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Isinbayeva loses pole vault title at World Athletics
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-18 11:32

BERLIN: Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva lost her five-year stranglehold on the pole vault Monday, failing to clear any height at the world championships.

In stark contrast, Kenenisa Bekele and the Jamaican sprinters were as predictable as ever.

Isinbayeva loses pole vault title at World Athletics

Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia competes in the women's pole vault final during the world athletics championships at the Olympic stadium in Berlin August 17, 2009. World's all-time great women's pole vaulter Elena Isinbayeva suffered her first defeat in six years in major competitions. [Agencies]
Isinbayeva loses pole vault title at World Athletics

Bekele extended his domination over the 10,000 meters with a fourth straight world title and Shelly-Ann Fraser added one to her Olympic gold in the 100.

Isinbayeva had won all major titles since the 2004 Athens Games and saw a difficult year hit an unexpected low when the bar fell down on her at 4.80 meters. As the Russian held her head in despair, Anna Rogowska of Poland, who beat her at a meet in London last month, celebrated unexpected gold. She had cleared 4.75 meters.

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"I have no proper explanation," the Russian said. "Everything was perfect. I was confident. ... I did not expect it."

Unlike Isinbayeva, Bekele didn't use 10 fingers to hide his face. He was holding up just one to show he remains the undisputed No. 1 when entering the final straight, having used his famed final kick to distance Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea by about 20 meters. As if he had been out on a jog, the Ethiopian immediately went on a victory lap with his teammates.

Equaling the four world titles of Haile Gebrselassie, Bekele is challenging him ever more as Africa's greatest ever distance runner. He will decide later whether to go for a long-distance double.

Isinbayeva loses pole vault title at World Athletics

Russia's Elena Isinbayeva covers her face after failing her first attempt to clear a height in the women's pole vault final of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin, capital of Germany, on August 17, 2009. [Xinhua]
Isinbayeva loses pole vault title at World Athletics

Over the shortest distances, Jamaica emerged ever stronger as the greatest nation.

Fraser blasted out of the blocks and led throughout the race to give Jamaica its second sprint gold in as many days. Usain Bolt won the men's 100 in a world record time of 9.58 seconds on Sunday.

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