News12 Feb 2003


Polnova joins Feofanova and Dragila at the summit

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Tatyana Polnova (RUS) (© Nikolai Ivanov)

 The Moscow Open Indoor Championships (10-11 February) were marked by the outstanding performance of Pole Vaulter Tatyana Polnova, who became only the third woman indoors to jump 4.70m in the history of the event, joining Svetlana Feofanova and Stacy Dragila, the current and former World record holders at the summit of the event.

It was clear from her jumping that Polnova can now seriously threaten Feofanova’s 4.76 World record, but yesterday after her 4.70 clearance she ended her competition.

Polnova, 23-years-old, who was born in the Krasnodar region of Russia began her athletics career in the Heptathlon, but after two years decided in 1996 to concentrate her efforts on the Pole Vault.

“I hate running. Jumps is the only event I like in athletics,” confirms Polnova. “I do not think about a record, I just try to show the audience my best, most perfect jumps. But even in my successful jump over 4.70m I did not manage a proper coordination of movements.”

In training she has made more then 50 jumps in the 4.50 to 4.60m region, which is why she was very confident in her attempt at 4.70. But she does not see anything special in her present form.

Last summer Polnova, failed to make the national team, citing that her progress was stopped when she left Russia and joined a Turkish club a few years back. She went to Turkey because they promised to give her all she needed for professional training. But this decision appears now to have been a great mistake.

“They told me that they do not want me jumping high and it would be enough for me to show 4.10. I was alone, the other girls were only jumping 3.00m. And so two years ago I returned in Russia.”

“...we must forget about this life abroad,” confirmed her coach and husband, the former gymnast Sergey Polnov. “…I managed to get her out (bring her home).”

Polnova confirms that she has never competed against Svetlana Feofanova and she does not know when she’ll meet her in competition.

Also in the Moscow championships, Irina Privalova won the 60m final in 7.43, and ran a 200m heat (24.37). The eventual winner of the 200m final was Mariya Lisnichenko in 23.89.
(NB. CORRECTED RESULT).

Privalova says that everything is going according to plan and at the Russian Championships she will have her first competion at 800m.

Natalia Gorelova also produced good marks, 4:05.44 (1500m) and 2:01.15 (800m). Svetlana Lapshina high jumped 1.95m, while 1999 World champion Viacheslav Voronin only jumped 2.22 in the men’s High Jump, failing at 2.25m. 
 
Nikolai Ivanov for the IAAF

 

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