Isinbayeva sets pole vault world record; Bolt wins

ZURICH — Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva bounced back from losing her world title by setting a world record of 16 feet, 7¼ inches in the Weltklasse meet Friday.

Usain Bolt, in his first race since smashing world records in the 100 and 200 meters, shook off Jamaican teammate Asafa Powell to win the 100 in 9.81 seconds. He was well off his world record of 9.58 set less than two weeks ago at the world championships in Berlin.

“I would say this was a shaky race,” Bolt said.

Isinbayeva has broken the world outdoor and indoor marks 27 times. The latest one came on her first attempt at this Golden League meet, improving on her leap of 16-6¾ at Beijing a year ago in winning her second Olympic gold medal. Isinbayeva lost her title at the world championships when she failed to clear a height.

“I was fresh; I was aiming for the record,” Isinbayeva told the crowd at Letzigrund Stadium.

Isinbayeva passed the first five heights, then cleared 15-5½ on her first attempt and did the same at 15-9¼. That assured her of victory over Poland’s Anna Rogowska, who won gold in Berlin but finished second this time at 15-7¼.

“I was surprised it was so easy,” Isinbayeva said. “I feel great. It’s really unbelievable just after such a great defeat in Berlin, but I’m happy that I was defeated. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be so hungry for the world record.”

Isinbayeva thanked her coach, Vitaliy Petrov, for good advice after Berlin.

“It was just a problem with myself,” she said. “It was necessary to repair my brain to see the sport from the other side because when you’re always on the top it’s hard to analyze. It was very useful for me to lose.”

Bolt, the world and Olympic champion, trailed Powell halfway into the race then used his huge stride to pull ahead and eased up in the last couple of meters. Powell finished in 9.88, followed by two Americans, Darvis Patton in 9.95 and Michael Rodgers in 9.98.

Bolt did not crush his rivals but still had enough to win ahead of Powell, the former world-record holder.

“My body was sitting at the start,” Bolt said. “I was a little bit tired through the race. All things considered, the time is not bad. I needed to pick up my speed as my body did not respond well to the race.”

Powell, the bronze medalist in Berlin, said this was proof he could beat Bolt “when everything works out fine for me.”

“I have 9.6 in my legs and at my next meet I’m going to put it on the track,” Powell said. “Everyone has to go out with that in mind, that they can beat Usain.

“He’s way ahead of the crowd right now but we’re really playing catch-up. We’ll get there somehow. Usain is taking the sport to a whole different level and we are going up there to join him.”

Bolt had enough in him to later lead Jamaica to victory in the 400 relay. Bolt had a lot of ground to make up but overtook Wallace Spearmon, the U.S. anchor runner. Jamaica clocked 37.70 and the Americans 37.73.

World champion Sanya Richards of the United States stayed in the chase for the $1 million Golden League jackpot by powering home for an easy victory in the 400 meters.

Richards won in 48.94 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year. Allyson Felix of the United States, the 200 world champion in Berlin, was second in 49.83, and Shericka Williams of Jamaica, the 400 silver medalist, was third in 50.40.

“I stayed in my race and waited till the top when I knew I’d be strong,” Richards said. “The jackpot for some reason doesn’t add a lot of pressure or stress on me. I’m going in very confident that as long as I execute I know I can win.”

Richards needs to win the 400 in the last Golden League meet in Brussels next week to be one of the jackpot winners.

The jackpot goes to the athlete or athletes who win their event in all six of the Golden League meets. The Weltklasse is the fifth of six meets.

By winning the pole vault, Isinbayeva stayed in the jackpot hunt, as well as Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, who cruised to victory in the 5,000 in 12:52.32, the fastest time this year. Bekela won the 5,000 and 10,000 double in Berlin, after doing the same at the Olympics.

Kerron Stewart of Jamaica lost her chance for a share of the jackpot by losing the 100. Carmelita Jeter of the United States won instead in 10.86, while Stewart finished second in 11.04.

“I can’t complain, the million dollars isn’t everything,” Stewart said.

Debbie Ferguson of Bahamas was third in 11.04 and world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica faded to fourth. Jeter was the bronze medalist in Berlin.

LaShawn Merritt beat American teammate and rival Jeremy Wariner in the 400, clocking 44.21 seconds. Wariner stayed with Merritt until the last 50 meters but could not keep up with the man who has taken away his Olympic and world titles and timed 44.62. Renny Quow of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 44.77 for an exact repeat of the finish in Berlin.

Associated Press Writer Frank Jordans contributed to this report.