Blanka Vlasic of Croatia in action in the women's High Jump (© Getty Images)
Moscow, RussiaAn assured 800m victory for Yuriy Borzakovskiy, a return to form for Blanka Vlasic, and a new European women’s 1000m indoor record by Yuliya Chizhenko last night, were the highlights of the second day of competition at the “Russian Winter” in the Russian capital’s Vladimir Kuts indoor centre.
WOMEN - Vlasic back in the groove
The 26-year-old Russian, Yuliya Chizhenko, who won the European Cup 1500m last year but was disqualified in the final of the World Championships in Helsinki, clocked 2:32.17 for the 1000m last night. This was the fourth fastest indoor time in history behind three performances by Mozambique’s Maria Mutola (2:30.94 World indoor record in 1999). Chizhenko’s time was enough to better the previous European record time of Britain’s Kelly Holmes who ran 2:32.96 in 2004. Two other Russian runners in the race Yelena Soboleva (2:32.40) and Yelena Kanales (2:32.91) also got inside the double Olympic champion’s former mark too.
As expected, the Women’s 400m was one of the main attractions of the “Russian Winter”, with Olga Zaytseva, the European U23 champion from St. Petersburg made the headlines.
However, in the first heat (of two) it was Olga Kotlyarova's shape which continued to impress. Only yesterday in the first day ‘national ‘section of the meeting she had sped to a world lead at 800m (1:58.94), and last night shge won her 400m heat in 51.22. The 29-year-old is a many time championship medallist at 4x400m and was the World Indoor silver individual medallist at the distance in 2001 but in recent years she has favoured the longer distances. Famously last year at this same meeting Kotlyarova set a World Indoor best at the rarely run distance of 600m (1:23.44).
Yet within minutes of Kotlyarova’s run she was dramatically upstaged, as in the second heat 21-year-old Zaytseva clocked 50.15, the world’s season best, a fantastic time for the very beginning of the year. In the northern Russian city, Zaytseva is being coached by Guseva who was the coach of the well-known runner Natalya Bochina.
Behind Zaytseva in the second heat, Olesya Krasnomovetz clocked 50.40 and Natalya Antukh was third with 50.50. So despite an impressive two days of competition Kotlyarova ended up only 4th overall at 400m.
In the women’s 60m final, Yuliya Tabakova, 25, clocked 7.08 seconds, just shy of her personal best of 7.06 (2004), and her technique was superb. Olga Khaladyreva was second in 7.25 and Larisa Kruglova came third, 7.26.
The women’s 60m Hurdles was dominated by Tatyana Pavliy with a 8.09 run, and she was followed home by Aleksandra Antonova (8.12), with Victorya Gappova (8.27) next. USA’s Anjanette Kirkland, the 2001 World indoor (60mH) and outdoor champion (100mH) who will turn 32 years of age on 24 February, could only manage 5th - 8.34.
Tatyana Lebedeva, the Olympic champion, in the end did not compete at the Long Jump, and in her absence the event win went to Ludmila Kolchanova with a leap of 6.52m.
Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko did turnout for the High Jump but she was outshone by Blanca Vlasic from Croatia who produced a world season leading clearance of 2.00 metres, which was a national record. The 22-year-old’s series shows first time successes at 1.85 and 1.92, with two attempts over the bar needed at 1.95, and the winning height being taken on her third approach at 2 metres. Finally she had three failed attempts at 2.04m.
”I was very much afraid of taking part in these competitions because of the frost outside,” said Vlasic. “But the stadium was excellent and warm. And besides I’m really thankful to the public that supported me greatly. Last year was not successful for me so I didn’t expect that I would clear 2m today.”
Anna Chicherova ended up in second with 1.95m, Slesarenko took third place on count back from Marina Kuptsova, both clearing 1.92.
MEN - Borzakovskiy looked at ease
World and European Indoor champion Jason Gardener (GBR) won the 60m as expected. His time of 6.60 seconds was enough to beat South Africa’s Morne Nagel (6.61) and Andrey Yepishin (6.65).
In the 60m Hurdles, Igor Peremota clocked a world season lead of 7.56, bettering USA hurdler Ron Bramlett who settled for second (7.57), while two runners, Redelon Dossantos (Brazil) and Yevgeniy Borisov (Russia) shared the 3rd place (7.65).
New national record was set at 1500m by Halil Akkas from Turkey – 3:41.76 but the story of the men’s middle distances was of course about Olympic 800m champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy who seems to be unbeatable in Moscow. This time his victory was extremely spectacular. He made the final effort after 680m and his acceleration was fantastic, and he closed out the race in 1:46.65. His close friend and teammate Dmitriy Bogdanov, the European indoor champion, was 2nd 1:47.78, with Osmar dos Santos (1:47.97) in third.
There was another national record in the Triple Jump, as Nelson Evora won with a new national record for Portugal of 17.19m in the third round. He also had a 17.02m leap on his second attempt. Russians Danila Burkenya, who had led with 17.13m in the first round, and Aleksandr Petrenko (16.99) were the next best competitors.
Dmitriy Kuptzov form Russia cleared 5.65 in Pole Vault in a competition which was ruined after the poles of USA’s Toby Stevenson and Derek Miles both failed to appear in Russia having been lost somewhere in transit. With borrowed implements neither man could get further than 5.30m, with the former, the Olympic silver medallist, not even able to clear that high.
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlob for the IAAF
