PARIS -- Teddy Tamgho broke his own indoor triple jump world record and Francis Obikwelu upset the favorites to win the 60-meter race on the last day of the European indoor championships Sunday.
Russia topped the medal standings ahead of France with 15 medals overall, including 6 golds.
The 21-year-old Tamgho leaped 58 feet, 9½ inches (17.92 meters) to surpass the 58-9¼ he mustered at the French indoor championships last month. Tamgho, who is coached by former long jump Olympic champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba, broke the record at his second attempt and equaled it with his fourth jump.
"I had to stay focused because the other guys were jumping far," Tamgho said after celebrating with Pedroso. "Today I reached 17.92 meters twice, now I want to go further."
Tamgho first broke the record to win the world indoor title last year in Doha with a leap of 58-8¾. He also competed in the long jump this weekend in Paris, ending fifth with a jump of 26-¾.
Obikwelu narrowly beat title holder Dwain Chambers in the 60 after resisting a late surge from his British rival.
Obikwelu won in 6.53 seconds, while Chambers, who was stripped of his European 100-meter gold medal from 2002 for doping, finished in 6.54.
"I don't know how to explain how I feel," said Obikwelu, an Olympic silver medalist at 100 meters in Athens seven years ago. "I've had injuries for such a long time, and to come back and win, it's incredible. I was hoping to be in the top three but I never thought I was going to win."
Chambers praised Obikwelu's performance.
"I lost to a better athlete, a better man," Chambers said. "My ambition coming here was to win, but Obikwelu was better today. The more we compete against each other, the better European sprint will be."
Local favorite and European 100-meter champion Christophe Lemaitre of France was third in 6.58 after a poor start.
Olesya Povh ran a European best time of 7.13 to lead a Ukrainian 1-2 in the women's 60 ahead of Mariya Ryemyen, who clocked a personal best of 7.15.
Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus overcame an ankle injury to win the heptathlon title with 6,282 points.
Krauchanka was trailing three-time champion Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic by 31 points after the first day, but claimed the gold with strong performances in the pole vault, 60 hurdles and 1,000.
Frenchman Nadir El Fassi took silver with 6,237 points ahead of Sebrle, who finished third with 6,178.
"I have to thank God because my leg was terrible today," said Krauchanka, who injured his right ankle a month ago during training for the long jump.
Veteran middle distance runner Helen Clitheroe gave Britain its second gold medal, clocking 8 minutes, 56.66 seconds to narrowly win the 3,000 ahead of Russian Olesya Syreva and Lidia Chojecka of Poland.
Antonietta Di Martino capitalized on the absence of world and European champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia to claim the high jump title with a 2.01 meter jump.
Russian Darya Klishina won the long jump ahead of Portuguese Naide Gomes and Yuliya Pidluzhnaya by clearing 6-7.
Anna Rogowska of Poland cleared 15-11 to win the pole vault.
Adam Kszczot of Poland clocked 1:47.87 to lead Poland 1-2 in the men's 800.
In the men's 1,500, Manuel Olmedo won in a season's best of 3:41.03.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
