Russian pole vaulter Svetlana Feofanova became the first woman in history to break the 16-foot barrier in the vault Sunday at the Super Grand Prix in Heraklion, Greece. Fellow Russian Gulnara Samitova also broke a world record at the meet, in the women's steeplechase.

Feofanova's clearance of 4.88 meters converts to 16 feet, 0 inches, and makes her the first woman to achieve the historic mark, which has long been eyed by women vaulters, including American Stacy Dragila.

The defending Olympic gold medalist, Dragila herself had crept nearer to the barrier on June 8 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, when she posted what at the time was the highest vault in history outdoors, 4.83m/15-10. On June 28 at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Gateshead, England, Yelena Isinbayeva had improved on her own, overall world record (4.86m/15-11.25, set indoors in March) with a clearance of 4.87 meters/15 feet, 11.75 inches.

But Feofanova let Isinbayeva's mark last just 7 days, clearing 4.88m/16-0 on her second attempt in Greece. Isinbayeva placed second at 4.65m/15-3.

The vaulting bonanza promises an exciting competition at the Olympic Games in Athens, and perhaps even higher heights.

"I believe that 4.90 [16-0.75] will be quickly broken by either me or Isinbayeva or Dragila," Feofanova said Sunday, "since we have the potential to do this."

Dragila next competes in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Sacramento, Calif., where in 2000 she set a then-world record. At the 2004 Olympic Trials, Dragila will compete in qualifying on Friday, July 16, with finals schedule for Sunday, July 18, the final day of competition.

Samitova ran utterly clear of the field in the women's steeplechase in breaking the world record. Her time of 9:01.59 was nearly 28 seconds ahead of Inzikuru Dorcus from Uganda in second (9:29.30).