Defending world champion Eunice Barber of France crashed out of the heptathlon last night when she failed to record a valid mark in the shot put, leaving the competition wide open before today’s final events.
Barber, who had led after the first two events, fouled three times. She had been the clear favourite to win after her main rival, Britain's Olympic champion Denise Lewis, withdrew on Friday because of a stomach complaint.
Natalya Sazanovich of Belarus took advantage of the mistake to lead the competition after four events with 3,923 points ahead of second-placed Yelena Prokhorova (3,835) with fellow Russian Natalya Roshchupkina third on 3,808.
The 26-year-old Sierra Leone-born Barber broke down in tears after stumbling out of the circle following her third foul.
Barber's American coach Bob Kersee, whose wife Jackie Joyner-Kersee holds the world record, seemed in a state of shock after the shot put.
"She fouled three times, she fouled three times," Kersee told reporters. "She had the capacity to make 7,000 points but she must concentrate.
"The fault is mine. I should tell her to concentrate and not take risks."
Barber, who won the world title in Seville in 1999 ahead of Lewis, withdrew from last year's Sydney Games after five of the seven disciplines because of injury.
Sazanovich won her 100 metres hurdles heat in 13.29 seconds, cleared 1.76 metres in the high jump before throwing 15.90 metres in the shot.
With Barber out of the way, she clocked 23.87 seconds in the 200 metres, the final event of the day. The long jump, javelin and 800 metres take place today.