Menendez breaks women's javelin world record

Cuba's Osleidys Menendez took the women's javelin world record beyond the 70-metre mark with a throw of 71.52 metres at an athletics meeting in Rethymnon, Crete, on Sunday.

Menendez, with her second throw, beat the previous record of 69.48 metres set by Trine Hattestad of Norway in Oslo on July 28 last year.

Menendez was Olympic bronze medallist behind the victorious Hattestad at the Sydney Games last September.

She achieved her world mark on Sunday as American Olympic pole vault champion Stacy Dragila was making an unsuccessful world record attempt in her discipline.

East German Petra Felke took the women's javelin world record up to 80.00 metres in Potsdam in 1988 but a heavier implement was introduced in 1999.

An initial world mark for the heavier javelin of 67.09 metres was established by Mirela Manjani-Tzelili of Greece in August 1999 before Hattestad twice raised the standard last year, first to 68.22 then to 69.48