Lysenko, Saladino beat the conditions in Zagreb - IAAF World Athletics Tour 08. July 07

Zagreb, Croatia – Despite the endless rains that drenched the Croatian capital throughout the day, Tatyana Lysenko and Irving Saladino keenly illustrated why they are their respective events biggest stars at the 57th edition of the Hanzekovic Memorial on Wednesday (04) evening, a Grand Prix status event as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2007.

While the unforgiving skies – coupled with unseasonably chilly temperatures - affected many of the performances and kept the enthusiastic crowds away, they certainly didn’t do much to dampen the competitive ferocity of Lysenko and Saladino. Indeed, the pair didn’t seem to notice.


Despite the rains, Lysenko near 77m

Competing on a rain-soaked throwing ring, The Russian World record holder quickly took control of the competition, opening with a 75.26 effort, following up with a 76.24, and improving yet again to 76.74 to add 20cm to the meeting record she set last year. Given better conditions, the 23-year-old would have certainly threatened her 78.61 World record set at home in Sochi in May.

As in Ostrava a week ago where she twice threw beyond 77 metres, four of her five legal throws sailed farther that the best the runner-up could produce. Finishing second was Cuban Yipsi Moreno, who reached 73.89 in the second round. German record holder Betty Heidler, who engaged Lysenko in a thrilling battle here last year, was third this time around, with a 73.25 throw, also from the second round.

Home crowd favourite Ivana Brkljacic, the national record holder who broke through the 75m barrier this year, finished a distant fifth, with a 70.92 best in the fifth round.

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