Anna Chicherova of Russia in action in the women's high jump qualification (© Getty Images)
There were 12 gold medals at stake on the second day of the Russian Indoor Championships in Volgograd yesterday.
The men’s 60m Hurdles was dominated by the experienced Yevgeniy Pechonkin in 7.87 but unfortunately, the world season’s leader in women’s 60m Hurdles Irina Shevchenko failed to appear on the track, as she was suffering from a bad flu, and in her absence Olga Korsunova won in 8.26. The relatively unknown winner lives in the ancient Russian city Kaluga but normally she is coached by the famous specialist Sergey Reutov in another city – Tula.
Yuliya Pechonkina the women’s World record holder for the 400m Hurdles took the bronze medal (51.91) in the women’s 400m flat and will be included in the relay squad for the forthcoming European Indoor Championships in Madrid, Spain.
In fact so many runners were fighting for places in men’s and women’s 400m relay national team that the organisers decided to stage two finals – A and B.
Ahead of Pechonkina came Svetlana Pospelova who secured the women’s 400m gold in the very final metres of the race with a 51.57 clocking – the current world season’s lead. Irina Rossikhina was just behind her losing only one hundredth of a second. The 20-year-old Olga Zaitzeva who finished fourth - 52.88 - will be included in the relay team.
Dmitriy Forshev won the men’s 400m with the evident ease in 46.90.
Larisa Zhao was the favourite in women’s 800m as she already tops the world season list with her 1.57.53. Yesterday, she clocked 1.59.76 that was more than enough to get the gold. She has now run three times quicker than 2 minutes this indoor season and is the outstanding favourite for the European Indoor crown. Irina Vashentzeva finished second – 2.01.12. Natalya Tziganova with all her experience was third – 2.01.30.
In the absence of Yuriy Borzakovskiy, his friend Dmitriy Bogdanov who has the same coach Evstratov won the men’s 800m – 1.48.81. The 21 year old Yuriy Koldin got the silver medal – 1.50.56 and Roman Marenkov – 1.50.91, was third.
Victorya Gurova won the women’s Triple Jump – 14.43. Yelena Oleinikova was 10 cm behind in second with Oksana Rogova, third – 14.25, while Vitaliy Shkurlatov won men’s Long Jump – 7.97.
In men’s Pole Vault, all three medallists cleared 5.50m with Artem Kuptzov taking the title on count-back.
In women’s High Jump the situation was practically the same. Ekaterina Aleksandrova and Tatyana Kivimyagi-Novoseltzeva both cleared 1.95. But silver was granted to Tatyana on count-back. Anna Chicherova who is returning from injury who won the gold with 1.98, and tried to clear 2.01 but failed.
Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov for the IAAF
Results of the finals
Men
60 m hurdles
1. Evgeniy Pechonkin – 7.87
2. Evgeniy Borisov – 7.91
3. Sergei Manakov – 7.94
400 m
1. Dmitriy Forshev – 46.90
2. Aleksandr Borzshenko – 47.38
3. Aleksandr Usov – 47.52
800 m
1.Dmitriy Bogdanov – 1.48.81
2. Yuriy Koldin – 1.50.56
3.Roman Marenkov 1.50.91
3000 m sc
1. Roman Usov – 8.26.68
2. Andrei Farnosov – 8.26.78
3. Andrei Kuznetzov – 8.29.01
Long jump
1. Vitaliy Shkurlatov - 7.97
2. Kirill Sosunov – 7.86
3. Dmitriy Sapinskiy – 7.84
Pole vault
1. Artem Kuptzov – 5.50
2. 2. Pavel Gerasimov and Evgeniy Mikhailichenko – 5.50
Women
60 m hurdles
1. Olga Korsunova – 8.26
2. Tatyana Pavliy – 8.28
3. Anna Evdokimova – 8.28
400 m
1. Svetlana Pospelova – 51.57
2. Irina Rossikhina – 51.58
3.Juliya Pechonkina – 51.91
800 m
1. Larisa Zhao – 1.59.76
2. Irina Vashetzeva – 2.01.12
3. Natalya Tziganova – 2.01.30
3000 m sc
1. Lubov Ivanova – 9.27.57
2. Marina Ivanova – 9.35.33
3. Svetlana Ivanova – 9.43.49
High jump
1. Anna Chicherova – 198
2. Tatyana Kivomyagi-Novoseltzeva – 195
3. Ekaterina Aleksandrova – 195
Triple jump
1. Victorya Gurova – 14.43
2. Elena Oleinikova – 14.33
3. Oksana Rogova – 14.25
