Gateshead, July 15: Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva has set a world record in the women's pole vault in front of a sparse crowd in a Super Grand Prix meeting in Gateshead. The 21-year-old's mark of 4.82 metres on Sunday (July 13) exceeded American Stacy Dragila's 4.81 metres set in California in June 2001. Isinbayeva, world indoor silver medallist, has been in top form and set a world leading mark of 4.73 metres in Poznan, Poland just over two weeks ago. She had opened at 4.30 metres and progressed through 4.44, 4.54, 4.64 and 4.74, needing two attempts at all those heights except the first and the third. By the time she attempted the world record mark, most of the 10,000 crowd had gone home. The bar wobbled for a few seconds before Isinbayeva landed in triumph to the delight of a sparse crowd that had shrunk to about 1,000 for the last event of the night.

Her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, who holds the world indoor record of 4.80 metres set at the world championships in Birmingham in March, was second on Sunday with 4.54 metres.

Result: 1. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) 4.82

2. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 4.54

3. Yelena Belyakova (Russia) 4.54

Bureau Report.