Thorkildsen throws a world leading 91.28m at the Weltklasse in Zurich – European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS

World, Olympic and European Javelin Throw champion Andreas Thorkildsen threw his spear soaring to a world leading 91.28m at the Weltklasse Golden League meeting in Zurich on Friday night.

The Norwegian, who was voted European Athlete of the Year 2008, with his second round throw of 91.28m smashed the world season's lead 90.71m of Latvian Vadims Vasilevskis set in May and came agonizingly close to his own career best 91.59m set in 2006.

 "Everything went well tonight. I knew I had such a throw in me; I just could not do it earlier. However I am happy it has happened tonight," said the Norwegian World champion.

Finn Antti Ruuskanen produced 85.39m in the fifth round to take the second place while his compatriot Ari Mannio took the third with 81.82m.

After five of the six-stage ÅF Golden League 2009 series meetings, only three athletes stay in contention for the US$1 Million Jackpot.

Pole Vault star Yelena Isinbayeva along with American 400m world champion Sanya Richards and Ethiopian middle distance star Kenenisa Bekela will go to the last stop in Brussels on September 4 with an even shot on the biggest prize money in world athletics.

In a remarkable night of athletics at the Weltklasse Zürich, Yelena Isinbayeva scripted one of the most dramatic comebacks in sports history, after failing to win a medal at last week's world championships in Berlin, set a new World Pole Vault record with a first time clearance at 5.06m. The meet also witnessed four other 2009 world leads including the first sub 49 in women's 400m this year from Sanya Richards 48.94s and Bekele's 12.52.32 in men's 5000m that knocked around four seconds off his 2009 best which he set in Rome on 10 July.

In the women's 1500m, three went under 4mins. Double World champion Maryam Jamal in 3:59.15 with USA's Anna Willard  – 3:59.38 PB, now the third fastest American of all-time – and Britain's Lisa Dobriskey (3:59.50) completed the podium.

World championships bronze medallist Bob Tahri finished second behind world champion Ezekiel Kemboi in the 3000m Steeplechase with 8:05.29. Finland's Jukka Keskisalo, the reigning European champion, at last beat the 33-year-old national record (8:12.60), improving his PB from 8:12.93 to 8:10.67 but could only finish sixth.

In the absence of newly crowned world champion Phillips Idowu, Portugal's Olympic champion Nelson Evora was back on top in the Triple Jump with a 17.38m victory.

European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS