World Champion Shocked While China Collects Sixth Gold in Athletics

World Champion Shocked While China Collects Sixth Gold in Athletics

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World champion Yipsi Moreno of Cuba became the day's most surprise in track and field when she failed to win the gold in her hammer throw event at the 21st World University Games on Thursday.

Meanwhile, China collected its sixth gold from athletics with Li Qiumei's victory in women's discus throw.

Li unleashed an effort of 61.66 meters, her second best throw of the year, to take the honor, her first title in an international event.

Another Chinese thrower Li Yanfeng had the silver with a throw of 60.50 meters on her first attempt, and the bronze medal went to French Helna Robert-Michon, who threw 58.04 meters.

That consolidated China's top place on the athletics medal tally with six golds, three silvers and three bronzes, ahead of powerhouses the United States which holds five golds and two bronzes.

Moreno, winner of the Edmonton World Athletics Championships, only threw 68.39 meters in the last try and had to settle for the silver.

The gold was snatched by French Manuela Montebrun who finished fifth in the Championships. Her winning throw was 69.78 meters.

"I think my performance was normal,"said 21-year-old Moreno. " Because we (the medalists) are very close, and it's quite natural if anyone of us wins."

Lioudmila Goubkina of Belarus took the bronze at 67.97 meters.

Israeli Alexander Averbukh also caught a lot of spotlight today as he equaled the Games record of 5.80 meters to win the men's pole vault gold, the first gold of the Israeli delegation at the University Games.

Averbukh, who migrated from Russia to Israel in 1999, successfully cleared 5.80 on his third attempt.

"I think I could break the Games record, but I was a little bit tired." the 27-year-old veteran explained why he didn't continue to try a new height.

Stepan Janacek of Czech Republic, who has a personal best of 5. 75 meters, failed to clear 5.80 in all his three tries and had to settle for the silver at 5.70.

Laurens Looye of the Netherlands took the bronze at 5.60, while American Russ A. Buller, who also cleared 5.60, was knocked off the podium due to more misses.

Spain grabbed the last gold of the day through Manuel Martinez who triumphed in the men's shot put.

Martinez, who was fourth in the Edmonton World Athletics Championships, booked the gold with his first throw at 20.97 meters.

Then the 27-year-old veteran seemed so relaxed that he fouled in the following five tries, except the fourth one at 20.92.

Ukrainian Yuriy Bilonog's best throw also came on his first attempt at 20.16, which is enough to secure him the silver. Milan Haborak of Slovakia won the bronze at 19.90.

The Chinese women 4x100-meter relay team Thursday were reinstated the berth in the final after they protested to the jury against their disqualification in the preliminary round.

The Chinese team finished first Wednesday afternoon in 44.41 seconds in heat one, but then was disqualified because the third leg and the fourth failed to exchange the baton inside the box. They made a protest to the jury late in the evening.

"The jury studied the protest, and the jury looked at the video, " said P. Solomon, a technical delegate from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

"The jury was satisfied that the baton was changed inside the box, although the body was outside the box."

The IAAF rules stipulated that the baton must be inside the box when it is changed, Solomon explained.

"In this case, the baton was very clearly inside the box." said Solomon.

"So the jury made the decision to put back the team in the final."