Nikolaeva brings it home

Elena Nikolayeva, the 1996 Atlanta 10K Olympic champion, had a very special reason to train diligently for this year s European Cup. The competition was held in her home town of Cheboksary and Nikolayeva simply could not afford to leave her fans who assembled in record numbers along the city s picturesque Gulf coast disappointed. Her competitors in the stellar field were having other ideas, however, as the leading pack formed in the early stages of the race. Elena was flanked by World Championships bronze medallist Elisabetta Perrone of Italy, Sydney runner-up Kjersti Platzer of Norway and this season s leader Gillian O Sullivan of Ireland as the group went through the 5k mark in 22.03. The tempo kept increasing over the next 5k (21.40), with the Norwegian the first one to yield at the 8k mark. When the Italian lost contact at 11k, only two competitors Nikolayeva and O Sullivan - appeared tough enough to remain in the contest. The Irishwoman s technique looked unfavorable against the backdrop of Nikolayeva s style, and the former received her second warning. Undeterred, she kept up the pace and ended up getting DQ d near the 13k mark. Nikolayeva, going solo now, but cheered on enthusiastically by her supporters, managed to maintain her pace, while keeping a close watch on her technique, and brought it to the finish in a new PR, 1:26.22, which also made her the new world leader for the season. What a victory! Perrone ended up holding on to silver in a commendable 1:27.58, followed by third place finisher Maria Vasco of Spain in 1:28.10. Another Russian, Natalya Fedoskina, came in a meager 7 seconds short of the podium.

Despite a 1,4 finish, the Russians only managed a third-place showing in the team competition. Larisa Yemelyanova was forced to drop out due to an injury, and Antonina Petrova became so afflicted on the course that she had to be carried off on a stretcher immediately following her sacrificial 39th place finish.