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LONDON (Reuters) - World champion Anna Chicherova of Russia soared 2.05 metres on a breezy London evening to win gold in the women's high jump at the Olympics on Saturday.
Sixth in Athens and a bronze medallist in Beijing, the 30-year-old cleared the first five heights at the first time of asking before becoming the only woman to get over the bar at 2.05 on her second attempt.
Brigetta Barrett of the United States jumped a personal best 2.03 metres on her second attempt to clinch silver and Chicherova's compatriot Svetlana Shkolina won bronze after needing three jumps to match the American.
Croatia's former world champion and Beijing silver medallist Blanka Vlasic missed the Games after having surgery on her ankle and heel this year. Defending champion Tia Hellebaut of Belgium failed all three attempts at two metres.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ed Osmond)
