Valerya Volik, a disciple of the famous coach Yevgeniy Trofimov got the title in Women’s Pole Vault at the Russian Youth Championships (U18) in the city of Bryansk on the 2 July.
16-year-old breaks Isinbayeva’s national Youth record
Under the guidance of Trofimova, Yelena Isinbayeva has become World and Olympic champion and a multiple World record breaker, the first women to vault 5m, but the 2004 and 2005 World Athlete of the Year searching for greater perfection is now coached by Vitaliy Petrov – the former trainer of the great Sergey Bubka (UKR).
When we talked with Trofimov several months ago he had mentioned that the new star would be born soon. He believes his new hope has the same physical ability and the fighting spirit as his former disciple.
Valerya Volik once lived in the beautiful region of Krasnodar near the Black Sea but preferred to leave that marvellous health resort in order to join her new coach Trofimov in the industrial city of Volgograd. And the switch from Black Sea to the banks of the Volga river has clearly been worthwhile, as in Bryansk the 16-year-old Volik easily cleared 4.33m, which is just 4cm away from the World Youth record!
Then Bolik tried to make it even better but her attempts at 4.50m were fruitless, though once she was very close to making it. So Valerya Bolik is really a name to remember!
One more national record was set at the championships, in the Women’s 2000m Steeplechase. Yelena Arzhakova, who is only 16, bettered the former achievement by more than 2 seconds – 6:44.07. She was also the winner at 1500m - 4:26.36.
Marc Tolstikhin also gained two victories, at 1500m (3:56.07) and 3000m (8:28.26).
Sadova family triumph
The 13-year-old Victorya Sadova won two medals at the Nationals, silver in the Hammer Throw - 46.60m - and bronze in the Discus Throw – 42.50m. Her mother Natalya, the Olympic Discus champion was happy to see Victorya on the podium. The young prodigy has been coached from the very start by her father Mikhail Sadov and her grandfather Ivan Koptykh. So it’s really a family affair.
Borzov’s name at least is back on track
The name of the USSR’s double 1972 Olympic sprint winner Valeriy Borzov is well remembered in Russia, even if he was a Ukrainian. But while Igor Borzov is no relation to Valeriy his result at 200m - 22.39 - got the fans shouting: “Go ahead, Borzov”, even if he didn’t win! That honour was saved for Konstantin Shabanov who also won the 110m Hurdles (13.74 seconds).
Other results...
Sergei Zhmakin, won the 100m (11.01), Aleksandr Sheplyakov, the 800m (1:58.21), Sergei Mudrov, the High Jump (2.08m), 16-year-old Artem Grachev, the Long Jump (7.41m), Vitaliy Putchenko, the Shot Put (18.01), and 16-year-old Aleksandr Tarkhov, the Discus Throw (50.31m).
In the women’s events, 15-year-old Yekaterina Popova won the 100m (12.05) and was the runner-up at 200m (24.69), Olga Belkina was second at 100m (12.10) and took the 200m win (24.56), Olga Zaitzeva, the 400m (54.88), Aleksandra Kalistratova, the 800m (2:11.28), Olesya Kravchenko, the 100m Hurdles (13.57), Evgenya Kononova, the High Jump (1.75m), and Tatyana Kuzmina, the Triple Jump (13.04).
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
