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December 2009
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Soboleva and Samitova-Galkina lead the World from Kazan |
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18.07.2008 |
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Yelena Soboleva sets a World leading 800m time of
1:54.85 in Kazan (RUS).
Photo by Picture Alliance. |
World Indoor 1,500m record holder Yelena Soboleva put in an outstanding World leading performance in the 800m at the Russian Championships in Kazan today, as she finished in 1:54.85 - the fastest time recorded since 1997 (1:54.82 by Cuban Ana Quirot).
Soboleva's super pace saw the next three finishers all clock sub-1:57 best times, with former World medallist Tatyana Andrianova (1:56.00) qualifying for Beijing and possibly being joined by Svetlana Klyuka (1:56.64) and former Hurdler Yekaterina Kostetskaya (1:56.67). All the finalists in this outstanding race clocked sub 2-minute times.
Soboleva is hoping that with such a strong performance she might be able to avoid running the 1,500m in these Championships, but the outstanding 25-year-old athlete is still open to an attempt at an Olympic double,
"I hope that after such a time I will be able to pass on the 1,500m here, I was faster than I expected. I was hoping for something in range of 1:56, but not 1:54! My main aim was to win. I do not know about the double at the Olympics yet, but it would be nice to meet with the Kenyan Jelimo at the Games!"
The outstanding results just keep on coming from Kazan, as 3,000m Steeplechase World record holder Gulnara Samitova-Galkina clocked 9:08.22 in the women's event. This is the third fastest time ever, bettered only by her own World record (9:01.59 in 2004) and Yekaterina Volkova's 9:06.57 finish at last year's World Championships.
Tatyana Petrova finished second with 9:15.84 to qualify for Beijing with Samitova-Galkina, and as World Champion Volkova gets the third spot without having to compete in Kazan.
Another much anticipated competition was the women's Pole Vault with World record holder Yelena Isinbayeva already qualified for Beijing, the best of the rest had a tough battle on their hands to claim the remaining two Olympic places.
Former World record holder Svetlana Feofanova came out on top with her second attempt at 4.70m, beating Yulia Golubchikova (4.65m) and Tatyana Polnova (4.60m). The third Olympic spot should go to Golubchikova, but this will come down to a coaches decision.
Former 200 m sprinter Yulia Guschhina won the 400m in 50.12 - the third personal best in the third race at the Championships and the second fastest time in Europe this year. Anastasiya Kapachinskaya finished second in 50.20 to also book her seat on the plane to Beijing. Third placed Tatyana Firova finished in 50.25, and fourth and fifth placers Yelena Migunova (50.59) and Lyudmila Litvinova (50.62) both recorded personal best times, indicating great hopes for Russia's women's 4x400m Relay.
Reigning Olympic 800m Champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy took an easy 1:46.59 win in the men's 800m, with his training partner, Dmitriy Bogdanov, having to settle for third place (1:48.20) when Yuriy Koldin blasted down the home straight in 1:47.83.
The Sprint winners were as expected Yevgeniya Polyakova (11.30) and Andrey Yepishin (10.28), with former Olympic Champion Irina Privalova missing the finals by 0.01 seconds.
Russia's best Steeplechaser, Ildar Minshin, achieved a solid 8:22.53 to beat his more experienced counterparts Roman Usov (8:26.13) and Pavel Potapovich (8:27.50).
In the Hurdles, there were titles for Yevgeniy Borisov (13.51) and Yulia Kondakova (12.91) ahead of Tatyana Degtyareva (12.96), while in the men's 400m Russia's Relay hopes were further cemented as all of the top four finishers went sub-46 seconds. Winner Denis Alekseyev achieved the Olympic A-standard with his 45.50 finish and Dyldin 45.74, Kokorin 45.78 and Frolov 45.96 completed the top four 4x400m favourites.
Osaka semi-finalist Aleksandr Derevyagin improved to 49.00 to take a clear win in the men's 400m Hurdlles, and in the absence of World record holder Yulia Pechonkina, the women's title went to Yekaterina Bikert in a European leading 54.34.
Judging by the performances in this Championship, there is likely to be a golden future in store for Russia's women this summer.
Click here for all the latest results from the Russian Championships.
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