Croatia's Vlasic extends high jump winning streak
MADRID (AFP) — Croatia's world champion Blanka Vlasic notched up her 31st consecutive win when she claimed the high jump title at the Madrid athletics meeting Saturday with a leap of 2.06 meters, just one centimeter off her personal best.
She failed at an attempt at 2.10 metres, which would have seen her break the world record of 2.09 by Bulgaria's Stefka Kostadinova.
Her arch-rival and reigning Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko was third with a jump of 2.01 metres, behind Spain's Ruth Beitia Vila.
Despite the impressive win the world indoor and outdoor champion said she didn't feel well during the competition.
"I expected to jump over 2.03 metres at least but as I'm a very competitive athlete I had to jump higher," she said.
"Sometimes it's even better not to jump the measure in the first attempt as it's a good opportunity to compete with yourself and grow throughout the competition".
Among the other highlights of Spain's biggest outdoor athletics meet of the year was the victory of Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles, in the men's 100 metres with a time of 10.03 seconds.
Martina beat Portugal's Nigerian-born sprinter Francis Obikwelu, the silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, who could only manage 10.08 seconds.
"I'm very happy about my victory here in Madrid because I was suffering from an injury," said Martina. "I'm very sure that I can achieve a medal in Beijing, not only in the podium but I'm going for the gold medal and I'm sure that I can achieve it".
Portugal's world champion Nelson Evora won the men's triple jump with a leap of 17.40 metres, well below his 17.74 in Osaka.
In the men's 800 metres, South Africa's Olympic silver medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi edged out Uganda's Abraham Chepkirwok to win in a time of 1:43.64.
Ethiopia's world indoor champion Mekonnen Deresse won the men's 1500 metres in a time of 3:33.99.
Cuba's Osleidys Menendez took the women's javelin with a throw of 63.84 metres.
She said afterwards the contest was hard because of the wind, but she felt confident about her chances in Beijing.
"I expect to win the gold medal although I will be facing a tough competition with big names like the German (Christina) Obergfoll or the Czech (Barbora) Spotakova."
Laverne Jones of the US Virgin Islands took the women's 100 metres with a time of 11.28 seconds, ahead of Ghana's Vida Anim in 11.40.
