Berlin  - Blanka Vlasic of Croatia retained her high jump world title on Thursday as home hope Ariane Friedrich did not quite live up to the expectations in a hyped duel.

Vlasic clinched victory in the packed Olympic Stadium with 2.04m when Friedrich narrowly missed her only attempt over 2.06m (after two fouls over 2.04m).

Friedrich had to settle for third in the end with 2.02m, losing on countback against Russian Anna Chicherova.

The German beat Vlasic with a German record 2.06m in the same stadium in June but could not repeat the performance on Thursday. You could hear in point drop as she finally cleared 2.02 on her final attempt, but that was the end.

Chicherova fouled once over 1.96m before soaring 1.99m and 2.02m on her first attempt. She then failed three times over 2.04m.

Vlasic required two attempts over 2.02m and 2.04, the latter giving her the title. She then failed three times on a world record 2.10m but the gold was weet enough one year after she was beaten at the Olympics by Belgian Tia Hellebaud. (dpa)