the drama to a fever pitch with his mind-boggling and indescribable 19.19 World record in the 200m. With that out of the way,
2.02m would decide the medals. Chicherova forged into the lead with her first attempt clearance, putting the pressure on Vlasic and Friedrich. Vlasic didn’t fly clear until her second try while Friedrich, after a pair of sub-par efforts, went clean on her third try. The roar of the crowd was immeasurable.
While 2.04m proved too much for Chicherova, Vlasic took command with a second attempt clearance. Friedrich missed twice, forcing the only card she had left, and saved her last try for a PB-equalling 2.06m. She made a solid effort but missed by the slightest of margins, sealing the vitory for Vlasic.
“I didn’t expect 2.04m to be enough for the victory,” said Vlasic, who has sailed over 2.05 this season. “These championships were perfect and I was ready to give everything from myself.”
Chicherova, who was largely ignored in the lead-in to the championships, won her second consecutive silver in her fourth successive World championships appearance. Friedrich had to settle for the bronze on her first World championships stage.
“I had so much pressure,” said Friedrich, who was among the most prominent faces of the championships. “It was so loud in the stadium. I’ve never experience anything like it before.”
Vlasic then bowed out with three attempts at a would-be 2.10m World record, but the adrenaline was gone. But the gold wasn’t.
Di Martino had to settle for fourth, just ahead of Beitia on the countback. Topping out at 1.96m, Russian Svetlana Shkolina was sixth, with American Chaunte Howard Lowe and Swede Emma Green, the silver and bronze medallists in 2005, tying for seventh.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
