Osaka 2007 - Men's Pole Vault: Walker turns Helsinki silver into Osaka gold

Two years after his silver medal performance in Helsinki, Brad Walker became the first American to win the men’s world title in the Pole Vault.

The 26 year-old took the event with a first attempt clearance of 5.86m.

“To win this is a good deal of motivation for the future – you want to continue in this and are ready to put in more work,” said the 26 year-old Walker, took the event with a first attempt clearance of 5.86m.

“The level of the competition was really high with nine jumpers still involved at 5.86,” Walker said. “That was also because the conditions were very good for pole vaulting until we had gone beyond 5.81m. Then it was getting a bit windy, otherwise probably more athletes would have jumped higher.”

‘First attempts are always a huge deal’

Walker started competition the competition very well with impressive first attempt clearances. After then missing on his first at 5.76m he went straight on to 5.81m and 5.86m, clearing both with his first attempt. “In finals first attempts are always a huge deal. If you can make it that puts a lot of pressure on the other competitors.” His first time clearance of 5.86m secured the gold since Romain Mesnil of France didn’t clear until his second attempt.

There were still six athletes attempting 5.91m and German Björn Otto looked great. “I wasn’t sure that I gold with that 5.86m clearance since there were a couple of others trying 5.91. I knew if I would do this, that would be it. But the others had great jumps and they were capable of doing it,” Walker said. “I don’t wish anyone bad luck. But in this situation obviously you hope that you are winning. So I was happy after Björn Otto’s last attempt.”

The German had looked most capable of snatching the gold after he had passed 5.86m. “I had come here to win so I went for it,” said Otto, who ended up in fifth place with 5.81 m.

Solid follow-up after Moscow gold

Walker’s biggest win to date had been the World Indoor title in Moscow last year, where he won despite a bad accident just before the qualifying round. He had hit his head after only partly coming down on the pit after a practice jump. But he still qualified and then took the gold with a leap of 5.80m. Two years ago he won a silver at the World Championships in Helsinki, coming behind surprise champion Rens Blom of The Netherlands. Additionally he took the World Athletics Final in 2005. The year after he improved to 6.00m with which he remained the world’s number one in this season.

Walker studied business administration at the University of Washington and competed in American football and athletics at that time. Later he concentrated on the Pole Vault and became NCAA champion and then took the US national title for the first time in 2005.

“This win here gives me big confidence ahead of the Olympics next year. But still I will have to qualify first”, said Walker, who had trained in Australia for six weeks during the indoor season this year. In Beijing next year there is a possibility of a US hattrick since Nick Hysong won in 2000 and Tim Mack in 2004.

A new haircut habit?

Media and fans making up the near-capacity crowd couldn’t help but notice Walker’s new hairdo, a haircut he had done between the qualifying round and tonight’s final, and one which apparently appeased what might become pre-competition superstition.

“I somehow seem to have success if I have a new haircut before I go into an important competition. I did this last year as well and I jumped six metres.”