The review of European performances at the world championships in Moscow continues with days three, four and five of the competition.
Day Three, Monday August 12, Holzdeppe defeats the master
In the run-up to Moscow, one of the big questions was whether or not French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie would complete the list of major honours. The answer was discovered on this third day when he was beaten to gold by a superb display from Germany’s Raphael Holzdeppe. The previous summer, as Lavillenie won European and then Olympic gold, Holzdeppe won bronze on both occasions, but this time it all changed. Both men ended with the same height of 5.89m but Holzdeppe celebrated gold on countback after perfect progress to that mark, clearing 5.65m, 5.82m and 5.89m at the first attempt.
On the track, the women’s 400m made the record books as Great Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu regained the gold she had first won in Osaka in 2007. With a trademark late charge, she crossed the line side-by-side Botswana’s defending champion Amantle Montsho. Both had the same time of 49.41 and incredibly they were separated by just 0.004, the closest finish in World Championship history.
The men’s hammer final saw an all European podium, Poland’s Pawel Fajdek taking gold with a personal best of 81.97m from Hungary’s Krisztian Pars, second with 80.30m, and Lukas Melich, of the Czech Republic, with 79.36m. At the Olympics in London, Fajdek had failed to make the final, but this time the Polish star made no mistake with his first effort proving his best.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
It is so overwhelming. But I knew that when you put him (Lavillenie) under pressure he is beatable.
Raphael Holzdeppe
Day Four, Tuesday August 12, Pole vault queen back in style
The day got off to a Russian double in the women's 20km, as Elena Lashmanova, the Olympic champion, triumphed after a sensational final lap in the stadium when on two occasions she broke stride because she did not know how much more there was to go. She held on, to win by just three seconds in 1:27:08, from teammate Anisya Kirdyapkina.
But this was the night when these World Championships secured their place in Russian folklore; for years, those who were there will talk about the time Yelena Isinbayeva won gold in front of her own people.
As for Isinbayeva, at 31 many thought that the world record-holder and greatest woman pole vaulter in history would not repeat her past glories. She had not won a major outdoor title since the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 but whatever she had previously achieved was surpassed on this evening with one of the finest comebacks in the history of athletics.
It did not start well, as the bar went flying on her first vault, but after clearing 4.65m second time around, she made it over at 4.75m and 4.82m and then, by going over at 4.89m at her opening attempt, she took the lead. American Jennifer Suhr and Cuba's Yarisley Silva tried but failed at the height and when the realisation arrived that Isinbayeva had won, she leaped into the arms of her coach Yefgeny Trofimov.
Isinbayeva's success stole the show but Europe celebrated more gold with Ukraine's Hanna Melnychenko completing two days of excellent competition to win the heptathlon. It was a personal best for Melnychenko with 6586 points. But the Ukrainian showed the heptathlon is all about consistency because she did not win any of the seven events outright.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I am the pole vault queen. This victory is the most precious in all my career.
Yelena Isinbayeva
Day Five, Wednesday August 15 Heffernan does it in style
This day was quiet with only a morning session scheduled, with one final - the men’s 50km walk. What a morning it was for Robert Heffernan who became the first Irish athlete to win gold at world championships since Sonia O’Sullivan won the 5000m in Göteborg back in 1995. .
He did so with a clever, tactical performance to triumph in 3:37:56 from Russia’s Mikhail Ryzhov, second in 3:38:58 and Australia’s Jared Tallent third in 3:40:03.
Heffernan competed with a chip on his shoulder, having already finished fourth in both the 20km and 50km at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona. Not only did Heffernan make the podium, at the age of 35, he took the position at the top of it.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
When I came into the stadium it just felt like an out of body experience. It's hard to take it all in.
Robert Heffernan