Isinbayeva draws blank, failed to defend world title in Berlin

By Gary Smith, World-Track

BERLIN —  After dominating the pole vault event in the last four championships, Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva suffered a shocking defeat at the World Championships, after coming up blank on Monday.

Coming into the competition with the bar set at 4.75m, the Russian failed to clear a single try and will leave Berlin empty handed. She struggled earlier this season with injuries and was expected to eased her way into the competition.

However, that didn’t happened and the focus was quickly turned away from her and unto the medallists who were more than overjoyed.

Winning the event was Poland’s Anna Rogowska with a 4.75m clearance, while another Poland vaulter Monika Pyrek and American Chelsea Johnson were joint silver medallists with a mark of 4.65m.

"I am not sure right now," an emotional Rogowska said. "I am shock that I won this competition. I felt I would have won a medal but not the gold. I was surprise Yelena Isinbayeva did zero metres.

"I was sure she would clear 4.75m, so I am shock."