Katazyna Kowalska (POL) (© Hasse Sjögren)
Russia finished on top of the medals table while a late rush from Britain took them into second ahead of the Germans on a day when temperatures reached the low thirties (Celsius).
Under the conditions, the performance of the day must go to Poland’s Katazyna Kowalska in the 3000m Steeplechase as she set new championship figures with 9:39.40 for a lifetime best by three seconds. Silver went to Romania’s Anuta Bobocel while bronze was won by Sara Moreira (POR).
From the start, Moreira decided to make it fast in the blistering heat and immediately strung out the field passing 1000m in 3:10.93. With four and a half laps remaining the medals were decided as Bobocel and Kowalska went with Moreira as a gap opened up between these three and the chasing group. 2000m went by in 6:26.43 and with 800m to go Bobocel started to lose touch. At the bell in 8:25 Kowalska took the lead for the first time, stretching her lead to 10m at the end. After her pace-making efforts, Moreira was unable to respond to Bobocel’s late dash for the line that won her silver.
“It was a terrible heat for me,” said Kowalska. “In such conditions I'm extremely happy with the result. I planned to control all the race, but the first 1000m was too fast, and I had a little step back. The finish was perfect, as I wished.”
He came as only the third best U23 pole vaulter this season but Pavel Prokopenko changed all that when he cleared 5.75 at the second attempt for a career best for gold. But he was not the only one to excel himself as Sweden’s Fritz Jesper, who came here with a best of 5.60, went over 5.70 at the first attempt before bowing out at 5.75. Denys Fedas (UKR) was also obliged to set a PB to win bronze with 5.65.
In the women’s Long Jump a host of lifetime bests (six) were topped by Anna Nazarova’s 6.81 in round three to eclipse Czech Denisa Scherbova’s 6.80W in the same round. Yelena Sokolova (RUS) took bronze with a PB of 6.71. “I like the tough challenges,” Nazarova said. “And today’s competition was very hard. I knew I'm able to jump over 6.80, so I was relaxed when the Czech girl took the lead for a round.”
In an exciting finish, favourite Alvaro Rodriguez (ESP) sprinted past local hero Barnabas Bene to snatch 1500m gold in 3:44.00 while France’s Yohan Durand came past a tiring Bene to claim silver.
Russian Dmitriy Gavrilov took the field through the first quarter in 62.12 with Bene bringing up the rear and Rodriguez lurking near the end out of trouble. With two to go the Spaniard moved through into fifth with Gavrilov still pushing the pace and Bene moving through the field. At the bell the crowd came alight as Bene made his move taking the bell first in 2:50, but Rodriguez was covering his every move and cruising ominously on his shoulder. With 100m to go the Spaniard came past with Bene unable to respond as a fast-finishing Durand edged ahead as the line approached.
“Everything was under control,” said the champion. “I knew I was the fastest. It was an easy race with a normal end.”
Possibly one of the firmest favourites for a gold medal delivered when Sweden’s Linus Thornblad cleared 2.24 at the second attempt to win the High Jump. With no one else achieving that height and gold secure he had three unsuccessful goes at a season’s best 2.27. Silver went to Germany’s Benjamin Laukner (2.21) and bronze to Finland’s Jussi Viita after a first failure at 2.14 (2.21PB).
Michael Butcher for the IAAF
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