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News21 Feb 2008


Feofanova inflicts stunning defeat on Isinbayeva in Bydgoszcz

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22 February 2008Bydgoszcz, PolandWorld and Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva’s defeat last night at the 6th Pedro’s Cup Meeting (European Athletics Permit) stunned the 6000 sepctators (capacity) who packed “Luczniczka” sports hall in Bydgoszcz for this annual indoor event.

Isinbayeva, who four days earlier, during the competition in Donetsk started the season bettering her World indoor record with a result of 4.95m**, was beaten by her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, the former World champion and record holder. The winner’s result of 4.71m was her season best.

In the beginning of the competition nothing seemed likely to interrupt Isinbayeva’s winning streak. She cleared her first height (4.61) easily and with an enormous reserve (at least 30cm). Her next jump was at the height of 4.76, but after failing the first attempt she moved the other two to 4.81. Lacking speed and possibly also faith in success Isinbayeva finished the competition.

Yelena Isinbayeva's 23-competition win streak came to an end. Her last lost took place in Warsaw, Poland on 30 August 2006 when she didn’t even manage the first height due to cold and heavy rain.

Tired

Before the competition in Bydgoszcz she was aware that she was quite tired but hoped that the height of 4.80 would be enough to win.

The meeting in Donetsk was held on Saturday (16) and on Monday (18) the Russian pole vaulter attended the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards in Saint Petersburg. She landed in Bydgoszcz on Tuesday (17) with charter airplane but didn’t have enough time to rest properly before the Wednesday competition.

Feofanova set well for Valencia

The winner, Feofanova overcame tough moments in the competition herself on 4.51, only clearing the height in her third attempt. But as she went higher she was better, taking 4.61 on her second and very clear over 4.71m on her first attempt.

Feofanova, herself a nine-time World Indoor record breaker is not in her best shape yet. She luckily became the Russian champion (in Isinbayeva’s absence) jumping the same height (4.60) as two other competitors. Later on during the meeting in Athens (13 Feb) she was third, but she’s getting in a good shape and will be ready for the World Indoor Championships in Valencia (7 – 9 March) and possibly jump above 4.80.

Poland’s Monika Pyrek made a good impression with all her jumps up to 4.61, clearing them on first attempts and finished the competition together with Isinbayeva in second place. She complained about an elevated runway on which she never feels comfortable, mentioned even about a fear of open heights.

The third Russianin the competition, Yulia Golubchikova also went over 4.61, but in the second attempt, coming on the fourth place. She regretted not going to Valencia for the Worlds even having the second best this season (4.75).

The other Pole Anna Rogowska had less luck during the competition. The Athens Olympic Games bronze medallist in her first 4.61 attempt touched the bar which jumped on the pegs and although it didn’t fall on the landing area the attempt was marked by the judges as a failure. One of the bar’s ends didn’t remain on the peg but leaped on the upper part of the support. If the attempt had been successful Rogowska would have ended the competition on the second place with Isinbayeva and Pyrek.

Rybakov the victor at 2.34m

Russian Yaroslav Rybakov was the star of the other event of the competition – men’s High Jump.

He took off the lower part of his tracksuit for the first time just before his attempt at 2.30m. This same height was also cleared by his compatriot Aleksey Dmitrik. However, Rybakov took the win, in the process levelling last year’s meeting record (belonging to Linus Thornblad of Sweden and Ukrainian Yuriy Krymarenko) by jumping 2.34 on his first attempt. All his attempt at 2.40 a would be Russian indoor record were unsuccessful.

Besides the Russians three other competitors cleared 2.24 - Czechs Tomas Janku and Jaroslav Baba tied for the third place and World Champion Donald Thomas of the Bahamas passed in the third attempt and finished fifth. Thomas had problems with the run-up and in some of his six failed attempts didn’t even lift of.

None of the Polish jumpers are going to the World Indoor Championships in Valencia and all four of them, Michal Bieniek, Aleksander Walerianczyk, Grzegorz Sposob and Robert Wolski are far from their best shape. Only Bieniek was the only one able to jump 2.20 although all of them have their personal bests above 2.30.

Janusz Rozum for the IAAF

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**World Indoor record subject to usual ratification procedures.

 

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