HELSINKI – Olimpiada Ivanova of Russia set the first world record of the world athletics championships yesterday clinching US$160 000 to win the 20-kilometre walk.
Justin Gatlin has said he is also ready to break the world record in the 100 metres to add the world title to his Olympic gold. In a thrilling heptathlon, Olympic champion Carolina Kluft clawed into the lead early yesterday, beating rival Eunice Barber with only the 800 to go Ivanova dominated the walk from start to finish, and even had time to wrap herself in a Russian flag before crossing the line in 1 hour, 25 minutes, 41 seconds.It beat the old mark set two years ago by 41 seconds.”I expected it.Everything went according to plan,” said Ivanova, who will get US$60 000 for gold and US$100 000 for the record.Ivanova also won the world title in 2001 and got the silver medal in Athens at last year’s Olympics.Ryta Turava of Belarus was second and Susanna Feitor of Portugal took the bronze.Ivanova also finished second at the 1997 worlds, but was stripped of her silver medal and banned for two years after testing positive for the illegal drug stanozolol.The Russian set an earlier world record of 1:26:52.3 at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.She has a faster time, but her 1:24:50 mark in March 2001 was not ratified by the IAAF.Gatlin cruised through the opening heat and 100-metre quarterfinals Saturday and is full of confidence ahead of yesterday’s semifinals and final, traditionally the highlight of the championships.Gatlin’s career best is 9.85 seconds, which he clocked to win gold at the Olympics.The target is Asafa Powell’s world record of 9.77, set earlier this year.The Jamaican failed to make it to Helsinki because of a groin injury.Darrel Brown of Trinidad and Tobago had the top time of 10.10 on Saturday, but continuing blustery conditions and the possibility of rain could wreak havoc with any plans for a fast time.In the opening round for the women, favourites Christine Arron and Chandra Sturrup both clocked 11.15 for the fastest time.France’s Arron is still unbeaten in the Golden League this year but Sturrup has the fastest time.After a mediocre season, Olympic champion Yuliya Nesterenko is seeking to peak in Helsinki.She qualified second in the same heat as Arron.The heptathlon battle between Kluft and 2001 world champion Barber was living up to all the hype yesterday.After defending champion Kluft overcame a painful ankle and rallied to put herself back into contention for the gold on Saturday, she swept past Barber in the long jump.Kluft jumped a season’s beat 6.87 metres, edging Barber by 12 centimetres.In the javelin, Kluft again set a season’s best with 47.20 meters.Barber was expected to do much better but only managed 48.24.The Swede now leads the duel 5,906-5,888 with just the 800 remaining.Ivanova is not expected to be the only Russian collecting the US$100,000 prize for a world record.Yelena Isinbayeva will also be looking for the prize.The serial world record breaker, who became the first woman to clear 5 metres last month, just took one jump at 4.40 before clearing the qualifying height of 4.45 with consummate ease.The final is set for Wednesday.Former Olympic champion Stacy Dragila failed to qualify.The 34-year-old Dragila, who won world titles in 1999 and 2001, could not clear 4.45 meters, following her disappointment in Athens with yet another miss.Dragila also failed to qualify for the Olympic final.Much like Isinbayeva, Tatyana Lebedeva was expected to be a near certainty to deliver gold for Russia, but qualifying only 10th out of 12 for the final in the triple jump did not increase confidence.She complained her Achilles injury was aggravated.On Saturday, Ethiopia took the early lead in the medal standings with a sweep of the 10 000, led by Tirunesh Dibaba.The 19-year old will now seek a double in the 5 000, in which she is the reigning champion, too.After finishing second twice at the worlds and at the Olympics, American shot putter Adam Nelson finally won gold, holding off Rutger Smith of the Netherlands and Ralf Bartels of Germany.- Nampa-ReutersIn a thrilling heptathlon, Olympic champion Carolina Kluft clawed into the lead early yesterday, beating rival Eunice Barber with only the 800 to go Ivanova dominated the walk from start to finish, and even had time to wrap herself in a Russian flag before crossing the line in 1 hour, 25 minutes, 41 seconds.It beat the old mark set two years ago by 41 seconds.”I expected it.Everything went according to plan,” said Ivanova, who will get US$60 000 for gold and US$100 000 for the record.Ivanova also won the world title in 2001 and got the silver medal in Athens at last year’s Olympics.Ryta Turava of Belarus was second and Susanna Feitor of Portugal took the bronze.Ivanova also finished second at the 1997 worlds, but was stripped of her silver medal and banned for two years after testing positive for the illegal drug stanozolol.The Russian set an earlier world record of 1:26:52.3 at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.She has a faster time, but her 1:24:50 mark in March 2001 was not ratified by the IAAF.Gatlin cruised through the opening heat and 100-metre quarterfinals Saturday and is full of confidence ahead of yesterday’s semifinals and final, traditionally the highlight of the championships.Gatlin’s career best is 9.85 seconds, which he clocked to win gold at the Olympics.The target is Asafa Powell’s world record of 9.77, set earlier this year.The Jamaican failed to make it to Helsinki because of a groin injury.Darrel Brown of Trinidad and Tobago had the top time of 10.10 on Saturday, but continuing blustery conditions and the possibility of rain could wreak havoc with any plans for a fast time.In the opening round for the women, favourites Christine Arron and Chandra Sturrup both clocked 11.15 for the fastest time.France’s Arron is still unbeaten in the Golden League this year but Sturrup has the fastest time.After a mediocre season, Olympic champion Yuliya Nesterenko is seeking to peak in Helsinki.She qualified second in the same heat as Arron.The heptathlon battle between Kluft and 2001 world champion Barber was living up to all the hype yesterday.After defending champion Kluft overcame a painful ankle and rallied to put herself back into contention for the gold on Saturday, she swept past Barber in the long jump.Kluft jumped a season’s beat 6.87 metres, edging Barber by 12 centimetres.In the javelin, Kluft again set a season’s best with 47.20 meters.Barber was expected to do much better but only managed 48.24.The Swede now leads the duel 5,906-5,888 with just the 800 remaining.Ivanova is not expected to be the only Russian collecting the US$100,000 prize for a world record.Yelena Isinbayeva will also be looking for the prize.The serial world record breaker, who became the first woman to clear 5 metres last month, just took one jump at 4.40 before clearing the qualifying height of 4.45 with consummate ease.The final is set for Wednesday.Former Olympic champion Stacy Dragila failed to qualify.The 34-year-old Dragila, who won world titles in 1999 and 2001, could not clear 4.45 meters, following her disappointment in Athens with yet another miss.Dragila also failed to qualify for the Olympic final.Much like Isinbayeva, Tatyana Lebedeva was expected to be a near certainty to deliver gold for Russia, but qualifying only 10th out of 12 for the final in the triple jump did not increase confidence.She complained her Achilles injury was aggravated.On Saturday, Ethiopia took the early lead in the medal standings with a sweep of the 10 000, led by Tirunesh Dibaba.The 19-year old will now seek a double in the 5 000, in which she is the reigning champion, too.After finishing second twice at the worlds and at the Olympics, American shot putter Adam Nelson finally won gold, holding off Rutger Smith of the Netherlands and Ralf Bartels of Germany.- Nampa-Reuters
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