ЛЕГКАЯ АТЛЕТИКА в Санкт-Петербурге

There was a big improvement for Russia's 23-year-old Yekaterina Bolshova in an indoor pentathlon in St Petersburg on Thursday. Her tally of 4746 points was not only a personal best but also the best by a European for almost two years.

Bolshova clocked 8.47 in the hurdles, went over an excellent 1.88m in the high jump, threw 13.40m in the shot put, reached 6.32m in long jump and finished off her outstanding day with an impressive 800m run 2:11.74.

She got personal bests in all five events.

It was a huge breakthrough for Bolshova whose previous pentathlon best was 4356 points and has an outdoor heptathlon best of 5738 points. She was eighth at the 2005 World Youth Championships but has struggled to fulfil her teenage potential and make her mark as a senior until now.

Bolshova's performance gives her a good chance of being invited to compete at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul in two months time, alongside her compatriot and 2011 World Championships heptathlon gold medallist Tatyana Chernova.

Source: http://www.european-athletics.org