Thursday, August 10 2006 12:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gothenburg: Russia dominates the third day of the European championships here Wednesday (10 Aug, 2006), claiming three gold, three silver and two bronze medals to take their overall tally to 14.

The pick of the bunch is a fantastic performance in the men's high jump by Andrey Silnov, the 21-year-old Russian champion producing a faultless display of jumping through to 2.36m.

"Everything was in place today, my run-up, technique and speed, I will continue to do everything to attack 2.40m," says Silnov. With Swedish hopes lying on Olympic champion Stefan Holm and Linus Thornbald, the 30,000 vocal spectators at the Ullevi Stadium are treated to a riveting competition that have them up and down like yo-yos.

Tomas Janku of the Czech Republic eventually takes silver from Holm on count back on 2.34m.

Silnov's compatriot Tatyana Lebedeva leaves it late to win the women's triple jump, the two-time triple jump world champion and long jump Olympic gold medallist leaping a championship record of 15.15m in her sixth and final attempt.

That is enough to snatch the gold by 10cm from Hrisopiyi Devetzi of Greece, who herself edged Anna Pyatykh, also of Russia, by 3cm.

"This is great victory for me because it was achieved in a tough fight. In the last round I was suddenly third, so I decided to risk it all in my last jump," says Lebedeva. "With this gold medal I now have the full collection after winning World championships and Olympic Games."

The third Russian gold comes from the little-known Yeygeniya Isakova, who pulls off a major surprise in the women's 400m hurdles.

After spotting Fani Halkia of Greece, the Olympic champion, tiring in the final 20 metres, she motors through to the line to win gold in 53.93sec.

Halkia holds on for silver with Ukraine's Tetyana Tereshchuk-Antipova taking bronze in 54.55sec.

"It was a tough race, but I trusted myself and my finish," says Isakova.

It is also a good day for France, who claims gold medals in the 1500m and 400m through Mehdi Baala and Marc Raquil respectively.

Defending champion Baala wins a cracker of a race, breaking at the bell past the Spanish trio of pacesetters and holding his stride through to the line in 3min 39.02sec ahead of Ivan Heshko of Ukraine and Spain's Juan Carlos Higuero.

Raquil's win is equally as dramatic, a last metre lunge for the line pushing him ahead of Russian Vladislav Frolov, who had led for most of the race. Raquil's compatriot Leslie Djhone takes bronze.

Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen dominates the men's javelin, recording a best throw of 88.78m in a consistent showing.

That effort by the current Olympic champion and world silver medallist is more than two metres clear than Tero Pitkamaki of Finland.

An elusive European title proves out of reach for Czech veteran Jan Zelezny, the 40-year-old triple Olympic and double world champion content with bronze (85.92m). "I feel very tired but also happy because some people did not believe in me and I showed them that despite my age I can still throw with the younger boys," says Zelezny.

Pre-race favourite Kim Gevaert becomes the first Belgian woman to win an European gold medal, taking the 100m in 11.06sec, with Russian Yekaterina Grigoryeva taking silver in 11.22sec in a photo finish with 40-year-old compatriot Irina Khabarova.

Jamaican Merlene Ottey, 46 years of age and now running for Slovenia, narrowly fails to qualify for the final.

Earlier Wednesday, Ryta Turava of Belarus leads the women's 20km walk through the streets of Gothenburg from start to finish.

She completes the course in 1hr 27min 08sec, 1:27 ahead of Russian Olga Kaniskina, with Italian Elisa Rigaudo in bronze just two-hundredths off.

Pre-race favourites Francis Obikwelu of Portugal and Briton Marlon Devonish both progress smoothly into the semi-finals of the 200m, which are scheduled for Thursday (10Aug, 2006) evening.

Obikwelu, who wins his heat in 20.58sec, will not be up against Frenchman Ronald Pognon, out through injury.