Isinbayeva sets record again

Russia's Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva broke the women's pole vault record by sailing over 4.95 metres at the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting on Saturday.

The 23-year-old cleared the bar on her second attempt to break her own mark of 4.93 set in Lausanne on July 5.

It was the 15th world record of Isinbayeva's career and took her another step closer towards the record total of 35 set by Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergey Bubka during his career. Bubka embraced the former gymnast after she soaked up the applause of an appreciative crowd in sweltering heat at the Vallehermoso stadium.

"I knew I was ready to break the record again but it was quite difficult out there," said Isinbayeva. "It was very hot and the wind was tricky too, but my coach kept telling me that my technique was good."

It was a triumphant return to Madrid for the Russian who set her world indoor record of 4.92 in the Spanish capital at the European indoor championships in March.

Her latest record was a break from tradition, though, as she tends to set new marks one centimetre at a time but this time she beat her previous best by two.

"In Greece I failed at a new record of 4.94 so this time I decided to go for two more centimetres instead," explained the Russian.

"I'm certainly on my way to reaching five metres but we'll just have to see when it can be done."

Saturday's performance earned Isinbayeva her eighth outdoor world record and she said a five metre vault at next month's world championships in Helsinki was possible.

Leading mark

World and Olympic champion Dwight Phillips won a high class men's long jump when he sailed out to 8.47 metres in the second round to post the leading mark in the world this year.

Jamaica's James Beckford was second with a jump of 8.28 and Miguel Pate of the United States third with 8.24.

There was also an outstanding performance in the women's long jump with Olympic bronze medallist Tatyana Kotova winning with a massive leap of 7.20 metres. A following wind of 2.3 metres prevented the Russian registering the best mark of 2005.

In the hammer, Kamila Skolimowska of Poland produced a huge final throw of 74.27 metres to push world champion Yipsi Moreno of Cuba into second place with her earlier effort of 71.75m.

Romania's Mihaela Melinte, whose six-year-old world record was broken by Russia's Tatyana Lysenko on Friday, could only manage a modest 68.23 metres.

Cuba's Zulia Calatayud won a thrilling women's 800 metres in 1:58.81 as she kept Morocco's Hasna Benhassi and world champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique at bay in the home straight.

In the men's 800 Kenya's Wilfred Bungei held off the fast finishing home favourite Antonio Reina to win in 1:44.42.

World and Olympic champion Felix Sanchez suffered a rare defeat in the 400 hurdles as he brought up the rear behind American Bershawn Jackson, who crossed the line in 47.92.

His only other loss in the previous four years came last September when the Dominican Republic athlete pulled up with a knee problem in Monaco after his triumph at the Athens Games.

The Vallehermoso stadium was also where the great Edwin Moses lost his 122-race unbeaten run in 1987, the big American being defeated for the first time in nine years and nine months when he finished behind fellow countryman Danny Harris.

There was also an upset in the women's 400 metres as world champion Ana Guevara of Mexico was pipped on the line by Monique Hennegan of the US who won in a season's best of 50.58.