Isinbayeva, Jelimo light up Beijing

By Mitch Phillips

BEIJING (Reuters) - A world record pole vault for Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva and an electrifying 800 meters run by 18-year-old Kenyan Pamela Jelimo lit up the Bird's Nest Stadium on Monday evening.

The shock withdrawal of local favorite Liu Xiang from the 110m hurdles in the morning had cast a long shadow over the Games but the home crowd had plenty to lift their spirits later.

Isinbayeva, with the gold secured, cleared 5.05 meters to beat her own mark of 5.04 and follow Usain Bolt in the 100 meters and Gulnara Galkina-Samitova in the women's steeplechase as world record breakers at the Games.

"It was really great because I feel I'm an actress and all the stadium was just for me," she said.

Brimin Kiprop Kipruto gave Kenya a seventh successive victory in the 3,000 meters steeplechase and Jelimo streaked to the 800 meters title.

The United States, who had endured a miserable weekend, roared back when Angelo Taylor led a sweep in the men's 400 meters hurdles and Stephanie Brown Trafton took an unexpected women's discus gold.

Irving Saladino earned Panama's first-ever Olympic gold when he won the long jump.

Isinbayeva's record vault sent the crowd off into the balmy Beijing night on a high but surely it will not be long before the sour taste of disappointment caused by Liu's absence returns.