More German success in Bydgoszcz – European Junior Championships – European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS

The rising superstar of German athletics Raphael Holzdeppe banished the demons of his no-mark at last summer's European Junior Championships to be crowned World Junior champion on the penultimate day of action in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Holzdeppe did not enter the competition until 5.40m, which left many wondering if his risky strategy might backfire and we would witness a repeat of his disaster in Hengelo last year when he failed to clear his opening height of 5.10m.

On this occasion, though, the world junior record holder remained ice-cool under pressure and sailed majestically clear with his first attempt of the competition – more than one hour and 45 minutes after the first vaulter took to the runway. It was also easy for Holzdeppe at 5.50m, as he sailing over at the first attempt to wrap up what is surely the most comfortable gold medal of the week.

The home fans raised the rafters as local hope Pawel Wojciechowski – who hails from Bydgoszcz – matched his personal best with a second-time clearance at 5.40m to clinch the silver medal. Holzdeppe's team-mate, Karsten Dilla, took bronze with 5.30m.

Holzdeppe, who equalled the world junior record of 5.80m in June and is competing at the Beijing Olympics, added: "I feel very glad after this victory. I had to wait well over an hour for my first attempt and that was hard. Once I got over 5.40m things got easier."

Germany secured a sixth gold medal of the championships – a record in the unified era – when Carolin Schafer smashed five personal bests en route to heptathlon gold.

Leading overnight by 71 points from Yana Maksimava of Belarus, the 16-year-old German maintained her avalanche of PB's with 5.78m in the long jump and 44.02 in the javelin, although he lead was slashed to just 28 points ahead of the 800m after Estonia's Grit Sadeiko launched the spear out to a huge 50.04m to leap from fifth to second in the overall standings.

The main drama in the 800m, though, proved to be the battle for silver and bronze. Schafer finished comfortably ahead of Sadeiko – 2:24.05 to 2:27.15 – to shatter her heptathlon PB by 174pts to 5833 for gold. Behind the German Maksimava's 2:17.98 two-lap performance ensured she had snatched second place on the podium by the tiny margin of one point from the Estonian with a grand total of 5766. Sadieko set a PB of 5765 for bronze.

Schafer said: "My coaches said my goal was to finish in the top five. I was the youngest here so I guess they didn't want to put me under too much pressure."

Ivana Spanovic made history as Serbia's first ever gold medallist at the World Junior Championships taking the women's long jump with a winning leap of 6.61m.

Spanovic, the European Junior silver medallist, took early command of the competition with a first round leap of 6.33m and responded when the competition exploded into life in round three. Germany's Ksenia Achkinadze matched the Serbian's mark midway through the round and then Nastassia Mironchyk, of Belarus, leapt into the lead with 6.46m. That advantage, however, lasted precisely one jump as Spanovic pierced the sand at 6.61m. Mironchyk had to settle for silver and Cuba's Dailenys Alcantara added long jump bronze to her triple jump gold with a final round 6.41m.

"I aimed at a gold medal and I did it," said Spanovic. "My recipe for success is hard work, a lot of practise and a good coach."

Walter Henning and Conor McCullough earned an unlikely one-two for the USA in the men's hammer. A mighty 76.14m opening throw put Henning in command and, he finished with a flourish, setting an area junior record of 76.92m in round six. McCullough's third round effort of 75.88m secured the silver medal. Aleh Dubitski of Belarus took the bronze medal with 75.42m.

There was disappointment for the Alina Talai of Belarus in the final of the women's 100m hurdles as she finished out of the medals. Talai had qualified quickest for the final but has to settle for fourth in 13.50 behind American Teona Rodgers, who struck gold into a stiff 2.4m/s headwind with a time of 13.40.

Mercy Cherono of Kenya took the women's 3000m gold in 8:58.07 with Marina Gordeeva of Russia setting a PB of 9:11.59 to finish just outside of the medals in fourth.

It was double joy for the USA in the men's and women's 4x100m relays. The men's quartet anchored by 100m bronze medallist Terrell Wilks crossed the line in a world junior lead of 38.98 with Great Britain, the only European team in the final, in fifth in 38.89. In the women's event the USA romped to victory in a world junior lead of 43.66 from Jamaica (43.98) with France back in fifth in 45.02.

World leader Konstantin Shabanov recorded 13.41 to be the fastest qualifier for Sunday's 110m hurdles final which is one of eight final on the final day of the championships.

European Athletics (EAA)