It was like old times as Russians Svetlana Feofanova and Yelena Isinbayeva circled around each other before finally exchanging a few words when they had both safely qualified for tomorrow’s final.
First blood goes to the former World record holder as Feofanova sailed over 4.50m at the first time of asking, while the world’s only female five-metre jumper needed two bites at the cherry.
The result was a throw-back to pre-Isinbayeva days as Feofanova’s name appeared first on the list of finalists with Isinbayeva second. Equal third were Spain’s Naroa Agirre, ecstatic at setting a new national record of 4.50, France’s Vanessa Boslak and the two Poles who have been so prominent this season behind Isinbayeva, Anna Rogowska and Monika Pyrek.
Closing the final eight were Germany’s Silke Spiegelburg with a personal best of 4.45 and the USA’s Kellie Suttle.
Although on paper, the final eight are as expected, there were some nerve jangling moments as Isinbayeva, Rogowska and Pyrek all failed to clear 4.50 at the first attempt before calming their nerves.
Former World Indoor gold, Pavla Hamackova of the Czech Republic, went out at 4.25.
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