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Vlasic wins women's high jump at worlds

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-21 10:17

BERLIN: Blanka Vlasic of Croatia won the women's high jump at the world championships Thursday, brushing off a much-hyped rivalry with Ariane Friedrich to grab her second consecutive world title.

Blanka Vlasic of Croatia competes in the women's high jump final during the world athletics championships at the Olympic stadium in Berlin August 20, 2009. [Agencies]

Vlasic, who in an upset at last year's Beijing Olympics had to settle for silver, cleared 2.04 meters on her second attempt _ a height her rivals failed to match.

"I knew that everything was in my hands," Vlasic said. "I felt good and all I had to do was improve a bit on my technique. I had my best jump at 2.02, and I hit it really well."

The Croatian said she went into the event thinking that it might take a world record performance to win. The current record is 2.09.

"I decided my focus needs to be on 2.08, 2.10, and I need to expect that I'll need to jump those heights in order to win," she said.

With the gold already in hand, Vlasic made three attempts at the world record height of 2.10. She failed to clear all three jumps.

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Olympic bronze medalist Anna Chicherova of Russia took silver with a jump of 2.02.

"I had hope for getting a medal, and that's how it turned out," Chicherova said.

Friedrich, billed as Vlasic's greatest threat, finished third after clearing the same height.

"I had a lot of pressure here," the German said. "But I think this competition brings the high jump closer to the German crowd and to the world crowd."

Vlasic cleared 2.02 on her second attempt, while Friedrich made it on her third.

"It wasn't easy, because they pumped this rivalry months beforehand," Vlasic said. "You try to avoid thinking about it."

Olympic champion Tia Hellebaut of Belgium has retired and did not compete in Berlin.