By Simon Baskett
MADRID, July 5 (Reuters) - Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic equalled her season's best mark of 2.06 metres when she notched up her 31st straight victory in the event in an IAAF Grand Prix in Madrid on Sunday.
The 24-year-old, who has set the eight best marks of the year, cleared the height at the third attempt to finish ahead of Spain's Ruth Beitia and Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko, who both jumped 2.01.
Vlasic attempted to break Stefka Kostadinova's 21-year-old world record of 2.09, but never really got close with any of her three attempts at the new mark of 2.10.
"I'm very happy with today's result I wanted to jump a meeting record, but unfortunately I didn't make it today, but there is plenty of time for that," said Vlasic.
South Africa's Mbulaeni Mulaudzi held off a strong challenge from Uganda's Abraham Chepkirwok to win a high-quality men's 800 metres in an impressive time of 1 minute 43.64, a meeting record and the fourth fastest mark of the year.
Morocco's Olympic silver medallist Hasna Benhassi set a season's best of 1 minute 58.54 as she finished ahead of Britain's Marilyn Okoro to win the women's 800 metres.
World indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia stormed to victory in the men's 1500 in 3.33.99, well clear of Kenyan Cornelius Chirchir, while Iryna Lishchynska took the honours in the women's event in 4.05.94.
FINAL LEAP
Brazilian Maurren Higa Maggi, silver in the world indoors in Valencia, posted the second best mark of the year in the women's long jump with a final-round leap of 6.95 metres.
In a high-quality men's triple jump, Portuguese world champion Nelson Evora edged out Osniel Tosca of Cuba, both athletes posting windy marks of 17.40 metres.
Spain's Mario Pestano beat two-time Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania by just a centimetre in the men's discus with his fifth-round throw of 67.01 metres.
Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles set a meeting record of 10.03 to win the men's 100 metres ahead of Olympic silver medallist Francis Obikwelu, while Laverne Jones of the Virgin Islands powered to victory the women's sprint.
Kenya's Wesley Kiprotich set another meeting record of 8 minutes 21.94 with an authoritative run in the 3000 metres steeplechase.
There were victories too for Poland's Tomasz Majewski in the men's shot, Cuban Olympic champion Osleidys Menendez in the women's javelin and Russia's Svetlana Feofanova in the pole vault.
The home crowd were given plenty to cheer about in the sprint hurdles with Spaniards Jackson Quinonez and Josephine Onyia completing a double in the men's and women's events.
(Editing by Miles Evans)
