Dragila
breaks her world record twice in one day
By Tim Korte (AP)
17 February 2001 – Pocatello, Idaho, USA - Olympic champion Stacy Dragila raised the world record in the women's pole vault to 4.70 meters on Saturday, twice breaking her own indoor world marks.
Dragila, an assistant coach at Idaho State, cleared the record height on her third attempt as a crowd of about 7,000
| Dragila's vault of 4.70 in Pocatello on
February 17 was the American's 13th world record. This total includes marks
which have not (yet) been ratified, but exlude her exhibition 4.70 in Santa Barbara on
June 11, 2000. Dragila still has a little way to go before matching the total of 16 pole
vault records (all ratfified) by the Czech Daniela Bártová between 1995 and 1998. 1.
4.40i Paris 9 Mar 97 Ratified |
hometown fans and high school athletes cheered during a Golden Spike Tour meet.
``Some athletes like to compete on the road, but I'm so thankful to be home,'' Dragila said. ``I get to sleep in my own bed, so I got plenty of rest. I got to cook my own meals.''
Dragila, who also holds the world outdoor record of 4.63 meters, missed three attempts at 4.80 meters.
The Golden Spike meet was sandwiched into the Simplot Games, one of the nation's largest high school meets. Dragila had a receptive audience, and she had them cheering all day.
``To do it here and for the kids to see it, it was a great opportunity,'' Dragila said. ``To set a world record in front of them, it's something that is few and far between for them.''
She cleared 4.66 meters on her first try at that height, breaking the world record of 4.65 meters she had set in Pocatello on Feb. 9. On Feb. 2, she cleared 4.63 meters at the Millrose Games in New York City, breaking her record by a centimetre.
On the second record leap, clearing 4.70 meters, Dragila brushed the bar. It wobbled a few times but stayed up.
``I knew it wasn't the greatest of jumps. I know I nicked it,'' she said. ``Sometimes the greatest jumps come with a little drama.''
Dragila bounded on the mat and leaped to her feet, raising her arms in triumph and blowing kisses. Then she dashed across the Holt Arena track to hug her coach, Dave Neilsen, and her husband, Rent.
After the awards ceremony, Dragila took a victory lap, reaching into a box of flowers and throwing the bouquets into the crowd. It was her way of thanking the fans who turned out to support her.
``When I go grocery shopping, I sure don't get in and out anymore,'' she said.
Dragila has been in a rhythm this month. Before the season, Neilsen suggested she adopt more of a running stride on the runway, and she credited the recent footwook change for the records this month.
``I can control the run so much better,'' Dragila said. ``There wasn't so much variation in my step at takeoff. It just made things so much more consistent on the runway.''
She also changed to a longer and stiffer pole, which is generating better height. But it was apparent on her tries at 4.80 meters that she hasn't mastered the coordination needed to go higher.
``I told Dave, if I break it today, let's put it up there even higher,'' Dragila said. ``I don't know if I'm going to get hurt tomorrow. Maybe I'll break my leg, and then I'd really kick myself in the tail for not trying it.''
Before winning the gold medal in the Sydney Olympics, Dragila cleared 4.70 meters in last year's Olympic trials on a warmup jump. While that was an outdoor venue, she had topped 4.70 meters in practice and knew it was possible.
Next up is 4.88 meters, Dragila's goal for several years.
``With some more hard work at practice, I think it's very doable,'' she said.
Dragila sees it as just another goal to conquer. She still wants to clear 4.88 meters and she predicted the record will be broken again, either at the indoor nationals in Atlanta on March 2-3 or during the outdoor season.
``It's going to get exciting in the next few weeks,'' Dragila said.
Other women's winners included Melissa Morrison in the 60 hurdles (8.02 seconds) and Angela Williams in the 60 dash (7.16).
Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson won the men's shot put with an effort of 20.95 meters (68 feet, 9 inches).
Terrell Trammell, the Olympic silver medalist in the 110 metre hurdles, won the men's 60 hurdles (7.68 seconds) and 60 dash (6.45) after arriving in Pocatello early Saturday morning because of delayed flights.
``I was tired, but I thought I'd do the hurdle race and see how it felt,'' he said. ``It was God. I'm just thrilled I was blessed to go out here and run well.''
Selected Results
Women=
60 _ 1, Angela Williams, United States, 7.16 seconds. 2, Chryste Gaines, United States, 7.30. 3, Passion Richardson, United States, 7.34. 4, Torri Edwards, United States, 7.35. 5, LaKeisha Backus, United States, 7.38. 6, Melissa Morrison, United States, 7.53.
500 _ 1, Jearl Miles-Clark, United States, 1 minute, 1.15 seconds. 2, Suziann Reid, United States, 1:02.38. 3, Catherine Scott, Jamaica, 1:04.42.
1000 _ 1, Miesha Marzell, United States, 2:41.08. 2, Charmaine Howell, Jamaica, 2:46.73. 3, Stephanie Best, United States, 2:58.99. 4, Nicole Teter, United States, 3:04.44. Hazel Clark, United States, DNF.
60 hurdles _ 1, Melissa Morrison, United States, 8.01. 2, Bisa Grant, United States, 8.11. 3, Joyce Bates, United States, 8.12. 4, Sharon Couch, United States, 8.22. 5, Trecia Roberts, Thailand, 8.52. 6, Shannon Sinn, United States, 8.74.
Pole Vault _ 1, Stacy Dragila, United States, 4.70 meters. 2, Alicia Warlick, United States, 4.21. 3, Mary Sauer, United States, 4.21. 4, Paula Serrano, United States, 4.06. 5, Jill Wittenwyler, United States, 3.91
Men
60 _ 1, Terrence Trammell, United States, 6.45. 2, Bernard Williams, United States, 6.61. 3, Kaaron Conwright, United States, 6.63. 4, Jon Drummond, United States, 6.69.
400 _ 1, James Davis, United States, 46.49. 2, James Carter, United States, 47.12. 3, Jerome Young, United States, 47.15. 4, Derek Mills, United States, 47.68. 5, Leonard Byrd, United States, 48.33. 6, Michael Blackwood, Jamaica, 48.55.
800 _ 1, Bryce Knight, United States, 1:48.51. 2, Jesse Strutzel, United States, 1:48.64. 3, David Krummenacker, United States, 1:48.68. 4, Khadevis Robinson, United States, 1:49.11. 5, Charlie Gruber, United States, 1:50.28. 6, David Kiptoo, Kenya, 1:50.83. 7, Marvin Watts, Jamaica, 1:51.32. 8, Elliot Gaskins, United States, 1:52.56. 9, Trinity Gray, United States, 1:54.18.
1000 _ 1, Laban Rotich, Kenya, 2:20.96. 2, Jason Pyrah, United States, 2:21.27. 3, James Karanu, Kenya, 2:21.28. 4, Nate Renner, United States, 2:23.04. 5, Seneca Lassiter, United States, 2:23.25. 6, Hudson Souza, Brazil, 2:23.52. Johnny Gray, United States DNF.
60 hurdles _ 1, Terrence Trammell, United States, 7.66. 2, Dawane Wallace, United States, 7.69. 3, Chris Phillips, United States, 7.73. 4, Eugene Swift, United States, 7.94.
Shot Put _ 1, Adam Nelson, United States, 20.96 meters. 2, Andy Bloom, United States, 19.58. 3, Jarrod Rome, United States, 19.29. 4, John Davis, United States, 19.19 .
