Pole vaulter beats Poland's Anna Rogowska in jump-off to claim her first senior title in Gothenburg
There was a scream as Holly Bleasdale sailed over the bar to claim her first title at the European indoor championship. The 21-year-old held her nerve as the competition in Gothenburg went to a rare jump-off, similar to a sudden-death penalty shoot-out, between herself and the defending champion, Anna Rogowska, a Polish multi-medallist with 10 years' experience on the Chorley athlete, who took up the sport four years ago.
But Bleasdale won out, clearing 4.67m for a second time in the final after the bar had been lowered from the initial jump-off height of 4.72m. Earlier in the rounds, Bleasdale, the world indoor bronze medallist, had gone dangerously close to finishing outside of the medals as she was in fourth place heading down the runway for a third and final attempt at 4.67m. High in the air, the Lancashire lass rattled the bar, but somehow managed to clear it.
Bleasdale and Rogowska then ended up in a two-horse race, both trying to clear 4.72m, but to no avail. They were given the option of sharing the gold medal or going into a jump-off. Despite never having experienced one before, Bleasdale chose to go for broke and her gamble paid off. The Pole stuttered and Bleasdale, blowing out her cheeks and urging herself to "go for it", stormed down the runway to claim the title.
There was shock for two of Britain's major medal hopes as high jumper Robbie Grabarz and long jumper Shara Proctor crashed out of their respective finals to finish out of the medals. Grabarz, the Olympic bronze medallist – whose fortunes soared last season to catapult him into the category of world's best – failed to clear 2.27m, having managed no higher than 2.23m, well below his season's best of 2.31m and his personal best indoors of 2.34m.
Ahead of this competition, Grabarz had talked about wanting to become the first man to hold both indoor and outdoor European titles, as well as chasing the British indoor record, but after stuttering in qualifying, he seemed far from his usual confident self and finished in sixth place.
Proctor came closer to the podium. In bronze medal position through five rounds of the competition, with a distance of 6.69m, she was finally overtaken by 2cm and knocked down into fourth place. The Anguilla-born athlete was unable to respond, fouling her sixth and final attempt. "I'm very disappointed," said the world indoor bronze medallist. "I came out here after qualifying to jump far and get a medal, but that didn't happen. It's a learning experience, it just gives you that extra fire to come back outdoors and do a lot better."
James Dasaolu impressed in the semi-finals of the men's 60m, storming to a personal best of 6.53sec and beating one of the favourites – France's Jimmy Vicaut – to book his place in the final. Hurdler Perri Shakes-Drayton looks on course to win a medal in Sunday's 400m final after she won her semi-final in majestic fashion, running 51.03sec, and reiterating her desire to win medals, while, in the men's 800m, Mukhtar Mohammed put on an exemplary display winning his semi-final in 1min 49.89sec. "I can smell the medal now, I don't know which one, but my target is the gold," he said. "If I get the gold great, but if not, I know I tried. This year I'm a different person, in the past two years I've been on the waiting list for the endurance team and this year I feel it's my chance to perform. I've got my chance now in the final."
The 800m defending champion, Jenny Meadows, ran a good time to win her semi-final in 2mins 01.04sec and give herself a chance in Sunday's final, while 21-year-old Asha Philip qualified for the women's 60m final. Reported by guardian.co.uk 6 hours ago.
There was a scream as Holly Bleasdale sailed over the bar to claim her first title at the European indoor championship. The 21-year-old held her nerve as the competition in Gothenburg went to a rare jump-off, similar to a sudden-death penalty shoot-out, between herself and the defending champion, Anna Rogowska, a Polish multi-medallist with 10 years' experience on the Chorley athlete, who took up the sport four years ago.
But Bleasdale won out, clearing 4.67m for a second time in the final after the bar had been lowered from the initial jump-off height of 4.72m. Earlier in the rounds, Bleasdale, the world indoor bronze medallist, had gone dangerously close to finishing outside of the medals as she was in fourth place heading down the runway for a third and final attempt at 4.67m. High in the air, the Lancashire lass rattled the bar, but somehow managed to clear it.
Bleasdale and Rogowska then ended up in a two-horse race, both trying to clear 4.72m, but to no avail. They were given the option of sharing the gold medal or going into a jump-off. Despite never having experienced one before, Bleasdale chose to go for broke and her gamble paid off. The Pole stuttered and Bleasdale, blowing out her cheeks and urging herself to "go for it", stormed down the runway to claim the title.
There was shock for two of Britain's major medal hopes as high jumper Robbie Grabarz and long jumper Shara Proctor crashed out of their respective finals to finish out of the medals. Grabarz, the Olympic bronze medallist – whose fortunes soared last season to catapult him into the category of world's best – failed to clear 2.27m, having managed no higher than 2.23m, well below his season's best of 2.31m and his personal best indoors of 2.34m.
Ahead of this competition, Grabarz had talked about wanting to become the first man to hold both indoor and outdoor European titles, as well as chasing the British indoor record, but after stuttering in qualifying, he seemed far from his usual confident self and finished in sixth place.
Proctor came closer to the podium. In bronze medal position through five rounds of the competition, with a distance of 6.69m, she was finally overtaken by 2cm and knocked down into fourth place. The Anguilla-born athlete was unable to respond, fouling her sixth and final attempt. "I'm very disappointed," said the world indoor bronze medallist. "I came out here after qualifying to jump far and get a medal, but that didn't happen. It's a learning experience, it just gives you that extra fire to come back outdoors and do a lot better."
James Dasaolu impressed in the semi-finals of the men's 60m, storming to a personal best of 6.53sec and beating one of the favourites – France's Jimmy Vicaut – to book his place in the final. Hurdler Perri Shakes-Drayton looks on course to win a medal in Sunday's 400m final after she won her semi-final in majestic fashion, running 51.03sec, and reiterating her desire to win medals, while, in the men's 800m, Mukhtar Mohammed put on an exemplary display winning his semi-final in 1min 49.89sec. "I can smell the medal now, I don't know which one, but my target is the gold," he said. "If I get the gold great, but if not, I know I tried. This year I'm a different person, in the past two years I've been on the waiting list for the endurance team and this year I feel it's my chance to perform. I've got my chance now in the final."
The 800m defending champion, Jenny Meadows, ran a good time to win her semi-final in 2mins 01.04sec and give herself a chance in Sunday's final, while 21-year-old Asha Philip qualified for the women's 60m final. Reported by guardian.co.uk 6 hours ago.