RBR News Flash! Blanka Vlasic Opens season with clearance of 2.03m! by Alfons Juck, Note by Larry Eder

Photo courtesy of
PhotoRun.net.
Blanka Vlasic cleared 2.03 meters, on her second attempt in her opening competition in Rijeka, Crotia this evening. It was her second attempt at the height that she cleared 2.03m. Thi is also her best ever opening indoors!

EME NEWS (JAN 26, 2009) FLASH
Vlasic 203 in season opener
RIJEKA (CRO, Jan 26): World outdoor and indoor champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia achieved on Monday evening her best ever opening indoor result. During first Rijeka special women High Jump meeting in packed hall (5000 spectators) she jumped clearly in second attempt 203. Already before she improved the world lead of German Ariane Friedrich with even nicer first attempt clearance at 201. She then tried twice at new national indoor height 206 cm and passed the last attempt. She was the undisputed star of the evening, the crowds loved her. “I did not expect such a good begin. You know, in training im jumping maximum 196, not more. But I must admit i had good training recently, the shape is there. Do not expect any predictions from me. The only thing I can say is that I m ready to jump high,” she said after the competition. It was for her 37th competition in a row with at least two metres clearance since rainy Zagreb on July 4, 2007 where she achieved last time a sub two metres. Her next meet is scheduled for Thursday in Goteborg, Sweden where she is due to meet her German rival Friedrich. Interesting things also behind the Croatian star. 28-years old Russian Viktoriya Klyugina jumped in first attempt new indoor PB 198 and ended second. Her younger rival and reigning U23 European Champion Svetlana Shkolina also improved her indoor PB to 198 as third, but she had big luck with her first attempt. Exactly in the same second as the bar started to fall down, the judge took the white flag and all was ok. Both Russians then tried at overall PB 201. Klyugina was second because she jumped 195 in second and Shkolina in third attempt. Former world junior champion Iryna Kovalenko of Ukraine as fourth went over 192 and PolandÂ´s Kamila Stepaniuk again achieved her PB 192 in two days after Hustopece on Saturday. She had also one close attempt at polish record height 195. Canadian Nicole Forrester tied with World Indoor medalist Vita Palamar of Ukraine at 188 for sixth. Series of Vlasic: 184/1-192/1-195/1-198/1-201/1-203/2-206/xxp.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News, Victor Sailer, PhotoRun.net .
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Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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