Antyukh dispels rumors of slow track

Natalia Antyukh ended a streak of mediocre times in track events here in Volgograd. Competing in the 400 m, she covered the distance in 51,80 – just 0,1 sec off her own best time in the country this season run earlier at the CSKA track in Moscow. She led from start to finish, going through midpoint in 23,7. Yulia Nosova-Pechyonkina stayed on Natalia’s heels throughout the race and finished just 0,47 seconds behind. In the men’s race, the more experienced Dmitriy Golovastov stole the crown just before the tape, overtaking Aleksandr Usov who had led for 398 m of the distance. Dmitriy’s winning time of 47,19 is his season’s best.