Gevaert is sprint queen; three titles for Russia (Roundup)

By John Bagratuni Aug 9, 2006, 21:04 GMT

Belgian Kim Gevaert celebrates after winning the women\'s 100m final at the European Athletics Championships 2006 in Gothenburg, Wednesday 09 August 2006. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

Gothenburg, Sweden - Belgian Kim Gevaert became the sprint queen of the European championships as she smashed the opposition Wednesday night in a historic 100 metres final.

Gevaert, 28, won the first-ever women's Euro gold for Belgium in 11.06 seconds and the third overall for the country, 35 years after Karel Lismont's marathon title in 1971.

'I wrote Belgian history today,' she said. 'The pressure was enormous, and I was very nervous.'

In other action, Andrey Silnov had a perfect high jump to deny hosts Sweden, and there was more joy for Russia when Tatyana Lebedeva and Yevgeniya Isakova (400m hurdles) got last-gasp titles over Greek opposition in the women's triple jump and 400m hurdles, respectively.

Russia fell short of a fourth title on the day when Marc Raquil of France pipped Vladislav Frolov on the line in the 400 metres - the second title on the day for La Grande Nation after successive 1,500 metres titles from Mehdi Baala.

Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen won the men's javelin for Norway, and Ryta Turava of Belarus was first in the women's 20km walk.

The top favourite Gevaert stormed to the 100m victory just two hundredths off her personal best of 11.04 seconds. Yekaterina Grigoryeva of Russia came second in 11.22 seconds in a photo finish with compatriot Irina Khabarova, who also clocked 11.22 seconds.

'I am so happy to have won the gold medal. I was not aware that the Russian girl was 16 hundredths behind. That's a lot,' said Gevaert, who like Francis Obikwelu on the men's side now seeks a sprint double by adding the 200m title.

Olympic champion Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus finished sixth in 11.34 seconds, while Merlene Ottey, the former Jamaican star who now competes for Slovenia at her first Euro event, aged 46, missed the final by three hundredths of a second at 11.44 seconds.

Lebedeva, 30, soared 15.15 metres in the final round to steal first place from Greek Hrisopiyi Devetzi, who shocked the opposition with 15.05m in the first round. Anna Pyatykh of Russia came third with 15.02m.

Lebedeva completed her set of major titles after two world titles 2001 and 2003 and long jump Olympic gold in 2004. In 2005, she was the sole winner of a 1-million-dollar jackpot in the Golden League series.

'Just this gold medal was missing. It is a special gold because European championships are only every four years and have a great tradition and prestige. I decided to risk it in my last jump,' said Lebedeva.

Minutes later, the same occurred on the track when Olympic champion Fani Halkia seemed assured of the hurdles title for Greece, only to see Isakova storm past her on the final metres to win in a personal best 53.93 seconds. Halkia clocked 54.02, and Tetyana Tereshchuk-Antipova of Ukraine was third in 54.55 seconds.

Russian delight was complete when Silnov proved that his European Cup win in June was no fluke, raising his personal best by four centimetres to 2.36m and clearing all heights on the first attempt before missing three times on 2.41m.

Tomas Janku came second with a personal best 2.34m, leaving only third and fourth for the home favourites, Olympic and former world champion Stefan Holm and Linus Thornblad, who also crossed 2.34m.

'Everything was in place today. It was simply a Russian evening,' said Silnov.

Holm admitted that he was 'a little disappointed that I didn't win the gold medal.'

Russia ran out of luck in the 400m when Raquil roared past Frolov to give France its first-ever men's 400m title in 45.02 seconds to Frolov's personal best 45.09. Third place also went to France from Leslie Djhone (45.4).

Earlier, Baala ran away from his rivals on the final back straight to triumph in 3 minutes, 39.02 seconds as favoured world indoor champion Ivan Heshko of Ukraine had to settle for second in 3:39.5 and Spain's Juan Carlos Higuera took third in 3:39.62.

'A dream has come true. I am moved to tears because this is a great moment - with the medal ceremony still ahead - and it might be the last medal and therefore last time for me,' said Baala.

While Baala got his second Euro crown, Czech veteran Jan Zelezny, 40, leaves international javelin with three Olympic and worlds golds each but no European title as he came third with 85.92m behind Thorkildsen (88.78m) and Tero Pitkamaki of Finland (86.44m).

'I feel very bad after my last big championships. But I showed that despite my age I can still throw with the young boys,' Zelezny said.

Turava led the walk from start to finish to win her first major championship in 1 hour, 27 minutes, 8 seconds ahead of Olga Kaniskina of Russia (1:28:35) and Italian Elisa Rigaudo (1:28:37).

The championships continue Thursday with six finals: the men's 200m, 400m hurdles, 50km walk and the women's 400m, 800m and discus.