Feofanova
strikes again in Lievin
Ed Gordon for the IAAF
24 February 2002 - Lievin,
France - 15th Meeting Gaz De France - A trip to the Stade Couvert Regional in Lievin
requires more pathfinding on rural roads than perhaps any other international athletics
locale in the world. But the effort always reaps rewards, as this year’s competition
confirmed.
As she has done on numerous occasions this winter, Svetlana Feofanova provided the highlight of the 15th Gaz de France meeting with her fourth pole vault world record of the indoor season.
The slim redhead flew over 4.74 on her second attempt to advance her own record by one centimetre. She actually had better height on her first attempt, which she appeared to dislodge on the way down.
“Three competitions in one week was exhausting,” the smiling Russian told the crowd in her limited English. “I’m pleased to have one record out of it.”
Feofanova did appear to transgress a cardinal rule of vertical jumpers with one attempt at yet another world record of 4.82.
Her coach, Yevgeniy Bondarenko, explained what appeared to be a breach of etiquette.
“Svetlana had just received a new pole for next week’s competition in Vienna, and she wanted to test it. Naturally, she didn’t want to do this until the world record was secure.”
South African sprinter Morne Nagel concluded his first indoor season with a resume most sprinters would long to achieve in a lifetime. The 23-year-old won all but one 60-metre race—in Dortmund in late January—but even in that loss, he still equalled Tim Montgomery’s winning 6.48, a time which still stands as the year’s best.
In all, Nagel achieved five performances of 6.50 or better in his six European competitions.
Today, he was practically unchallenged from start to finish in his 6.50 win, ahead of Americans Greg Saddler (6.55) and Brian Lewis (6.56).
Perhaps as a way to celebrate the end to his season, Nagel lined up less than an hour later for his first-ever indoor 200, in the “B” section, and won the race in a South African record 20.54, the season’s second-fastest time. (For the record, Christian Malcolm won the “A” race in 20.71).
The meeting management made better talent assignments in the women’s 200, as Muriel Hurtis absorbed all of the magic of “Lievin Lane VI” and sped to a 22.51 victory in the “A” section. It was both a French national record and this season’s best performance.
A cascade of superlative performances came out of the men’s 800 metres, won by Andre Bucher in a Swiss national record and world-leading 1:45.08.
The Edmonton champion came off the final turn appearing to have an easy victory in hand. But an “eminence grise” in the person of Wilson Kipketer - running in only his third meeting of the season - appeared in the final metres and made a valiant try for an upset.
The Dane had been firmly camped in the middle section of the pack for most of the race, and he calculated his final move fairly well, just falling short with 1:45.54, and clipping off Hezekiel Sepeng (1:45.65) in the process. All three—Bucher, Kipketer and Sepeng—bettered the season’s standard before today.
If Rui Silva expected to have an easy race on the eve of the European Championships, his prayers were not answered today in the 1500 metres. The current world champion in that event, Silva won in wire-to-wire fashion with a world-leading 3:35.26 but not without a tense finish.
The Portuguese runner looked invincible as the bell sounded, but Frenchman Mehdi Baala was in the final stages of a slow creep to the front. Baala made a move with 100 metres to go, but Silva was able to hold on the for win. The hot pace of the final two laps ensured Baala that with his 3:35.56 performance, the French record which he lost earlier this month would once again be his.
Just as he surprised the world last year with a eye-opening early-season performance in the 400 hurdles, Marcel Plawgo provided a shock to a pair of more highly experienced 400-metre runners with his 46.01 world-leading win.
The Pole—just one day shy of his 21st birthday—waited patiently as front-running Greg Haughton of Jamaica and Britain’s Daniel Caines started moving to the outside lanes in what appeared would be a duel for the win. Seeing this, the close-following Plawgo took advantage of a clear path along the curb to the finish line for a decisive win over Caines (46.50).
Haughton, the Sydney bronze medallist, finished third with 46.84, as his lead coming off the final curve vanished in the waning metres of the race.
Today’s race was only the fourth indoor 400 metres of Plawgo’s young career, but he showed great poise in applying indoor tactics not needed outdoors where the runners hold their lanes throughout the entire course.
“I wanted to run close to 46.00, and I did it,” said the enthused Plawgo. “I’ve been using the indoor season mainly to prepare for the hurdles outdoors, but I’ll be in Vienna next week as part of my country’s 4x400 relay.”
After her splendid performance in the 3000 metres one week ago in Birmingham, it was not surprising to see Carla Sacramento power to an easy win in the women’s mile.
In her first-ever essay of the event, the Portuguese athlete ran away from the field with a 4:23.00 performance, the world’s best for this season and also the eighth-fastest of all-time. Needless to say, it was also a national record for Portugal.
A timer at the 1500 metres registered 4:05.02 for Sacramento, also a world-leading time.
Sacramento claimed that this was a result of her training for the IAAF World Cross Country championships next month in Dublin, and not for any specific indoor goal.
“I wanted to work on my stamina and speed for cross-country. In the short distance [in Dublin], I hope I’ll get a better result than the 7th position I achieved two years ago,” Sacramento added.
A pair of Russians, Olga Komyagina (4:25.62) and Seattle-based Lyudmila Vasilyeva (4:27.39) took the next two places.
Although appearing to clip two of the five hurdles, Allen Johnson still posted a quality 7.52 time in his easy win in the men’s event. Olga Shishigina was the winner of the women’s race in a season-best 7.89.
After only one lap, the women’s 800 metres was simply a race of Maria Mutola against the clock. Mutola—and the clock—both won in 1:58.83, as the Mozambique runner closed out the indoor season with her 127th career sub-2:00 performance.
Teresa Marinova of Bulgaria added the year’s best triple jump performance with 14.71, as Britain’s Ashia Hansen tried some last-jump heroics for a win, falling short at 14.62.
The Lievin meeting was the final stop in the four-competition Energizer Series, which staged a mini-Grand Prix in four events. The winners were Nagel in the 60 metres, Feofanova in the women’s pole vault, Bucher in the men’s 800 (all with a “perfect” score of 40), Maria Mutola in the women’s 800 (36 points),
RESULTS
MEN:
60 METRES: 1. Nagel (RSA) 6.50; 2. Saddler (USA) 6.55; 3. Lewis (USA) 6.56; 4. Chernovol (KAZ) 6.58; 5. Asahara (JPN) 6.63; 6. Lewis-Francis (GBR) 6.75.
At 50 metres: 1. Nagel 5.62; 2. Saddler 5.67; 3. Lewis 5.68; 4. Chernovol 5.69; 5. Asahara 5.75; 6. Lewis-Francis 5.82.
Heat 1: 1. Nagel (RSA) 6.53; 2. Lewis (USA) 6.55; 3. Saddler (USA) 6.61; 4. Heat 2: 1. Chernovol (KAZ) 6.61; 2. Lewis-Francis (GBR) 6.62; 3. Asahara (JPN) 6.65; 4. Nthepe (FRA) 6.70; 5. Thompson (BAR) 6.70.
At 50 metres: Heat 1: 1. Nagel 5.62; 2. Lewis 5.66; 3. Saddler 5.71; 4. Fredericks 5.77; 5. Malcolm 5.81. Heat 2: 1. Chernovol 5.72; 2. Lewis-Francis 5.73; 3. Asahara 5.75; 4. Thompson 5.81. (No time for Nthepe.)
200 METRES: Race 1 (called “B”): 1. Nagel (RSA) 20.54; 2. Emedolu (NGR) 20.84; 3. Djhone (FRA) 20.97. Race 2 (called “A”): 1. Malcolm (GBR) 20.71; 2. Patton (USA) 21.15. Disqualified: Turner (GBR) [20.70]--ran out of lane on curve.
400 METRES: 1. Plawgo (POL) 46.01; 2. Caines (GBR) 46.50; 3. Haughton (JAM) 46.84; 4. Foucan (FRA) 46.85; 5. McFarlane (JAM) 47.08; 6. Bouche (FRA) 48.32.
800 METRES: 1. Bucher (SUI) 1:45.08 NR (world leader); 2. Kipketer (DEN) 1:45.54; 3. Sepeng (RSA) 1:45.65; 4. S Kimutai (KEN) 1:46.44; 5. Czapiewski (POL) 1:46.52; 6. Mutua (KEN) 1:46.58; 7. Dube (BOT) 1:46.62; 8. Lacasse (FRA) 1:46.92 NR; 9. Aissat (FRA) 1:48.88. Pace (from photocell times): Lomba (FRA) 24.09; 50.32; Bucher 1:17.81.
1500 METRES: 1. Silva (POR) 3:35.26 (world leader); 2. Baala (FRA) 3:35.56 NR; 3. Chouki (FRA) 3:36.27; 4. Khaldi (ALG) 3:37.68; 5. Tahri (FRA) 3:38.10; 6. Mayock (GBR) 3:39.53; 7. Cosson (FRA) 3:40.93; 8. Abraham (FRA) 3:41.20; 9. Lakhal (FRA) 3:41.74; 10. Zorko (CRO) 3:44.21; 11. Moro (ESP) 3:44.40. Did not finish: Chebili (FRA). Pace: Kiptoo (KEN) 1:11.52; 2:23.34. Also paced: Tanui (KEN).
60 HURDLES: 1. Johnson (USA) 7.52; 2. Pechonkin (RUS) 7.60; 3. Liu X (CHN) 7.60; 4. Schwarthoff (GER) 7.63; 5. Wallace (USA) 7.64. Did not finish: Watkins (USA) [hit second hurdle and stopped]
At 50 metres: 1. Johnson 6.43 (world leader); 2. Pechonkin 6.49; 3. Wallace 6.51; 4. Liu 6.52; 5. Schwarthoff 6.56.
Heat 1: 1. Pechonkin (RUS) 7.59; 2. Liu (CHN) 7.65; 3. Fenner (GER) 7.75; 4. Dorival (HAI) 7.96. Heat 2: 1. Wallace (USA) 7.58; 2. Johnson (USA) 7.62; 3. Schwarthoff (GER) 7.67; 4. Watkins (USA) 7.70; 5. Crear (USA) 7.77; 6. Doucoure (FRA) 7.93.
At 50 metres: Heat 1: 1. Pechonkin 6.50 (world leader); 2. Liu 6.53; 3. Fenner 6.65; 4. Dorival 6.80. Heat 2: 1. Wallace 6.50 (equals world leader); 2. Johnson 6.51; 3. Schwarthoff 6.59; 4. Watkins 6.60; 5. Crear 6.62; 6. Doucoure 6.76.
HIGH JUMP: 1. Boswell (CAN) 2.33 [2.18 - 2.25 - 2.31/3 - 2.33/2 - 2.35/xxx]; 2. Strand (SWE) 2.31; 3. Clinger (USA) 2.28; 4. Brayko (RUS) 2.25; 5. Pennings (NED) 2.25; 6. Chubsa (BLR) 2.25; 7. J Janku (CZE) 2.22; 8. Sokolovskyy (UKR) 2.18. No height: Opota (FRA) and Saint-Jean (FRA), both at opening height of 2.13.
WOMEN:
200 METRES: Race 1 (called “B”): 1. White (USA) 23.17; 2. Dia (FRA) 23.40. Race 2 (called “A”): 1. Hurtis (FRA) 22.51 NR (world leader); 2. Campbell (JAM) 22.76; 3. Felix 23.44; 4. Akhigbe (NGR) 23.96.
800 METRES: 1. Mutola (MOZ) 1:58.83; 2. Martinez (ESP) 2:00.78; 3. Fuchsova (CZE) 2:01.86; 4. Grousselle (FRA) 2:02.50; 5. Babin (FRA) 2:03.46; 6. Fouquet (FRA) 2:03.73; 7. Teichmann (GER) 2:04.33. Did not finish: Stals (BEL). Pace (from photocell times): Jongmans (NED) 26.35; 55.22; Mutola 1:26.55.
MILE: 1. Sacramento (POR) 4:23.00 NR (world leader); 2. Komyagina (RUS) 4:25.62; 3. Vasilyeva (RUS) 4:27.39; 4. Javornik (SLO) 4:29.35 NR; 5. Turova (BLR) 4:33.88 NR; 6. Kaznovska (UKR) 4:44.09; 7. Coulaud (FRA) 4:44.95.
At 1500 metres: 1. Sacramento 4:05.02 (world leader); 2. Komyagina 4:07.38; 3. Vasilyeva 4:08.80; 4. Javornik 4:10.45; 5. Turova 4:16.31; 6. Coulaud 4:24.72; 7. Kaznovska 4:25.31.
Pace (laps from start line, from photocell time): Varga (HUN) 30.70, 1:03.18, 1:36.75, 2:10.70, 2:44.26; Sacramento 3:17.11, 3:49.12.
60 HURDLES: 1. Shishigina (KAZ) 7.89; 2. Girard (FRA) 7.94; 3. Ramalalanirina (FRA) 7.99; 4. Alozie (ESP) 8.00; 5. Dixon (JAM) 8.00; 6. Golding-Clarke (JAM) 8.35.
At 50 metres: 1. Shishigina 6.82 (6.811); 2. Girard 6.82 (6.815); 3. Dixon 6.85; 4. Ramalalanirina 6.87; 5. Alozie 6.90; 6. Golding-Clarke 7.08.
Heat 1: 1. Shishigina (KAZ) 7.93; 2. Girard (FRA) 7.95; 3. Golding-Clarke (JAM) 8.05; 4. Lopez (CUB) 8.06; 5. Aron (FRA) 8.17. Heat 2: 1. Dixon (JAM) 7.92; 2. Ramalalanirina (FRA) 8.01; 3. Alozie (ESP) 8.03; 4. Morrison (USA) 8.06; 5. Buval 8.21.
At 50 metres: Heat 1: 1. Girard 6.82; 2. Shishigina 6.84; 3. Golding-Clarke 6.92; 4. Lopez 6.93; 5. Aron 7.01. Heat 2: No times.
POLE VAULT: 1. Feofanova (RUS) 4.74 (world record) [4.36 - 4.46 - 4.56 - 4.66/2 - 4.74/2 - 4.82/xp]; 2. Pyrek (POL) 4.56 NR [4.00 - 4.20 - 4.36 - 4.46/2 - 4.56/2 - 4.66/xxx]; 3. Hamackova (CZE) 4.56 =NR; 4. Dragila (USA) 4.56; 5. Belyakova (RUS) 4.46; 6. Isinbayeva (RUS) 4.36; 7. Gao (CHN) 4.36; 8. Livebardon (FRA) 4.20; 9. de Wilt (NED) 4.20; 10. Schwartz (USA) 4.20; 11. Vigourt (FRA) 4.00; 12. Homo (FRA) 4.00.
TRIPLE JUMP: 1. Marinova (BUL) 14.71 (world leader) [14.41 - 14.63 - x - 14.71 - x - x]; 2. Hansen (GBR) 14.62 [x - x - 14.29 - 14.09 - x - 14.62]; 3. Oleynikova (RUS) 14.41; 4. Ilyina (RUS) 14.23; 5. Rogova (RUS) 14.21; 6. Bazhenova (RUS) 14.10; 7. Koivula (FIN) 13.87; 8. Gavrila (ROM) 13.79; 9. Retel (FRA) 13.28; 10. Jacques-Gustave (FRA) 13.27.
EXTRA EVENTS:
MEN’S 3000 METRES (National): 1. Zioni 8:02.76; 2. Bomkais 8:11.92; 3. Jaouane 8:22.10; 4. Outchich 8:25.34.
