Track & field: Valerie puts for gold

Leonard Scott (L) and Mardy Scales of the US relay team drop the baton during the handover in their men's 4x100 metres relay heat. Picture / Reuters

If Friday (NZT) was America's day at the world athletics championships in Helsinki, Finland, then yesterday wasn't.

It was probably Russia's as extraordinary pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva led her country to three titles.

This morning, New Zealand will be hoping it wakes up to its day and the first medal of the championships, as shot putter Valerie Vili lined up in the final during the early hours.

The powerful 20-year-old Aucklander had the best throw in the qualifying rounds.

Athletics New Zealand performance director Eric Hollingsworth described her personal best 19.87m throw in the qualifying round as "fantastic".

"It is the best she has ever thrown - she is right on top of her form."

Vili, who needed just one throw to qualify, was fifth at the 2003 world championships in Paris, when, as Valerie Adams, she threw 18.65m.

At the Athens Olympic Games last year she was eighth with 18.56m.

"I think we should now be very hopeful for a top five and, with a bit of luck, we never know," Hollingsworth said.

"If she can get over 20m she is going to go close [to a medal]."

There was no doubting the colour of Isinbayeva's medal.

The 23-year-old broke her own world record for the ninth time this year - vaulting 5.01m - as she effortlessly added the world crown to the Olympic one she won last year.

Like her compatriot in the 20km walk, Olimpiada Ivanova last week, she also walked away with $229,620 in prize-money and a bonus for breaking the world record.

Russia added a second walk title as Sergey Kirdyapkin led virtually from start to finish in the 50km marathon to land his first senior title. New Zealander Craig Barrett was disqualified for lifting.

Olga Kuzenkova continued the Russian revival, adding the world hammer title to her Olympic crown.

However, the Russians didn't have everything their own way as their women's 4x100m relay team came to grief on the final handover of their heat, which was nothing compared to the shock experienced by the vaunted US men's relay team.

Double sprint champion Justin Gatlin saw his hopes of emulating Maurice Greene's three titles at a world championships shattered.

The baton was dropped in a changeover between lead-off runner Mardy Scales and Leonard Scott.

"I put all the blame on myself," said Scott. "The bottom line is that we practise with these sticks every day and they are supposed to get through the zone and it slipped out of my hand so it was my fault.

"I cannot even tell you how it came out of my hand. These things just happen."

Elsewhere, two other champions evoked nostalgic memories.

France's Ladji Doucoure won the men's 110m hurdles, beating Olympic champion and joint world record holder Liu Xiang of China, as well as four-time world champion Allen Johnson of the United States, to become France's first global champion in the event since Guy Drut won Olympic gold at Montreal in 1976.

America's Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner, coached by world-record holder Michael Johnson's former mentor Clyde Hart, coasted to victory in the 400 metres.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY