Skholina wins shock women's high jump gold

Russia's Svetlana Shkolina won a shock gold in the women's high jump at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday. The Russian jumped a personal best of 2.03 metres, with American Brigetta Barrett, the London Olympics silver medallist, again claiming silver (2.00m). Defending world and Olympic champion Anna Chicherova of Russia and Spain's Ruth Beitia took bronze after both cleared 1.97m. "I experienced some difficulties with my concentration, being too emotional at the start," said Shkolina. "But after a fail in my first attempt at 1.93m, my coach ordered me to calm down and it paid off as I got my concentration back." Chicherova failed three times at 2.00m, along with Beitia and Sweden's Emma Green-Tregaro. Unfancied Shkolina kept the local interest going, however, by clearing the height with Barrett. Shkolina, the bronze medallist at the London Games and fifth in the Daegu worlds two years ago, kept the pressure up by going over at 2.03 while Barrett failed at her first and second attempts. The American also fluffed her third attempt, mistiming her run-up to hand Shkolina an unexpected gold in a field missing injured Croat Blanka Vlasic, world champion in 2007 and 2009. "It was the crowd's support that forced me into that successful jump at 2.03m," beamed Shkolina in reference to a packed and raucous Luzhniki Stadium. Green-Tregaro finished fifth, but there was no repeat drama over her painted nails at a time when gay rights are a contentious issue in the country after the passing of a new law punishing the dissemination of information about homosexuality to minors, which activists argue can be used for a broad crackdown against gays. Green-Tregaro had been warned by the IAAF that the rainbow colours she sported in qualification in support of gay rights were a breach of regulations. Russian pole vault gold medallist Yelena Isinbayeva had called Green-Tregaro "unrespectful" to Russia after painting her nails in the colours of the rainbow flag, that symbolises support for gay rights, while competing in Moscow, a move that garnered acclaim elsewhere in the world. Anders Albertsson, general secretary of the Swedish athletics federation, said before the final that they had talked with the IAAF over the issue and Green-Tregaro had revarnished her nails. "We have been informally approached by the IAAF saying that this is, by definition, a breach of the regulations. We have informed our athletes about this," Albertsson said. "The code of conduct clearly states the rules do not allow any commercial or political statements during the competition." Albertsson added that he had not put pressure on Green-Tregaro to change the colour of her fingernails, but the athlete had painted them red instead. "I'm glad that I did it (paint the nails in rainbow colours)," said Green-Tregaro. "And I'm surprised by the big reaction to this. I'm happy with the reactions as they were mostly positive."