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News14 Sep 2008


Women's High Jump

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Blanka Vlasic may view 2008 as the year that might have been but she kept her bank manager happy by landing the $30,000 first prize to record her 37th victory in 39 competitions.

The only trouble is, those two blemishes on her otherwise exemplary record came at the Beijing Olympics - when she finished second to Tia Hellebaut - and at the final Golden League meeting of the season in Brussels - when she was beaten by German Ariane Friedrich - to be denied a two-way share of the $1m Golden League jackpot.

Still, Vlasic at least ended her season on a high note with what proved a fairly routine victory, clearing 2.01m at the third time of asking as the eight-strong field grappled with the chilly conditions inside the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Vlasic, competing in unfamiliar long tights, posted a flawless record from 1.85m through to 1.99m, by which point all but two of the eight-strong field has been eliminated.

Hellebaut was never close to repeating her Beijing form and had to settle for a best of 1.97m to finish third, meanwhile Friedrich also failed to advance beyond that height and wound up fourth.

Olympic bronze medallist Anna Chicherova kept the competition interesting by clearing 1.99m at the second time of asking but the Russian never looked likely to clear the 2.01m bar, which Vlasic achieved with her third attempt to bag the competition in style.

But if the 21,500 crowd hoped to see Vlasic attempt a greater height they were denied as the cold weather forced Vlasic to seek the sanctuary of the indoors and, probably, a very warm fire.

Steve Landells for the IAAF

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