LISBON: WORLD INDOOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS. RUSSIANS WIN 8 MORE MEDALS ON LAST DAY

Two golds, two silvers and four bronze medals were the result of the last day for the Russian athletes at these championships, held at Lisbon’s Atlantic Pavilion. The golds were won by Yury Borzakovski, who won the men’s 800 metres final in spectacular style in 1.44.49, the second best time in the world to date. The already European Champion adds the world title to his list of personal successes. At the end of the first lap, he was at the back in last place but came forward steadily to make a strong, sustained surge in the final 400 metres. Russia’s women were the other gold medallists of the day, winning the 4x400m relay in 3.30.00, beating the famous Jamaicans into second place. In third came the German team. Russia’s team was composed of Y. Nosova, O. Zykina, Y. Sotnikova and O. Kotlyarova. The first of the silvers was won by Tatyana Lebedeva (women’s Triple Jump) with a jump of 14.85m. The Bulgarian Tereza Marinova was first with 14.91 and Tiombe Hurd of the USA, third, with 14.19. The second silver also belongs to the women, this time Olga Kotlyarova in the 400m, adding silver to the gold she won in the relay. The bronze was won by Olesya Zykina, another gold medallist in the victorious team of four. In the middle distance, Natalya Gorelova won the bronze in the 1500m, with 4.11.74. In the men’s team, Lev Lobodin won the bronze medal in the heptathlon with 6,202 points and the Russian team won the bronze in the 4x400 m. relay in 3.04.82 (A. Ladeyshchikov, R. Mashchenko, B. Gorban and A. Semyonov being the team. Russia won a total of 15 medals (4 golds, five silvers and six bronze medals) in these championships and gained second place over all. Other CIS countries in the final medals table were Belarus (three medals, 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) and Ukraine with 2 silvers. The USA leads the medals table with just two more than Russia (17).

TIMOTHY BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.RU LISBON