Ivan Ukhov scales 2.32m in Trinec (© Lukas Szlaur)
- Ivan Ukhov returned to his winning ways at the second stop of the 8th Moravian High Jump Tour in Trinec on on Monday (30).
Jumping before a crowd of 1300 spetators that packed the venue, The reigning World and European indoor champion produced a perfect score card through his winning height of 2.32m to register his first victory since last July.
The 29-year-old Russian then bowed out after three attempts at 2.36m, a would-be 2012 world-leading performance.
Bahamian Trevor Barry, who leaped to bronze at the World Championships in Daegu last summer, improved his indoor PB to 2.29m to finish second. Home hero Jaroslav Baba was third on countback at 2.25m beating Aleksey Dmitrik, the winner on Saturday in Hustopece with a world-leading 2.35m, and Italian Filippo Campioli.
With just one day between meets, some jumpers battled fatigue while the very cold temperatures in the southeast part of the country didn't help, either.
Kuchina scales 1.96m, near misses at 1.98m
Russian Mariya Kuchina set the World junior indoor record here last year with a 1.97m clearance and the 19-year-old (DOB 14-Jan-1993) nearly did it again this time around. After a first attempt clearance at 1.96m, she produced three solid efforts at 1.98m, but fell a bit short.
Her compatriot Svetlana Shkolina, who needed three tries at 1.96 before sailing clear, was second, with Romanian Esthera Petre third at 1.93m. Russian Irina Gordeyeva and U.S. record holder Chaunte Lowe were next, topping out at 1.90m. Lowe, the 2010 World indoor bronze medallist, returned to competition in earnest this indoor season after a break for maternity leave.
Ukhov (4.63m) and Shkolina (3.91m) were the overall tour winners, with Dmitrik (4.60m) and Kuchina (3.89m) taking runner-up honours.
Organisers for the IAAF
Leading Results:
MEN -
1. Ivan Ukhov 232
2. Trevor Barry 229, indoor PB
3. Jaroslav Baba 225
4. Aleksey Dmitrik 225
5, Filippo Campioli 225
6. Kabelo Kgosiemang 221
WOMEN -
1. Mariya Kuchina 196
2. Svetlana Shkolina 196
3. Esthera Petre 193
4. Irina Gordeyeva 190
5. Chaunte Lowe 190
6. Ana Simic 186
