Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva has tried several times to clear 5.02 meters and break her own world pole vault record of 5.01, set in 2005. At the July 11 Golden League 2008 event in Rome, however, Isinbayeva changed her strategy. Since she’d failed to clear 5.02, she tried for 5.03 and, on her second attempt, succeeded in setting a new world mark (pending the standard IAAF verification procedures).

In Isinbayeva’s first competition of the season, she cleared 4.70 and 4.85 easily, then topped 4.95 on her second attempt, prior to her record-breaking vault.

Next Tuesday (July 22), Isinbayeva will face off with U.S. champion Jenn Stuczynski for the first time this year, at the DN Galan in Stockholm, which is a part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour. The pair will likely enter the Olympics as the top two gold medal favorites.

Day 8 (July 6):Pole vaulters are used to going up and down, but Jenn Stuczynski had a particularly spectacular roller-coaster ride in the women’s pole vault finals on the last day of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Sunday. Stuczynski missed her first two jumps of the competition, at 4.6 meters, and wouldn’t have made the Olympic team if she’d missed a third time. But she cleared 4.6 and proceeded to break her own U.S. record, clearing 4.92 meters (16 feet, 1.75 inches). She missed on two attempts for a world record 5.02 meters. April Steiner Bennett (4.60) and Erica Bartolina (4.55) also secured Olympic berths.

Lolo Jones ran a 2008 world-best 12.45 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles semifinals, then won the final with a wind-aided 12.29. Damu Cherry was second (12.58) and Dawn Harper third (12.62). Two-time world champion Michelle Perry didn’t make the final. Hampered by an injury she placed sixth in her semifinal, running with her left thigh taped.

On the men’s side, David Oliver edged defending Olympic Trials champ Terrence Trammell in the 110 hurdles. Oliver won in a wind-aided 12.95 to Trammell’s 13.00. David Payne was third (13.25).

Bernard Lagat, who won the 5000 earlier in the week, also won the 1500 Sunday in a time of 3:40.37. Leonel Manzano was second (3:40.90) and Lopez Lomong third (3:41.00). All three were born outside the U.S. Lagat, a graduate of Washington State University, has lived in the U.S. for 12 years and became a citizen in 2004. Manzano was born in Mexico but was raised in Texas. Lomong, who fled Sudan in 1991, moved to New York in 2001 and graduated from high school in 2004.

The men’s 200 was wide-open after Tyson Gay’s injury. Walter Dix, who’d already qualified for Beijing in the 100, edged 2004 gold medalist Shawn Crawford by approximately .005 seconds. Both officially finished in 19.86 Wallace Spearmon finished third (19.90).

The favorite prevailed in the women's 200 as Allyson Felix broke the tape in a wind-aided 21.82. Olympic Trials 100-meter champion Muna Lee was second (21.99) with Marshevet Hooker edging Lauryn Williams for third by .01 (22.20).

The top three women pulled away from the pack in the women’s 1500, then favored Shannon Rowbury pulled away from the other two, winning in 4:05.48. Erin Donohue placed second (4:08.20) and Christin Wurth third (4:08.48) to round out the Olympic squad.

Aarik Wilson won the men’s triple jump with a final-round leap of 17.43 meters (57 feet, 2.25 inches), moving from sixth place to first and knocking 2005 world champion Walter Davis off the Olympic roster. Kenta Bell was second (17.23) and Rafeeq Curry placed third (17.21), just .01 in front of Davis.

Ian Waltz four of the top five throws in the men’s discus to earn his second Olympic berth. Waltz’ winning toss traveled 65.87 meters (216 feet, 1 inch). Michael Robertson took second (63.73) and Casey Malone third (62.67).

The U.S men’s javelin team will have just two members. Bobby Smith won the Trials with a throw of 76.06 meters (249 feet, 6 inches). The next three finishers have not met the Olympic “A” qualifying standard, so fifth place Leigh Smith – who met the standard previously – rounds out the U.S. Olympic lineup.

Joanne Dow won the women’s 20-kilometer race walk and claimed the only U.S. Olympic berth with a time of 1:35:10.