Jumping before an energized capacity crowd of 12,000, Blanka Vlasic cleared two metres for the 42nd consecutive time at the Slobodna Dalmacija Women’s High Jump Meeting in her hometown of Split, Croatia on Saturday (21).

It was the biggest crowd assembled for any meeting thus far in the 2009 indoor season, and by far the largest to ever gather for a single-event meeting.

“It’s impossible to be prepared for this kind of atmosphere,” said Vlasic, who added a centimetre to her own meet record with a first attempt clearance at 2.02m. “It is something special when so many people come just for you.”

Following the success of the meet last year, when more than 6000 packed a different venue, organizers decided to take advantage of the brand new Spaladium arena, built recently for the World Handball Championships which were hosted by Croatia last month. If any athlete could pack an arena that size for a single event meet, the conventional wisdom went, it would be the reigning World indoor and outdoor champion in her hometown. And in the end no one was disappointed.

But even Vlasic admitted that the pressure was immense.

“I was calm on the outside, but burning on the inside,” she said. “It was hard to compete at home with such a big crowd. There was a lot of pressure. I am just so proud that so many people came because of me.”

On the High Jump apron at least, Vlasic didn’t feel much pressure from her competitors. The competition was essentially over at 1.93m, with Russians Svetlana Shkolina, Viktoriya Klyugina and Irina Gordeyeva needing all three tries before sailing clear. Vlasic needed just her first. When the Russian trio failed at 1.96m, Vlasic found herself alone at the next height of 1.98m.

“I was too nervous and couldn't focus on myself because the arena was so huge and with so many spectators,” said Klyugina, who has improved to 2.00m this year. “I have never seen something like that.”

After a second attempt clearance at 1.98, the bar was raised to 2.02, which Vlasic cleared with plenty of room to spare on her first try. Next came a back-to-back pair of decent attempts at a would-be national record of 2.06m before she called it a night with a third that was well off the mark.

“I wanted to jump over 2.06 but I am satisfied with a jump over two metres and new meet record,” said Vlasic, this year’s co-world leader, along with Germany’s Ariane Friedrich, at 2.05m. “It was very hard to stay focused and because of my big desire I couldn’t find my technique, something that is usual for me and what I expect at this kind of competition.”

“I felt great,” Vlasic continued, before expressing some frustration. “But I had problems with my last four steps. I didn’t stay high enough (with my hips).”

Vlasic’s next outing is scheduled for Prague next Thursday, before her eagerly anticipated rematch with Friedrich at the European Indoor Championships the following weekend.

Bob Ramsak and Hrvoje Sliskovic (in Split) for the IAAF