Emma George sets new pole vault world
record
21 February - Australian Emma George on Saturday
set a new world record in the women's pole vault by clearing 4.57
metres, beating her own previous mark of 4.55 metres. The
23-year-old former circus acrobat was taking part in the Robin
Tait Classic in Auckland in tough conditions, only just managing
to squeeze in her final attempt before it started to rain.
On Saturday she passed at 4.20 metres, cleared on her second
attempts at both the 4.30 and 4.45 metres and then made her first
and only attempt at 4.57. Having soared over the bar she decided
the conditions were too bad to continue. George was elated with
her victory. "This season I've been too busy trying to get
my technique right jumping off 12 steps instead of my regular 16
steps. I didn't think this would happen. To do this off my
shorter run is just fantastic for me," she said. In only her
third year of pole vaulting, George said she had no idea how much
higher she could go. "I don't know, I just like to go out
there and jump and just put it up as much as I can," she
said. George said a strong crosswind and drizzling rain had made
it difficult to jump. But she had been inspired by her Russian
training mate Dmitry Markov, who cleared six metres for the first
time here Friday. George was also encouraged by Belarus' Tatiana
Gregrieva who talked her through her world jump after exiting the
competition at 4.0 metres. "Having her here and then Dmitry
jumping six metres last night really motivated me," she
said. "I watched him jump last night and that was great
too."
