Authorized Neutral Athlete Danil Lysenko celebrates winning the men's high jump final during the IAAF World Indoor Championships at Arena Birmingham in Birmingham, Britain on March 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Tim Ireland)
BIRMINGHAM, Mar. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Danil Lysenko captured the men's high jump title while his compatriot Mariya Lasitskene won the women's gold at the opening day's competition of the World Indoor Championships here on Thursday.
Lysenko, competing as an authorized neutral athlete, gained revenge on Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar for his defeat in last year's London World Championships.
The 20-year-old extended his 2018 win streak to nine by clearing 2.36m to the Olympic silver medalist's 2.33m best mark.
Having registered lifetime bests on three occasions this winter campaign with 2.35m, 2.36m and 2.37m respectively, Lysenko's Birmingham victory marks his first major international title in an event he only began competing in five years ago.
Enjoying first-time clearances at 2.20m, 2.25m, 2.29m and 2.33m, he needed all three attempts at 2.36m before sailing over on his final chance to deny Barshim the opportunity of a jump-off contest for gold.
The bronze medal wento Germany's Mateusz Przybylko, who registered a second-time clearance at 2.29m for his first major international championship medal.
China's Wang Yu, European junior champion Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus and 2007 world champion Donald Thomas of The Bahamas finished jointly 6th at 2.20m.
Lasitskene won her second world indoor title following her 2014 victory by topping 2.01m with her second attempt for her 38th straight victory, eight centimeters higher than the rest of the field.
The field of challengers trailed far behind. Just four jumpers remained in contention at 1.96m, a height none could manage.
Defending champion Vashti Cunningham of the United States won the silver with 1.93m and Italy's Alesia Trost took the bronze by clearing 1.93m with her second attempt.
In the women's 3,000m final, Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba won the title for the third time in a row after beating world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri, 2016 world indoor 1,500m champion Sifan Hassan and double European indoor champion Laura Muir.
Dibaba, who won the event in 2014 and 2016, clocked eight minutes and 45.05 seconds, ahead of Dutchwoman SHassan in 8:45.68 and Britain's Muir in 8:45.68.
It was also Dibaba's fourth world indoor title. She won the 1,500m event in the 2012 World Indoor Championships.
