Isinbayeva breaks world indoor record again

Russian Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva broke the world indoor women's pole vault record for the second time within a week on Friday.

Isinbayeva, who set eight world records indoor and outdoor last year, vaulted 4.88 metres on her second attempt at the Birmingham indoor meeting after her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, the world champion, failed three times at 4.79 metres.

The other week, Isinbayeva vaulted 4.87 metres at the Sergei Bubka meeting in Donetsk, Ukraine, in her first competition of the season. She won $30,000 for her efforts on Friday.

"I didn't realise I was in such good shape," said Isinbayeva. "I was tired going into the event but the crowd was so good and it really pushed me over the bar."

American Leonard Scott won the showpiece event of the evening, the men's 60 metre final, after three of his opponents had been disqualified for false starts.

Mark Findlay of Trinidad and Tobago was first to the sidelines, followed by Portugal's Olympic 100 silver medallist Francis Obikwelu and Briton Mark Lewis-Francis.

Scott clocked 6.49 seconds, second fastest this year, to finish ahead of world 100 champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis with world record holder and former Olympic 100 champion Maurice Greene in third place. Both men clocked 6.54.

Olympic 10,000 champion Kenenisa Bekele suffered a rare defeat when he was beaten into second in the men's two miles by compatriot Markos Geneti. Geneti outsprinted Bekele on the final lap to win in eight minutes 14.28 seconds.

Holmes wins

Britain's Olympic 800 and 1,500m champion Kelly Holmes received a rapturous reception as she strode to victory in the women's 1,000 in 2:35.39.

Holmes, 34, said she had not yet decided whether she would run in next month's European indoor championships in Madrid.

"I had to perform tonight. I still haven't decided whether I will do the (European) indoors, my training hasn't been going as well as I had expected."