July 15, 2003	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1424

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GATESHEAD (England), July 14: Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva set a world record in the women’s pole vault in front of a sparse crowd in a Super Grand Prix meeting here on Sunday.

The 21-year-old’s mark of 4.82 metres exceeded American Stacy Dragila’s 4.81 metres set in California in June 2001.

Isinbayeva, who collected a cheque for $50,000, has been on top form and set a world leading mark of 4.73 metres in Poznan, Poland just over two weeks ago.

She had opened at 4.30 metres and progressed through 4.44, 4.54, 4.64 and 4.74, needing two attempts at all those heights except the first and the third. By the time she attempted the world record mark, most of the 10,000 crowd had gone home.

The bar wobbled for a few seconds before Isinbayeva landed in triumph to the delight of a sparse crowd that had shrunk to about 1,000 for the last event of the night.

Her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, who holds the world indoor record of 4.80 metres set at the world championships in Birmingham in March, was second on Sunday with 4.54 metres.

Earlier, Briton Dwain Chambers won the men’s 100 metres in controversial circumstances after rivals Kim Collins and Bernard Williams had already run the race once following a false start.

Neither Collins from St. Kitts and Nevis nor American Williams heard the two guns fired to alert the athletes to the false start by Briton Mark Lewis-Francis and they crossed the finish line together before realising they had been recalled.

After a short delay Chambers led a British clean sweep in 10.27 seconds followed by Lewis-Francis (10.35) and Darren Campbell (10.36). Williams and Collins faded towards the end to finish sixth and eighth.

Collins felt the organisers could have rescheduled the 100 metres to allow the sprinters a brief rest.

Chambers was second in the 200 metres, sandwiched between fellow Britons Christian Malcolm, who won in 20.73 seconds, and Marlon Devonish.

European champion Christian Olsson managed a personal best to win another triple jump duel with Briton Jonathan Edwards. The Swede recorded 17.92 metres to beat the Olympic champion, who nevertheless jumped a respectable 17.61.

“When I came here I felt that I was probably in the shape of my life, which I proved today,” said Olsson.

Edwards, however, was also upbeat.

A below-par Hicham El-Guerrouj was still streets ahead of his rivals as he won the 1500 metres in 3:33.41 after holding off Kenya’s Paul Korir and American David Krummenacker.

Allen Johnson won the men’s 110 metres hurdles in 13.37 seconds ahead of fellow American Duane Ross (13.58).

Maria Mutola of Mozambique coasted home in the women’s 800 metres in 1:58.80, ahead of Slovenia’s Jolanda Ceplak, her main rival for gold at next month’s world championships in Paris.

Leading results:

MEN’S:

3,000 metres: 1. Abraham Chebii (Kenya) seven minutes 45.93 seconds; 2. Leonard Mucheru (Kenya) 7:46.29; 3. Luke Kipkosgei (Kenya) 7:48.70.

100 metres: 1. Dwain Chambers (Britain) 10.27 seconds; 2. Mark Lewis-Francis (Britain) 10.35; 3. Darren Campbell (Britain) 10.36.

110 metres hurdles: 1. Allen Johnson (US) 13.37 seconds; 2. Duane Ross (US) 13.58; 3. Stanislavs Olijars (Latvia) 13.61.

Long jump: 1. Olexiy Lukashevych (Ukraine) 8.19 metres; 2. Savante Stringfellow (US) 8.10; 3. Kevin Dilworth (US) 8.09.

400 metres: 1. Michael Blackwood (Jamaica) 44.85 seconds; 2. Daniel Caines (Britain) 45.46; 3. Alleyne Francique (Grenada) 45.49.

1,500 metres: 1. Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco) three minutes 33.41 seconds; 2. Paul Korir (Kenya) 3:33.63; 3. David Krummenacker (US) 3:35.15.

Javelin: 1. Steve Backley (Britain) 85.69 metres; 2. Boris Henry (Germany) 83.52; 3. Alexandr Ivanov (Russia) 81.69.

Triple jump: 1. Christian Olsson (Sweden) 17.92 metres; 2. Jonathan Edwards (Britain) 17.61; 3. Jadel Gregorio (Brazil) 17.37.

200 metres: 1. Christian Malcolm (Britain) 20.73 seconds; 2. Dwain Chambers (Britain) 20.75; 3. Marlon Devonish (Britain) 20.78.

High jump: 1. Stefan Holm (Sweden) 2.30 metres; 2. James Nieto (US) 2.27; 3. Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia) 2.27.

WOMEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Torri Edwards (US) 11.46 seconds; 2. Debbie Ferguson (Bahamas) 11.48; 3. Marina Kislova (Russia) 11.63.

400 metres: 1. Demetria Washington (US) 51.29 seconds; 2. Heide Quinn (South Africa) 51.30; 3. Ronetta Smith (Jamaica) 51.35.

3,000 metres: 1. Zhor El Kamch (Morocco) eight minutes 36.24 seconds; 2. Joanne Pavey (Britain) 8:37.97; 3. Benita Johnson (Australia) 8:38.06.

200 metres: 1. Beverley McDonald (Jamaica) 23.09 seconds; 2. Joice Maduaka (Britain) 23.25; 3. Cydonie Mothersill (Cayman Islands) 23.37.

100 metres hurdles: 1. Melissa Morrison (US) 12.80 seconds; 2. Glory Alozie (Spain) 12.92; 3. Jenny Adams (US) 13.01.

800 metres: 1. Maria de Lourdes Mutola (Mozambique) one minute 58.80 seconds; 2. Jolanda Ceplak (Slovenia) 1:59.96; 3. Amina Ait Hammou (Morocco) 2:00.61.

Pole vault: 1. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) 4.82 metres; 2. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 4.54; 3. Yelena Belyakova (Russia) 4.54.—Reuters