Sick Svetlana soars to pole vault gold

PARIS, Aug 25 (AFP) - Russia's Svetlana Feofanova climbed out of her sick bed to claim the gold medal in the women's pole vault at the World Championships here on Monday.

Feofanova cleared a championship record of 4.75 metres but declined to attempt anything higher due to her weakened condition after becoming the latest victim of an athletes' village 'bug'.

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The stomach flu has also struck, among others, Ethiopia's Derartu Tulu and Kenya's Bernard Lagat

"I fell ill the day before qualifying and I had a temperature above 38 degrees. I think you could see during the competition I wasn't at my best," said Feofanova.

She had been thinking about an attempt on improving the world record of 4. 82m, which was set by her compatriot Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva at the Gateshead Super Grand Prix meeting last month.

However, Feofanova felt unable to raise her game on Monday and settled for a few tears of delight and some comforting hugs from her coach.

"If the competition was later this week I might have tried 4.83m but I couldn't today," said the 23-year-old Muscovite.

There were tears of frustration for Isinbayeva, who was hoping to add to the world junior gold medal she won three years ago, but could only manage 4. 65m for the bronze medal.

"Yes, even I have got my limit," a tight-lipped Isinbayeva said after she had dried her eyes and been awarded her medal.

Sandwiched between the Russian pair was Germany's Annika Becker, who upset the form book and got over 4.70m for second place.

Stacy Dragila, of the United States, the reigning Olympic champion as well as the 1999 and 2001 world champion, was out of the medals and fourth with 4. 55m.

"This year I've changed my technique, changed my home and changed my coach. That's a lot of changes," said the woman who has done much to popularize the event in recent years.

Dragila coined the phase 'Chicks With Sticks' to describe the women vaulters.

She also believes that if you can't beat the Russians, then you might as well join them, and will train with Feofanova and Isinbayeva in Russia next month.

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