Turin, Italy – With a pair of solid performances, pre-meet favourite Anna Bogdanova jumped to solid lead in the Pentathlon as the 30th European Athletics Indoor Championships kicked off this morning at the Oval Lingotto in Turin.

The reigning World indoor bronze medallist, the 24-year-old Russian began her long day of competition with an 8.19sec personal best in the 60m Hurdles, then came back in the second event, the High Jump, with an 1.86m clearance which equaled her career best. Her early tally of 2140 points was well ahead of Lithuanian Viktorija Zemaityte, currently in second with 2013 points, whose 1.86m clearance in the High Jump was also a personal best.

Dutchwoman Jolanda Keiser, who cleared a PB 1.83m in the High Jump, is currently in third with 1998 points.

(NB: Bogdanova maintained her lead with a 14.83m effort in the Shot Put, another personal best to improve her tally to 2990 points after three events. Keizer reached 15.46m, also a PB and the farthest throw of the afternoon to move past Zemaityte into second, and narrowing Bogdanova's lead by 27 points to 100. Zemaityte's effort of 14.39m, also a personal best, upped her score to 2833 to hold onto bronze medal position by 43 points over Antoinette Nana Djimou of France.)

PB parade in Long Jump qualifying

The morning’s final qualifying round brought the most impressive results, with the top five qualifiers in the Long Jump reaching personal bests to reach tomorrow’s final.

Ksenija Balta’s 6.75m third round leap was an Estonian national record and the second farthest leap of the winter. Balta, a heptathlete with 6100+ point credentials, added five centimetres to the record she set 13 days ago in Tallinn.

“I didn’t expect to jump a national record in qualifying,” said Balta, who is also the national record holder outdoors at 6.80m.”

Slovenia’s Nina Kolaric also had a strong morning, overcoming early season difficulties with her approach to improve her career best twice, first to 6.51m and then again to 6.67m, a national record for the 22-year-old. Kelly Proper, fifth among qualifiers with 6.59m, improved the Irish national record.

Yelena Sokoleva (6.71m PB) led a Russian trio into the final, with world leader Olga Kucherenko (6.58m) and Tatyana Voykina (6.51m) also advancing. Balta meanwhile will be joined in the final by teammate Sirkka-Liisa Kivine, who reached a PB 6.66m.

No surprises as competition begins on the track

Belgian record holder Eline Berings led all qualifiers in the opening round of the 60m Hurdles. The 22-year-old, who clocked 7.97 at the Belgian Championships 12 days ago, was nearly as quick with her 8.00 victory in the fourth of four heats. Norwegian Christina Vukicevic (8.05) and former World indoor champion Derval O’Rourke (8.06) advanced easily as well. 8.24 was quick enough to advance to this afternoon’s semi-finals. The final is this evening’s penultimate event.

In the 400m, new comer and world leader Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia carried her favourite’s role well, cruising to a 51.56 clocking in the third of four heats, more than a second faster than the rest of the qualifiers. Her teammates, Natalya Antyukh (52.75) and Darya Safonova (52.67) won their respective heats to advance as well.  The semi-finals are later today with the final tomorrow afternoon.

Germany’s Denise Hinrichs, the European junior champion in 2005, quickly dispensed with the qualifying formalities in the Shot Put after her opening round heave reached 19.25m to equal her persona best. Her compatriot Petra Lammert was the next to qualify, with an 18.67 toss, while defending champion Assunta Legnante (18.09) advanced as well. All but one of the qualifiers to this afternoon’s final threw beyond 18 metres.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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