Yelena Isinbayeva celebrates clearing 4.90 in London (© Getty Images)
Another World record to Yelena Isinbayeva and another 50 grand in the Russian’s pockets. But there was so much more to the women’s pole vault, and so much more to a spectacular night of athletics at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace, including three sub-10 100m performances, a vintage 5000m finish from Haile Gebrselassie, a return to form for Maria Mutola, and a commanding 1500m triumph for Kelly Holmes.
The fact that Isinbayeva cleared the new World record height of 4.90m was hardly a surprise, so easily had she curled over 4.89m in Birmingham five days ago. That was in cold and windy conditions, and the weather in south London was as near to perfect as you could get for world class athletics – warm (30°C), virtually still and beneath bright blue skies.
In Birmingham, as in Gateshead at the end of June, the Russian had already won the competition by the time she set herself for her lucrative WR vault. But this time, she still had compatriot Svetlana Feofanova hard on her heels – indeed, she needed to break the record to win.
Isinbayeva sailed over every height from her opening 4.45m looking like she could go a metre higher whenever she chose. Feofanova failed once at 4.80m, but cleared on her second attempt, putting the pressure back on her rival. By this time they were the only two vaulters left on the competition, Stacy Dragila and Anna Rogowska both having failed at 4.70m.
The bar went up to 4.90m and Isinbayeva cleared the height with room to spare, brushing the bar just slightly in the way down. Feofanova stepped up for the challenge, failed once at 4.90 and had the bar raised to 4.95. After two failed attempts she was forced to concede defeat, however, yet again.
“It felt good to have a go,” said Feofanova afterwards. “I feel I could jump 4.95, it really felt possible.”
As for Isinbayeva, she sent a message to meet directors everywhere, saying simply: “I will never stop breaking records.” Both agreed it will take another record to win Olympic gold – and surely it will be one of these two who do.
Asafa Powell equals national record to take 100m win
As for who will take the men’s 100m title... that’s a far more open question, even more so after tonight. Many were putting their money on Maurice Greene after his impressive 9.91 victory at the US Trials. And he looked a good bet after clocking 9.98 to win the second semi-final here ahead of World champion Kim Collins, whose 10.10 was a season’s best.
But in the final Greene was beaten for the second time in eight days, this time to the powerful Jamaican Asafa Powell who equalled his national record, 9.91, the fastest time ever run in the UK, and the second quickest in the world this year – and that into a slight headwind (-0.3). Greene ran sub-10 for the second time in the evening, improving on his heat by a hundredth, while Collins finished back in fifth in 10.14 after a bad start.
“That gave me a lot of confidence, beating Maurice Greene,” said a happy Powell afterwards. “He was Olympic champion last time but I can cope with all the hype and expectation.”
Greene, as ever, had his excuses. “I am not surprised he won tonight. My start was not my best but I will fix that for the next race. My confidence will not suffer because of today’s results.”
USA’s Leonard Scott was third in 10.04 with another Jamaican, Michael Frater, fourth. The much-fancied Justin Gatlin and Aziz Zakari were sixth and eighth, while all three Brits went out in the semis, disappointing the 17,500 capacity crowd.
Gebre clocks season's fifth fastest time in the world
Never one to disappoint, Haile Gebrselassie produced the goods again here, wining the 5000m in the fastest time ever run in the UK, and the fifth fastest in the world this year 12:55.51. If he and manager Jos Hermans had doubted whether all the speed work he’s been doing had paid off, well, here was proof, for Gebrselassie had to work his socks off to win it.
Geb took the lead just before 3k, passed in 7:49.39, as he, Abderrahmin Goumri, Boniface Songok and Craig Mottram pulled clear of the rest. Goumri led at 4k, in 10:29.01, but the Ethiopian soon sped to the front, with Songok hanging on in fourth. The surprise came as they approached the bell when Mottram hit the front, and it was the tall Australian who led Gebrselassie into the home straight. It even looked like he might hang on for a famous victory but Geb’s ageing legs clearly still have some finishing power. He pulled clear in the closing stages to win by a metre, but it was mighty close.
“Wow, that was really, really hard,” said Gebrselassie aftweards. “I was really surprised when Craig came past me. He was like a whippet, he really pushed us along and helped us run a very fast time. To run 12:55 is fantastic.”
Fabulous Australian record for Mottram
Motttram’s brilliant run earned him a massive national record, 12:55.76, while Goumri (12:59.04) and Songkok (13:00.62) both ran personal bests, as did another four finishers behind them.
The ecstatic Mottram now has his eyes on an Olympic medal. “That’s brilliant,” he said. “With 500m to go I thought I could win the race so I took off and even Haile struggled to get past me.”
No one struggled to get past Kelly Holmes, in fact no one even got close. The Briton reproduced the same dominant form she showed over 800m last weekend, this time in the 1500m, powering away from the field over the last lap to run a comfortable looking 4:04.06. Holmes said later she has still not decided whether to run both distances in Athens.
“I really needed that race,” she said. “This has given me a lot of confidence. I will weigh up what’s best for me and make a decision in the next couple of days.”
Mutola back into winning mode
Holmes training partner Maria Mutola also had a confidence-boosting win, wining the 800m in 1:59.17, after a couple of heavy defeats and hamstring trouble. Mutola looked to have all her old power back as she pulled away down the back straight but tied up badly in the home stretch and was nearly caught by Morocco’s Mina Ait Hammou, who was only 0.17 behind on the line.
“I lost about two weeks training with the hamstring injury,” Mutola admitted afterwards. “I seem to be coming back to form now and luckily the Olympics is still three weeks away, so I ought to be back to my best by then.”
One athlete who is already hitting her best is South African high jumper Hestrie Cloete. She posted yet another UK all comers’ record, leaping 2.03m, the second highest in the world this year on her first attempt, and some six centimetres above her nearest challenger.
Kenya’s Paul Korir won the Emsley Carr Mile in the fastest time in the world this year – 3:49.84 – pulling Ivan Heshko to a new Ukrainian record of 3:50.04, in second, and USA’s Alan Webb to new personal best, 3:50.73, in fourth.
Rawlinson pleases home crowd
The British crowd had more to cheer when Chris Rawlinson overhauled the world’s number one, James Carter, to win the 400m hurdles in 48.48. Carter was second in 48.63 with Jamaica’s Danny MacFarlane recording a season’s best 48.80 in third.
The flat 400m went to Grenada’s Alleyne Francique in 44.68 ahead of Jamiaca’s Michael Blackwood, who clocked a season’s best 44.74 in second. Britain’s Tim Benjamin finished strongly in third and just failed to break 45 seconds, bringing his personal best down to 45.04. A delighted Benjamin now has his sights on a final place in Athens. “Those were the best in the world and it just proves I can mix it with them,” he said.
Idowu leaps to 17.47!
There was more British cheer for triple jumper Phillips Idowu, who showed his best form of the year to beat the top two in the world, and post the world’s sixth best leap of the season. Idowu was greeted to a huge roar from the crowd as he landed his last attempt out at 17.47m, six centimetres ahead of the Bahamas’ Leevan Sands’ second round effort. Brazil’s Jadel Gregorio followed with 17.30m, and USA’s Melvin Lister finished the competition with 17.20m, those being good enough only for third and fourth place repsectively.
“It was definitely a good day at the office,” said Idowu. “I needed a good jump before I get on the place to Athens.”
Jade Johnson - another win for GBR
Another Briton, Jade Johnson, was also delighted to beat a world class field. She took the long jump with 6.65m, four centimetres ahead of USA’s Grace Upshaw. Denise Lewis, in eighth, leapt to a season’s best of 6.17m, and was happy that her ankle injury held up under pressure. “I don’t have to worry about any injuries,” she said. “Mentally I am on top form and I can’t wait to compete.”
Johnson was especially pleased to win as Crystal Palace is the arena where she trains. It’s also the training track of javelin thrower Steve Backley. Or was. The double Olympic silver medallist was making his final appearance at the stadium this evening, and managed his best throw of the year – 83.42m. That was good enough for second, behind Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, who won with 84.45m.
“I would have liked to have thrown better for the crowd here tonight,” said an emotional Backley. “But in the whole scheme of things I have got to be happy.”
The world’s leading javelin thrower, Aleksander Ivanov of Russia, finished back in sixth, with 77.42m, suffering from strained intercostal muscles, an injury sustained earlier this week at the Russian championships.
Matthew Brown for the IAAF
