Russian breaks pole vault record

ATHENS, Greece — Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia broke the world record in the women's pole vault for the fourth time this year, easily clearing 16 feet, 1 1/4 inches (4.91 meters) to take the gold medal Tuesday night.

Before her record vault, Isinbayeva celebrated clinching the Olympic title after the final failed attempt by her last remaining competitor, teammate Svetlana Feofanova.

Isinbayeva then cleared the height without touching the bar, bettering her own record of 16 feet, 3/4 inches (4.90) set in London on July 30. The vault also broke by a wide margin the inaugural Olympic record of 15 feet, 1 inch (4.60); the event debuted four years ago in Sydney.

Feofanova, the 2003 world champion, won the silver with a vault of 15 feet, 7 inches (4.75). Anna Rogowska of Poland took bronze with 15 feet, 5 inches (4.70).

Four-time world 1,500 champion Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, a heartbreak loser at the last two Olympics, held off Bernard Lagat down the stretch to win in 3 minutes, 34.18 seconds.

El Guerrouj edged Lagat by .12 seconds. Rui Silva of Portugal won the bronze. El Guerrouj has lost just four races in the last eight years, but two of those defeats came at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

American Joanna Hayes of Los Angeles won the gold in the 100-meter hurdles in an Olympic-record time of 12.37 seconds. Olena Krasovska of Ukraine got the silver medal, and Melissa Morrison of Columbia, S.C., won the bronze.

Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas won the gold medal in the 400-meter run with a time of 49.41 seconds. Ana Guevara of Mexico got the silver medal and Natalya Antyukh of Russia won the bronze.

Kenyans swept the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Ezekiel Kemboi won the gold in 8:05.81. Brimin Kipruto got the silver medal and Paul Kipsiele Koech took the bronze.

MEN'S SOCCER — Argentina will meet Paraguay in an all South American Olympic final.

The Iraqi soccer team's improbable run at the gold medal ended with a loss to Paraguay in Thessaloniki. The Iraqis still have a chance for a bronze, which would be their war-weary nation's first medal in 44 years.

Paraguay made history of its own, getting two goals from Jose Cardozo and one from Fredy Bareiro to advance to Saturday's gold-medal game. Gold or silver, it will be the first Olympic medal of any sort for Paraguay. Iraq and Italy will play for the bronze Friday night.