Russian girls fly high in Stockholm

Russian athletes have again shown their strength going into the World Championships.

Svetlana Feofanova shared victory in the women’s pole vault at the Super Grand Prix in Stockholm.

But before that there was an historic performance on the track.

America's Olympic and world 400 meters champion, Jeremy Wariner, ran the fastest time in the world this year and crossed the line in 43.50 seconds, the third fastest time ever, just outside the great Michael Johnson's World Record.

In contrast the fastest man on the planet over 100 meters, Asafa Powell recorded 10.04 seconds to win his event.

That's slow by his standards – his last race before Osaka. And that is not his only problem: he is still waiting for his visa for Japan and had hoped to fly out in two days time.

But on the field Russian pole vaulter, Svetlana Feofanova, will be delighted with her showing. She tied for first with world number two Monika Pyrek after both jumped 4 meters 70 centimeters.

While Anna Chicherova was runner-up to Blanka Vlasic in the high jump with a leap of 1 meter 98 centimeters. No shame there as Vlasic produced the second highest jump ever, clearing 2 meters 7 centimeters, just 2 centimeters short of Stefka Kostadinova's world record of 1987. Chicherova could only applaud.