Ivan Ukhov of Russia competes in the men's high jump in Doha (© Getty Images)
The men’s high jump final was a simple meet indeed and a Russian party as predicted after the qualification.
In a way the competition was very similar to the women’s one, but Ivan Ukhov stepped up a bit further in terms of results than Croatian Blanka Vlasic did yesterday.
The 23-year-old was a favourite at the World Championships in Berlin last summer, but there he just didn’t do what was expected finishing in 10th place with a lowly 2.23m result.
The competition today however offered very different feelings for Ukhov, who only had a small glitch in his wonderful series.
All eight contestants continued the competition after 2.24m height with six of them clearing this height with their first attempts and American Jesse Williams passing.
Ukhov’s composure was lost for a moment at 2.28m when the Russian, who won the European Indoor Championships last year in Turin, failed to clear the bar with his first try.
With Cypriot Kyriakos Ioannou, the silver medalist from Berlin World Championships, American Dusty Jonas and another Russian favourite Yaroslav Rybakov, the reigning World champion from Berlin, all cleared 2.28m with their first attempts.
Ukhov decided to move his two remaining jumps to the next height 2.31m and two more athletes, Jesse Williams with his second and Botswana’s Kabelo Kgosiemang with his third jump equalling his own national indoor record cleared 2.28m to move on in the competition.
2.31m was the height in this high jump final where medals were awarded.
The Russian party started right here with Rybakov again making it with his first attempt, looking to add a World indoor title in addition to the outdoor one from last season.
But Ukhov found his rhythm again, moving to second place with a first time clearance with Dusty Jonas joining the pair, clearing the bar with his second attempt. All the others were unable to follow with Jesse Williams leaving one jump to 2.33m, but he didn’t make it and Rybakov and Jonas were also unsuccessful with their three attempts.
Ukhov on the other hand made it look easy winning the World indoor title with his first jump at 2.33m. The Russian then moved the bar to 2.36m, and cleared at the first time of asking to futher emphasise his dominance.
Ukhov went on to raise the bar once more, now to 2.41m, but his two jumps at this height were unsuccessful.
Yaroslav Rybakov, 29, with 2.31m bagged silver and to land added a fifth straight medal at a World Indoor Championships (one gold and four silvers).
The 23-year-old American Dusty Jones won his first major medal, a bronze clearing 2.31m today.
Kyriakos Ioannou was fourth with a best of 2.28m. Also clearing the same distance for fifth was Williams Kgosiemang in sixth place. Briton Samson Oni was seventh with 2.24m and Martin Günther clearing the same height for eighth.
Mirko Jarvala for the IAAF
