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Ivanova is a walking record, Kluft leads
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-08 05:37

HELSINKI: Olimpiada Ivanova of Russia broke the women's 20 kilometres walking world record when she won the world title here yesterday and walked away 160,000 dollars richer.

The 34-year-old timed 1hr 25min 41sec breaking the world record in the process coming home clear of Ryta Turava of Belarus (1hr 27min 05sec) while Susana Fetor of Portugal took bronze in 1hr 28min 44sec.

Ivanova's time of 1hr 25min 41sec broke the old mark of 1hr 26min 22sec jointly held by Wang Yan of China, who set it in November 2001, and Yelena Nikolayeva of Russia, who equalled it in May 2003.

The early session was all women as the epic heptathlon duel between Olympic and reigning champion Carolina Kluft and France's 2001 champion Eunice Barber was set to go to the wire as the Swede led her Sierra Leone-born rival by just 18 points with Sunday evening's 800m to come.

The men did get a look in though, as the bitter rivalry between Qatar's former Kenyan Saif Saaeed Shaheen and his ex-compatriots continued apace in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Ivanova, the 2001 world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medallist, earned a 100,000 dollars bonus for her record-breaking efforts and another US$60,000 for winning the title.

"This victory makes me the happiest person here," she said with some understatement. "Had I not won in Athens I would have quit competing.
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