Anastasiya Taranova of Russia wins women's Triple Jump Final (© Getty Images)
Moscow, RussiaThe twoweek string of youth athletic competitions held in Moscow is completed. The tournaments were organized with the valuable help of the IAAF Regional Development Centre (RDC) which is situated in the Russian capital.
Participants of the 16 countries took part in the “Cup of Hope” – the last of the three official tournaments – which took place as part of the programme of the Russian Indoor Junior Championships.
The women’s World Junior High Jump champion Iryna Kovalenko had cleared 1.90m at the previous competitions in the Russian capital, but this time Kovalenko made up her mind to miss the competition, and so her long time opponent Svetlana Shkolina was left with an easy win clearing 1.92m.
Foreign success - Senegal's day
But the first medal was collected by 17 year-old Lina Grinchikaite from Lithuania who won the 60m clocking 7.31. Ekaterina Butusova was the runner up (7.41) and Elizaveta Yashina was third – 7.42.
The other main non-Russian success was by Ndiss Kaba Badji from Senegal who celebrated his second victory in Moscow landing at 7.85m in men’s Long Jump. He did it even better in qualification, 7.88m.
After the victory this tireless jumper tried his luck in the Triple Jump and finished second with 16.10m losing only by 8cm to the winner, Igor Belov of Russia.
Men - close Shot Put contest
Russia’s Maksim Mokrousov was the fastest at the men’s 60m with a 6.77 time leaving behind the 19-year-olds Igor Gostev (6.80) and Evgeniy Zhigulin (6.81). The 20-year-old Roman Smirnov won the 200m clocking 21.48 which is the second best time among Russian sprinters this indoor season. The 18-year-old Egor Babenko was second (21.56).
The men’s 400m final was dominated by Ivan Buzolin and Valentin Kruglyakov who clocked the same time – 48.11. And the guest Valentin Bulichev from Azerbaidjan was behind with his 48.13. In the heats the result of Kruglyakov was even better – 48.03.
In the men’s 800m Yuriy Koldin won in 1:52.04, while the men’s 1500m final was taken by Aleksandr Krivchenko in 3:47.9, and Aleksei Aleksandrov topped the 3000m with 8:12.95.
Alekesei Davidikov was first in the men’s 60m Hurdles (7.81) with Maksim Lynshu from Belorussia the runner up (7.90).
Andrei Silnov won the High Jump leaping 2.24, with Segei Galtshov from Belorussia second with 2.21. In men’s Pole Vault Aleksandr Gripach cleared 5.40 leaving behind Pavel Prokopenko and Aleksei Savinov, both on 5.30m.
In men’s Shot Put Aleksandr Grekov was first with 18.49, in what turned into a very tense and close battle with Soslan Pirikhov (18.39) and Nickolai Umrikhin (18.35) not very far behind.
Women - Two medals for Yevgeniya Khaliullina
Yelena Yakovleva won the women’s 200m - 23.97. Anastasyia Ovchinnikova who hardly made the finals at 400m was the fastest – 52.76. The runner up Maryia Dryakhlova clocked 53.00.
In the women’s 800m the best results were reached in the heats with Tatyiana Palienko fastest at both stages - heats 2:04.24 and final 2:06.85. The silver medallist Yevgeniya Khaliullina, 21, was only 0.06 behind in the final and took the 1500m title in 4:19.34. Olesya Syrieva won the 3000m – 9:16.00.
Victorya Gappova was first in the 60m Hurdles (8.21) with the silver medal going to both Anna Evdokimova and Maryia Solovieva – 8.26.
Senior champion still vaulting high
A week ago Yuliya Golubchikova won the senior Russian Indoor Championships in Volgograd clearing 4.30m. In Moscow she showed the same result again winning the national junior title. Aleksandra Kiryashova was second (4.20) and Natalya Belynskaya who cleared 4.50m in Donetsk, only a week ago was third with only 4.00.
Yuliya Zinivieva was the best in women’s Long Jump with 6.33m. Eseniya Volzhankina (LAT) who won the previous youth tournament in Moscow was second – 6.22m.
Surprise defeat of World junior champion
Svetlana Bolshakova won the women's Triple Jump – 13.80 leaving behind the World Junior champion Anastasyia Taranova – 13.57.
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
