Ukhov went again to a third jump and almost succeeded.  His first two attempts were undistinguished. 

All five remaining jumpers had to go to a third jump.  A win was there for the taking, and Ukhov took it on the final jump at 2.33.  For Kabelka, it was a chance to snare the Slovak national record (Ruffini 2.32 in 1988).  But three PBs tonight were the limit for the 27-year-old.  Baniotis had two excellent but unsuccessful attempts here.  Winner Ukhov has asked for a world-leading 2.37

While missing on his first attempt, Barry sustained an injury to his right knee and was being assisted at the left side of the pit as the competition continued.  Kabelka electrified the hall with yet another PB on his second jump.  Baniotis followed immediately with a clearance.  Ukhov was pressed to the wall but stayed alive with a third-jump clearance.  Baba passed the height, as Barry was eliminated.   Five remain in contention.

Leading off the height, Kabelka stunned the crowd with another PB.  Prior to tonight, his previous indoor best had come from the 2009 season.   Baba and Williams stayed atop the standings, with Baniotis even with Kabelka in third after his first-try success.  Barry cleared on his second to stand in fifth, as Ukhov passed the height.  Chesani, Bubenik and Bondarenko exited, as the Ukrainian just nicked the bar with his trailing leg after showing excellent height.  Six jumpers move on to 2.31. 

Four jumpers—Barry, Baba, Williams and Uhkov—were still perfect after this height.  Of the others, Bondarenko’s first-jump success was particularly notable.  Kabelka’s second-jump clearance represented an indoor PB by four centimeters.  The three jumpers eliminated here were Tamberi, Shapoval and Horak.   Nine jumpers left at 2.28. 

The first two casualties occurred here, as Beer and Klausen departed.  But the height caused problems for others.  Six were successful on their initial attempts, while three needed a pair of jumps and two were pushed to the third jump.  Twelve jumpers remaining at 2.25.

With Williams the only jumper passing, the other thirteen had no problem at this height.  Twelve succeeded on their first attempt.  Only 18-year-old Klausen needed three to stay alive.

Ivan Ukhov waited until all other competitors had been eliminated and then used his final jump at 2.33 to steal the win.  The Russian had been forced to go to a third attempt at 2.31 as well and was clearly not his dominant self tonight.  He ended the evening with three undistinguished attempts at a would-be world-leading 2.37. 

 Until that moment, Jesse Williams was leading the competition with a clean chart through 2.28 and a second-jump clearance at 2.31. 

 A new name in elite high-jumping circles emerged tonight as 27-year-old Slovak Michal Kabelka improved on his three-year-old 2.24 PB at three consecutive heights, ending the evening with an amazing 2.31, only one centimeter off the Slovak national record.  His outdoor PB stands at a meager 2.21 but will surely improve as soon as the snows melt. 

 Kabelka tied for third with Greek jumper Kostadinos Baniotis, who had two excellent tries at a would-be PB 2.33.  Jaroslav Baba ended in fifth at 2.28, having passed 2.31. 

Chicherova closed out the evening with three creditable but unsuccessful attempts at 2.04.

On the first try, the Russian had most of the needed height but brushed the bar off with her posterior.   Her second jump was successful with much room to spare.

Now there is only a pair of combatants, one the reigning Olympic champion and the other the current world champion.  Hellebaut led off with a miss as Chicherova responded with an easy clearance.  The Belgian’s second attempt was not exceptional, but her third had potential although it was not successful.  Chicherova, now the winner, continued with the prescribed height progression as the bar went to 2.00.

Four jumpers are still alive at this height.  Hellebaut surprised with a big clearance on her first try, and Chicherova was likewise successful the first time.  Lowe and DiMartino found the height out of reach, as the American claimed third ahead of the Italian. 

Four jumpers—Trost, Hellebaut, DiMartino and Chicherova—emerged tied for first with clean records.  Lowe was successful on her first try but is in fifth because of her problems at 1.85.  Spencer and Melfort fell out of the competition.

After a moment of ‘Ronald McDonald audience animation’, the competition began again with all nine remaining jumpers in action.  Six first-try clearances were registered, with Lowe needing three.  Her heel clipped the bar on the first try, and her second attempt simply lacked height.  But the third jump was a bold success.  Dobrynska and Kuntsevich were eliminated at this height. 

Eight are jumping at this height, with only Lowe and Chicherova delaying their entrances.  Six competitors had first-jump successes, with Melfort needing two.  Silnicova failed to increase her personal best and exited the competition.

175 cm

EUROPA SHOPPING CENTRE HIGH JUMP

Banská Bystrica, Slovakia

8 February 2012

In the women’s competition, Anna Chicherova of Russia won as expected with a height of 2.00.  The Olympic champion saw her last remaining rival, Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut, depart the competition at 1.98 and was jumping alone after that. 

 Tonight’s competition came only four days after the Daegu world champion jumped a world-leading (and personal-best) 2.06 in the Arnstadt competition.  Her night was blemish-free through the deciding height of 1.98, with prior clearances at 1.85, 1.90 and 1.96.  When the pressure was finally off she had a momentary lapse with a first-jump miss at 2.00.  But that was quickly corrected with a powerful clearance with much space to spare. 

 Moving the bar to 2.04, the Russian ended the evening with three creditable but unsuccessful jumps. 

 Hellebaut, returning to action this season after maternity leave, sagged a bit at 1.93 and needed three attempts.  But she summoned reserve energy at 1.96 with a first-try success to secure second place.

 Chaunté Lowe likewise used a first-jump clearance at 1.93 to take third place ahead of Antonietta DiMartino on a countback.