Olsson strikes gold in emotional Ullevi return

By John Bagratuni Aug 12, 2006, 19:04 GMT

Sweden\'s Christian Olsson leaps during the triple jump final at the European Athletics Championships 2006 in Gothenburg, Saturday 12 August 2006. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

Gothenburg, Sweden - Christian Olsson made an emotional return to the Ullevi stadium to win the European triple jump title for hosts Sweden on Saturday, 11 years after selling programmes there at the world championships.

Olsson electrified the packed arena with Sweden's third gold of the week following heptathlete Carolina Kluft and 100m hurdles runner Susanna Kallur.

Russian world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva added the pole vault European title to her Olympic and world crown and Belarus got three golds: from shot putter Natallia Koronenko, hammer thrower Ivan Tikhon and 3,000m steeplechase runner Alesia Turava, whose sister Ryta Turava had earlier won the 20km walk.

There was also lots of joy for the Baltics, with 110m hurdles runner Stanislav Olijars ending a 72-year title drought for Latvia and Lithuanian world and Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna winning the discus ahead of Estonains Gerd Kanter and Aleksander Tammert.

Unheralded German Ulrike Maisch put an end to southern Europe's women's marathon monopoly but Marta Dominguez won the 5,000m for Spain.

Olsson, who had watched Jonathan Edwards soar the still valid world record of 18.29m as a 15-year-old programme vendor at the 1995 worlds, shocked the opposition with a European season-best 17.67m in his second attempt before fouling the remaining four.

Douglas Nathan of Briton came second with 17.21m in difficult wet conditions and Romanian Marian Oprea was third with 17.18m.

Victory was also sweet for Olsson because he almost hung up his spikes earlier this year over ankle problems which sidelined him since shortly after winning at the 2004 Olympics.

'After all my injuries it is unbelievable but at the same time perfect for me to win in front of this amazing and wonderful home crowd,' said Olsson, adding that he tried too hard in the next jumps to get to 18m.

Isinbayeva completed her title collection with just five jumps for victory on 4.80m before failing three times at a world record 5.02m. Monika Pyrek came second for Poland with 4.65m and Tatyana Polnova placed third with 4.65m.

'Now I have the full collection of gold, this one was missing. Today it was more important to win than to get the record,' said Isinbayeva.

Ryta Turava said after her walk win that Alesia must now match her achievement, and the former world record holder duly delivered - running away from her rivals on the last backstraight to win in 9 minutes 26.05 seconds. Tatyana Petrova of Russia was second in 9:28:05 and Poland's Wioletta Janowska came third in 9:31.62.

'Yes, we are a good family. My sister won the walk and I the steeple. But I did not watch her race. I do not like to watch my sister, it's too much tension. But now we will celebrate,' said Turava.

The world indoor champion Koronenko won the women's shot put with 19.43m in a tight battle with compatriot world outdoor champion Nadezhda Ostapchuk, who was just 1cm off on 19.42m. Petra Lammert of Germany got third place with 19.17m.

The two-time world champion Ivan Tikhon took the hammer title with 81.11m from Finland's Olli-Pekka Karjalainen (80.84m) and Vadim Devyatovski (80.76m).

Maisch caught up with then leading Russian Irina Permitina at the 40km mark and triumphed in 2:30:01 hours. Olivera Jevtic came second in 2:30:27 for Serbia's first medal after the recent split with Montenegro while the tiring Permitina faded to third in 2:30:53.

'When I was first at 40km I couldn't believe it. And on the last lap in the stadium I had tears in my eyes and was about to cry,' said the elated Maisch.

Until Saturday, the women's Euro-marathon had only seen winners from the southern European countries of Portugal (Rosa Mota three times, Manuela Machado twice) and Italy (Maria Guida).

But the Mediterranean countries restored at least a little pride when Dominguez outkicked her rivals on the home stretch to take the 5,000m in 14:56.18 minutes from Russia's Liliya Shobukhova (14:56.57) and former world record holder Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey (14:59.29).

In the Baltic fest, Lithuania's Alekna dominated the discus with 68.67m from the Estionan duo, with Kanter on 68.03m and Tammert on 66.14m.

Latvia got its first title since Janis Dalins won the 50km walk at the inaugural championships 1934 when the fancied Olijar cruised to a hurdles win in 13.24 after world champion Ladji Doucoure crashed out injured in the semis. Thomas Blaschek of Germany (13.64) and Andy Turner of Britain (13:52) took the minor medals.

The 19th European championships finish Sunday with 11 finals: the men's 800m, 5,000m, marathon, 4x100m, 4x400m, pole vault and the women's 1,500m, 4x100m, 4x400m, long jump and javelin.