European JR Men - Kivalov 5.60 = meet record

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[code]Final 12:30 22.07.2007
Rank Bib Athlete Nation Result
1 807 KIVALOV, Leonid RUS 5.60 =CR
2 796 AGEYEV, Yevgeniy RUS 5.50 PB
3 693 MICHALSKI, Lukasz POL 5.45
4 51 DILLA, Karsten GER 5.35 PB
5 76 REITZE, Marvin GER 5.35 SB
6 810 POGORELOV, Sergey RUS 5.25
7 856 PINTAR, Svit SLO 5.10 PB
8 490 KOUFÃÂ

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http://www.european-athletics.org/index ... 3&Itemid=2

POLE VAULT MEN FINAL

Russia's Leonid Kivalov produced a superlative display of vaulting to equal the 18 year-old Championship record held by his compatriot Maksim Tarasov.

Three years after Tarasov won at the 1989 European Athletics Junior Championships in Varazdin, in what was then Yugoslavia but now Croatia, he became the Olympic champion and, judging from his display in far from ideal conditions for vaulting, it would be no surprise if Kivalov was to follow in his footsteps on the global stage in years to come.

Kivalov went over his winning height on his first attempt before failing three times at what would have been a personal best height of 5.70m.

The competition started to get particularly entertaining at 5.45m when Kivalov, fellow Russian Yevgeniy Ageyev and Poland's Lukasz Michalski all went over that height on their second attempts.

Ageyev went over a personal best 5.50m on his first attempt and his two rivals, jumping after him, decided to pass. At 5.55m it was Ageyev's turn to pass while Kivalov went over on his second attempt to regain the initiative and Michalski failed three times to take the bronze medal.

Ageyev then failed his first attempt at 5.60m but Kivalov slithered clear which seemed to deal a decisive blow to his compatriot, who brought down the bar on his final two attempts.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.european-athletics.org/index ... 4&Itemid=2

Future of European athletics in safe hands after Hengelo
24 July 2007
There were many stars at the 19th European Athletics Junior Championships, but the consensus among the pundits in Hengelo was that Russian pole vaulter Leonid Kivalov and Romanian middle-distance runner Cristina Vasiloiu provided some of the most memorable highlights at the four day Championships which ended on Sunday.

Kivalov equalled the 18 year-old Championships record of 5.60m, set by his compatriot Maksim Tarasov in 1989, and if kinder conditions had prevailed the athlete from Stavropol in the middle of the Caucasus Mountains might have even gone higher.

"The changing wind made vaulting sometimes difficult. I cleared 5.67m a few weeks ago and hoped to go over 5.70m here but it was not to be. Tarasov also holds the world and European junior record of 5.80m so I hope to get closer to that mark as well during the rest of the summer," said Kivalov, relaxing while waiting for his plane back to Moscow on Monday.