Vlasic sails in Doha high jump

DOHA (AFP) - Defending champion Blanka Vlasic sailed through qualification of the women's high jump on the opening morning's competition of the IAAF World Indoor Championships on Friday.

The Croatian nailed three jumps, the third at 1.92m, which was good enough for qualification but far from her personal indoor best of 2.05m.

Vlasic, who is also world outdoor champion and Olympic silver medallist, will be accompanied in the nine-strong final by Spain's Ruth Beitia and Kazakh Marina Aitova, who both also looked comfortable jumping in the packed in-field.

"I'm happy, I didn't waste too much energy," Vlasic said. "It's always a stressful competition when it's qualification.

"It's too messy - there's a lot of people. Now it's nine of us so it's much easier. For me the final will be another competition."

In what promises to be a tight men's heptathlon, defending champion Bryan Clay and 2009 world outdoor decathlon gold medallist Trey Hardee both ran season's best in the 60m, of 6.67 and 6.80sec respectively.

"It's always nice to get off with a good start," said Beijing Olympics decathlon champion Clay. "The race was not pretty but I'll take the time."

The Americans sat in second and third spots (on 1881 and 1836 points) after failing to shine in the second event of the long jump.

Ukraine's Oleksiy Kasyanov, who heart-breakingly missed out on a world decathlon medal despite leading after eight of the 10 events, jumped a best of 7.78m to take the overall lead on 1912 points.

Czech veteran Roman Sebrle, competing in his seventh world indoors, jumped a season's best of 7.49m for fourth place on 1745 points.

The heptathletes will later compete in the shot put and high jump, with the 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1000m rounding off the gruelling competition on Saturday.

Australia's reigning Olympic champion Steve Hooker made easy work of qualification in the men's pole vault, but French world outdoor bronze medallist Renaud Lavillenie bombed out at the eventual qualifying mark of 5.60m.

American Christian Cantwell, defending champion in the men's shot put, qualified with ease, his throw of 20.72m second best behind Germany's Ralf Bartels.

In the men's 400m, the sole surprise was Trinidad's reigning world outdoor bronze medallist Renny Quow pulling up with injury after the first quarter of the race.

Sudanese duo Ismail Ahmed Ismail and Abubaker Kaki, the reigning champion, qualified with ease for the 800m, while American Nick Symmonds was disqualified for straying out of his lane.

The afternoon session at the Aspire dome in the Qatari capital will feature qualifying heats for both men and women in the 60m, 60m hurdles, 400m, 1500m and 3000m.