Donato Boosts Hosts Italy With Triple Jump Gold

His leap of 17.59 metres was also a championship record and the best indoor jump in the world this year.

Fabrizio Donato finally gave hosts Italy something to cheer when he took triple jump gold with a national record at the European Indoor Athletics Championships on Saturday.

His leap of 17.59 metres was also a championship record and the best indoor jump in the world this year.

"When I woke up this morning I felt good. I told myself to go face history," the 32-year-old told reporters at Turin's Lingotto Oval.

Italian medal hopes had earlier been hit when Antonietta Di Martino missed the women's high jump heats with flu and former world outdoor champion Giuseppe Gibilisco failed to qualify for the pole vault final, as did defending champion Danny Ecker.

British favourite Dwain Chambers also broke the European and championship record when he ran 6.42 seconds to win the second 60 metres semi-final ahead of Sunday's final.

Among other medals on Saturday, Sweden's world silver medallist Johan Wissman produced the best indoor run this season to win the men's 400 metres in 45.89 seconds while Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia clinched the women's title.

Favourite Mo Farah of Britain easily won the men's 3,000, Russia's Anna Alminova took the women's 1500 title and compatriot Ivan Ukhov won the men's high jump after clearing 2.32 metres.

Ksenija Balta of Estonia prevailed in the women's long jump and Russian Yuliya Golubchikova took advantage of the absence of compatriot and world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva to win the women's pole vault.

Isinbayeva decided to skip the championships to concentrate on the outdoor season.

Women's high jump rivals Blanka Vlasic and Ariane Friedrich, who has a cold, easily qualified for the final.

"This track is perfect for jumping but it is not a very good solution to have pole vault and long jump in the same area at the same time," world outdoor champion Vlasic told reporters.