Dragila debuts with gold, world mark

Ukraine8217;s Anzhela Balakhonova settled for silver after putting up a brave challenge which kept the remaining spectators in the stadium for the last event of the opening day in their seats until late in the night yesterday.After clearing 4.55 and missing her first two tries at 4.60, she saved her third for an unsuccessful attempt at 4.65.

Australian Tatiana Grigorieva took the bronze with a a mark of 4.45. She did not miss a single jump until going for 4.50, with no luck.

The Russian-born vaulter, who improved her personal record by five centimetres, then stayed to watch the remaining pair battle it out.

George, who has been dominating the sport forthe last few years, was eliminated after three failures at 4.35 metres.

The Australian, who injured her back while training in Switzerland recently, cleared the bar at 4.15 metres, passed at 4.25 then failed three times at 4.35.

At her second attempt, she landed on the side of the mat and appeared to hurt her ankle on one of the posts supporting the bar. The former circus acrobat, who made women8217;s pole vault hit headlines by setting 12 outdoor world records, again saw Dragila steal the show as she did two years ago, when she lost to the American at the World Indoor Championships.

8220;Winning the first outdoor title after taking the first indoor one was not on my mind,8221; said Dragila. 8220;I just wanted to jump high, over 15 feet 4.59 metres. It was exciting,8221; added the 23-year-old Californian, who won 30,000 for equalling the world record.

8220;We wanted to go for 4.61 metres but the rule says we have to follow the progression when there is more than one athlete still in the competition.8221;Dragila warnedher brilliant performance at the first appearance of her sport at an outdoor World Championships might be followed by others. 8220;People say I jump a bit like Sergei Bubka,8221; she said.