Isinbayeva wins but Rogowska celebrates record in Birmingham

Here’s the shocking news. There was a record in the women’s Pole Vault at the Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix - IAAF permit - in Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena this afternoon, but it wasn’t set by Yelena Isinbayeva.

While the Russian World record-machine won the competition with a first-time clearance at 4.79m, the World and Olympic champion, and Overall IAAF World ranked number one female athlete, showed she’s human after all when, for once, she failed to nudge the World indoor record up an extra centimetre. However, Anna Rogowska improved her own Polish record with a third-time clearance at 4.79, easily good enough for second place ahead of Russia’s Svetlana Feofanova.

Isinbayeva, who had two successful clearances in the competition - 4.65 and 4.79 - cited tiredness as the reason for her failure to set a 20th world record. “I’m not disappointed that I didn’t get the record today because I am very tired,” said the 23-year-old who missed her flight connection to the UK on Thursday and had to wait five hours in the airport.

Isinbayeva’s first attempt was the closest, she had enough height but clipped the bar on the way down. On the second she caught it heavily, and on her third - unusually failing to make the necessary adjustments - she knocked it off with her shins on the way up.

“It’s getting more difficult to set World records every time,” said the 2005 World Athlete of the Year. “I will just have to go bit-by-bit and maybe soon I will have big jumps indoors as well as outdoors.”

Bekele narrowly misses Geb’s best

Moments earlier her male counterpart as Athlete of the Year, Kenenisa Bekele, also narrowly failed in his attempt on a World best. Bekele was aiming to better the Two Mile figures of 8:04.69 set by Haile Gebrselassie in the National Indoor Arena on 21 February 2003.

The Overall IAAF World Ranked number one male athlete took the lead from his younger brother Tariku after 1500m and slowly increased the pace, putting in consistent 30 second laps. But he couldn’t make up the time lost in the early part of the race and crossed the line in 8:05.12, the second fastest ever indoors.

“I knew I was in World record shape before the race but sometimes the pace of the race just doesn’t go your way,” he said. “The third lap slowed right down and I just couldn¹t get back on pace after that. These things happen.”

Tariku was second, in 8:13.32, with Kenya’s Shadrack Korir beating another Ethiopian, Markos Geneti, to third place.
Dibaba sisters are dominant

There was more quality Ethiopian distance running from double World champion Tirunesh Dibaba. She led her sister, Ejagayou, through the women’s 3000m but the pair were never close to Liliya Shobukhova’s new World Indoor record of 8:27.86* which was set yesterday in Moscow. Tirunesh took the victory in 8:41.22 with Ejegayou setting a personal best in second with 8:49.59.

Komen – number one!

In the day’s other distance race Kenya’s Daniel Kipchirchir Komen proved he’s the best 1500m runner in the world, as is verified by his current IAAF World Ranking position. Komen clocked 3:34.26 off a fast pace, just six hundredths of a second outside his own world leading time and a UK All-Comers’ record. Fellow Eliud Kipchoge, the 2003 World 5000m champion, was second in 3:36.25, while Britain’s Neil Speaight set a massive PB of 3:38.65 for third.

Tobin wins but Gardener defeated

The British crowd had one home win to cheer when Robert Tobin won the men¹s 400m in 46.18, but were denied another when World Indoor champion Jason Gardener lost the men’s 60m by two hundredths to Cuba¹s Freddie Mayola.

Tobin, the European Under 23 champion looked impressive when he came from behind to overhaul Jamaica’s Davian Clarke and the fast-starting Briton Daniel Caines in the final 20 metres. Both Clarke in second with 46.29 and Caines in third with 46.51 had their best runs of the year.

But there was a hint of controversy about the 60m when Mayola false started, seemingly putting the rest of the field on edge, and then got a blistering second start to leave Gardener trailing. The Briton made up a lot of ground in the latter part of the race but couldn’t close the gap.

Mayola was deliqhted to equal Gardener’s world leading time of 6.55 and denied any suggestion that his false start had been deliberate. “It was a good run, a great run,” he said. “The false start wasn’t a problem for me and I got a great start the second time.”

“Everyone does false starts whenever I race because they are racing a World champion,” said Gardener. “I am used to it. He’s a fantastic starter and ran the race of his life.”

Arron and Williams-Darling fast improving

The women’s 60m went to Christine Arron of France who came from behind to beat Belgium’s European 60m champion Kim Gevaert and Ukraine’s former World 60m and 100m champion Zhanna Block, with her best time of the year, 7.16.

The Bahamas’ World and Olympic champion Tonique Williams-Darling also showed improving form, winning the women’s 400m in 51.85 from Germany¹s Claudia Marx, while Jamaica’s Olympic champion Veronica Campbell found enough strength for victory in her first 200m of the year. Campbell clocked 23.84, second quickest in the world this season, ahead of compatriot Peta Gaye Dowdie.

Golding-Clarke and Spearmon in-form

The women’s 60m Hurdles went to another in-form Jamaican, Lacena Golding-Clarke in 7.87, just one hundredth ahead of USA’s Michelle Perry, while the men’s 200m was won by Wallace Spearmon in 20.68, just 11 hundredths outside his world leading time for 2006. Britain’s Tim Abeyie was second in a personal best 20.86, two hundredths ahead of USA¹s John Capel.

Stringfellow injured

There was a touch of drama in the men’s Long Jump when the unlucky Savante Stringfellow, reigning World indoor champion, slipped on landing during his second attempt and, with a swollen right knee, was carried from the arena on a stretcher.

A close competition was won by Ghana’s Ignisious Gaisah with 8.03m, one centimetre ahead of Britain’s Nathan Morgan, who was the same margin better than France’s Salim Sdiri, but some eight centimetres short of the World Indoor championships qualifying mark he was seeking.

There were precious few of the expected fire works in the women’s long jump, however. The competition was won by Spain’s Concepcion Montaner with two jumps of 6.50m and 6.49, ahead of Britain’s Kelly Sotherton (6.50 and 6.35). But this week’s spat in the British media between Sotherton and Jade Johnson failed to ignite on the runway, as Johnson could only finish seventh with 6.26. “I think the incident was blown way up,” said Johnson afterwards. “We have each said our bit and we can move on now.” Sotherton sensibly declined to comment, saying only, “I don’t want it to cloud my athletics.”

Matthew Brown for the IAAF

*World record subject to ratification

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