World Record: Inessa Kravets, Ukraine 25 15.50m WC Gottebotg, Sweden 10th August 1995
Despite the absence from Athens through injury of world record holder Kravets and 1997 world indoor champion Lasovskaya, and the dreadful injury sustained by 1993 world champion Biryukova in the qualifying contest (she ruptured a patella tendon), the final proved to be a thriller of the highest class.
Mateescu opened with a Romanian record of 15.16 for third place on the world all-time list but her Czech opponent, Kašpárková (formerly a 1.95 high jumper), was also in inspired form and set a national record of 15.01 in the third round prior to bounding out to 15.20 with her penultimate jump. That was a distance only Kravets had ever bettered. A Greek record of 14.62 briefly held third place for Vasdhéki until, later in the fifth round, Govorova cleared 5cm further.
British hope Hansen, suffering from a back injury after the first round, filled fifth place at 14.49; her 14.77 in leading the qualifiers would have won the bronze medal.