The Russian Athletics Championship has ended in Chelyabinsk.
On the last day, the women's high jump tournament was of particular interest, in which three-time world champion Maria Lasitskene took part, as well as the triumphant of the London Olympic Games Anna Chicherova, who recently thought about retirement.
Despite the fact that the athletes did not have much time to prepare for the competition, which was twice postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the main favorites managed to confirm their status.
The victory was predictably won by Lasitskene.
She immediately took a height of 1.82 m, then missed the 1.85 m mark, breaking 1.88 m.After that, a native of Kabardino-Balkaria flew over the 1.92 m bar on the second attempt and intended to take 1.97 m, however she did not succeed.
Nevertheless, this turned out to be enough, since the rivals did not even try to get close to her.
After the performance, Lasitskene admitted that she was unhappy with the result, despite the victory.
“Today I have very strange impressions, I am naturally unhappy with the result, but I want to say thank you to Chelyabinsk for the hospitality, great sector and fans.
This was the first start of this strange season for me, the first time I left the arena.
We understood that it would not be easy.
The coach praised me, so everything is fine, ”Lasitskene TASS quotes.
As for the future plans of the world's best high jumper, its next start will be the Russian team championship, which will be held in Sochi from September 19 to 20.
According to the athlete, she will devote the whole next week to preparing for this tournament.
“I have not watched a single international start and am not going to watch.
I don’t know what will happen when.
I don't follow anyone and I don't know what results they show.
I am absolutely not interested in this, ”the athlete admitted.
The second place was taken by Christina Koroleva-Poltavets.
Her result is 1.88 m. Chicherova jumped three centimeters lower.
She paid tribute to the winner, noting that she did not see anything wrong with the fact that she could not demonstrate her maximum.
“Masha is beautiful as always, but the conditions are not easy.
And even more so for Masha, who prepares through competitive practice.
For her, competition is like water for fish, so it is natural that something did not work out for her today.
Still, she had her first start today after too long a break, "Chicherova explained.
As for other disciplines, there were also no sensations.
In the men's high jump, the winner was the bronze medalist of the 2019 World Championship Ilya Ivanyuk.
His result was 2.24 m - the same as that of Alexander Asanov, however, due to fewer attempts, the more experienced athlete came first.
Sergei Shubenkov was unmatched in the 110 m hurdles, and Angelica Sidorova, as expected, won in pole vaulting.
Experienced Ekaterina Koneva became the national champion in the triple jump, and Dmitry Menkov - in the long jump.
Summing up the results of the competition, the head coach of the Russian national athletics team, Yuri Borzakovsky, admitted that he was satisfied with both the organization of the tournament, which was held for the first time in Chelyabinsk, and the performance of the wards.
“I would also like to thank the judges, coaches and athletes for the fact that in this difficult season, taking into account the pandemic, in general they managed to realize themselves.
The team was not tasked with showing super-results, but they still turned out to be good.
It was more important to go through competitive practice.
The championship was great in all respects, ”summed up Borzakovsky.
The Russian Championship was the main start of the current season, given the break associated with the pandemic, as well as the removal of domestic athletes from international forums.
Recall that the International Association of Athletics Federations (World Athletics) suspended the issuance of neutral statuses to Russians in connection with the scandal around the high jumper Danil Lysenko.
It is not yet known when this process will resume, but many athletes assume that they are unlikely to be able to perform outside the country this season.
“I won't say that I completely let go of the situation, because somewhere inside there is a hope that something might be.
But I think soberly.
Probably nothing will happen.
Such a swing is annoying.
It was important to start the season, it turned out to be strange and incomprehensible for everyone.
Probably, you need to be grateful that nothing hurts me, technically everything seems to be fine, and try not to bother yourself, ”Lasitskene said.
However, there are those who still hope to receive admission in the near future.
Among them is Shubenkov.
“I will definitely play this season if they give me neutral status.
I hope so to the end.
Of course, theoretically there is a chance to perform this year.
But so far I do not have enough information, ”Shubenkov said.