Barcelona's jump finals set to excite
In the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona, some of the world's best jumpers will battle to get on the podium in their events.
Despite having reigning world and olympic champions Yaroslav Rybakov and Andrei Silnov drop out of the tournament, Russia still looks likely to reap successes in the men's high jump final on Thursday.
Russia's Ivan Ukhov, the current European indoor champion, has jumped higher than any European this year at 2.34m, recorded in Monaco last week.
Ivan Shustov, who finished fourth behind Ukhov in the European indoor championships, cleared 2.33m earlier this season.
Shustov's defeat of Ukhov at the Moscow Cup confirmed his intention to challenge for the gold medal in Barcelona.
Sweden's Linus Thornblad, who has a personal best of 2.38m and two world championship medals to his name, will look to challenge the Russian pair.
In the women's high jump, the contest should be between the four jumpers who have cleared 2.00m or higher in 2010.
These are Blanka Vlasic of Croatia, Germany's Ariane Friedrich, Italy's Anonietta Di Martino and Spanish jumper Rush Beltia.
Vlasic, with an unusually low season's best of 2.03m going into the tournament, remains the favourite to clinch the gold medal in Sunday's final.
If she does, it would be her first ever European championship medal, having failed to reach the podium in 2002 and 2006.
Isinbayeva's Absence Opens Up Pole Vault
In the women's pole vault, twenty seven-time world record breaker and double olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva's withdrawal due to injury leaves the event open to several competitors.
Among them, Russia's Svetlana Feofanova has been favoured to claim the title she previously won in 2002. This year, she noted a personal best of 4.80m in an indoor competition in Doha in March.
Germany's Carolin Hingst has the world's highest outdoor jump this season at 4.72m, but it remains to be seen whether she and teammate Silke Spiegelburg can challenge Feofanova in the final on Friday.
On Saturday, the final of the men's pole vault will be Renaud Lavillenie's to claim. The Frenchman is the only pole vaulter to come anywhere near 6m this season, having cleared 5.94m at the French national championships.
Long jump closely contended
In the horizontal jumps, meanwhile, Germany's national long jump champion Christian Reif is a name to look for.
Reif, whose personal best is 8.27m, will be rivalled by Pavel Shalin during Sunday's final. Shalin jumped 8.26m in Bergen this season.
Salim Sdiri of France recently noted 8.28m at the French nationals in a strong tailwind. At the same event, Sdiri's countryman Kafetien Gomis reached 8.19m, also with a tailwind.
Russia, the team with the most European championship medals to its name, is likely to triumph in the women's long jump final on Wednesday.
Olga Kucherenko, who improved her personal best by 22cm when she noted 7.13m this season, is in the Russian team.
Tatya Kotova, who won the gold medal at the 2002 European championships, will also contend for her place on the podium for Russia.
Russia's strong lineup will be challenged by Portugal's Naide Gomes, who claimed the silver medal in the 2006 European championships and fourth place in last year's World championships.
Sweden's Carolina Kluft, the former heptathlete, clinched the last place in the final during Tuesday's qualifiers.
Alekhina and Tamgho Safe Bets in Triple Jump?
In the women's triple jump, Russia's Nadezhda Alekhina is another safe bet for the podium for the team.
Alekhina recently jumped 15.00m in the Russian national championships, far ahead of any competitor this season.
Olha Saladuha of Ukraine, whose 14.78m jump is the second longest this season, will also contend for a medal in Saturday's final.
With Swedish triple jump champion Christian Olsson plagued by injuries that have forced him to withdraw from the tournament, France's Teddy Tamgho will be one to watch in the men's final on Thursday.
At an IAAF Diamong League Meeting in June, Tamgho jumped a fantastic 17.98m, beating Olsson and Great Britain's Phillips Idowu on his home turf.
Idowu, the current world champion, will not let the final slip out of his grip easily, however.
Despite his relatively quiet season so far, the meticulous Briton will look to challenge Tamgho and Ukraine's Viktor Kuznyetsov in what should be a thrilling final.
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