Tuesday, Aug 26, 2003
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Athletics
By K.P. Mohan
In what could have been a rousing battle in women's pole vault, world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva had to settle for the bronze behind her Russian teammate Svetlana Feofanova and German Annika Becker. Former world record holder Stacy Dragila of the U.S. finished fourth. Feofanova cleared 4.75m, her best for the season, while Becker scaled 4.70. Isinbayeva who had cleared 4.82m at Gateshead, England, in July for the world record, failed to go beyond 4.65. This was expected to be a high-class contest, but eventually it petered out into a routine affair, with Isinbayeva failing twice at 4.70m and once at 4.75m. The men's hammer title went to Ivan Tikhon, much against expectations. The 27-year-old Belarussian, fourth at the Sydney Olympics, led through the competition, 80.69 in the second round, 81.77 in the third that was enough to fetch him the gold this day and a final attempt of 83.05 which meant it was more or less certain that he would be the champion. Last time he had failed to make it to the final while in 1997 he had fouled all his first three attempts in the final. Koji Murofushi, the year's leader at 84.86m, could not produce his best form when it was required. After a fifth-round throw of 80.12, he seemed to have at least made sure of the silver, the same medal he won in Edmonton two years ago. But even that was denied him as in the final round, Adrian Annus of Hungary reached 80.36m. Both Tikhon and Annus had joined Murofushi in the 84-plus bracket for the season this month. No one had thrown past the 84-metre mark since 1992 when Igor Astapkovich touched 84.62m in Seville. Astapkovich a former Olympic silver medaLlist, now 40, did raise visions of a comeback here with a qualifying round effort of 79.66, but fouled his first three attempts in the final. "I did not throw my season best today but I am not too disappointed,'' said Tikhon. "I dedicate my victory to my son who was born just over a month ago.'' Murofushi, watched by his legendary father, Shigenobu, busy filming the action from the stands, with a dead-pan expression to boot when the TV cameras focussed on him, had started the clear favourite, though a recent injury might have been the doubtful factor. "Of course, I am a little bit disappointed not to win the gold tonight as my best performance this year clearly showed I could have. But I had an elbow injury a week ago so I didn't even know if I was going to be able to compete here. I expected a lot better, but I won the bronze so I will take it,'' said the Japanese, the Asian Games champion and Asian record holder.
Edwards bids tearful adieu
Jonathan Edwards bid adieu, rather disappointingly, though he might have expected to go out on a high note. After having miraculously `recovered' from what looked like a crippling ankle injury at the London Grand Prix, Edwards had announced his retirement plans the other day here, but not before making his final bow. The vicar's son, a devout Christian, he almost attributed his recovery to divine intervention and felt that it was God's way of giving him another opportunity to go out in a dignified manner rather than on a stretcher. As he sat there at the end of the third round, failing to make it to the final round, with just 16.31m, he looked lost in thought. He waved as he left and then tears welled up in his eyes just as it was the other day when he tried to suppress his feelings when announcing his decision to retire. Clearly he was not hundred per cent fit to tackle this one. He knew that his ankle injury would be at the back of his mind, but he wanted to give it a try, go out in a dignified manner, as he would say.
Greene fails to qualify
Another man to go out rather tamely was sprint champion Maurice Greene. He limped through the semifinals of the men's 100m, finishing last but one in a nine-man heat, in 10.37s. The heat was won by Dwain Chambers. Greene was off to the best start in his semifinal, a 0.129s reaction time, but it was clear that he was struggling even as Chambers was charging through. "I got a great start but as soon as I got out of the blocks I felt a small pop in my quad muscle. I kept trying to push I couldn't keep it up all the way. I didn't have any feeling about this earlier. I was feeling fine before the race, I felt fine yesterday,'' said Greene.
Neelam bows out
From the Indian angle, Neelam J. Singh failed to progress to the final rounds in the women's discus final, with a best of 57.92 on her last throw. She opened with a foul and then touched 54.42 on her second throw. She finished 12th among 13 competitors. The honour of being the first Indian to compete in a World championship final will remain with Neelam. The results: Men: Hammer throw: 1. Ivan Tikohn (Blr) 83.05m; 2. Adrian Annus (Hun) 80.36m; 3. Koji Murofushi (Jpn) 80.12. Women: Pole vault: 1. Svetlana Feofanova (Rus) 4.75m; 2. Annika Becker (Ger) 4.70; 3. Yelena Isinbayeva (Rus) 4.65.
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