World Indoor Championships Discussion and Results

[slvr1969]

Yelena Isinbaeva 4.55 WIC Valencia 08 Q HL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJNYI0dYLKw

[slvr1969]

Yelena Isinbaeva 4.55 WIC Valencia 08 Q full

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL0mfOC47nY

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.iaaf.org/WIC08/news/kind=108 ... 43727.html

Women's Pole Vault - Qualification
What could you do with two hours of free-time? Fly from London to Nice or maybe watch a good film or run most of a marathon. Well, this afternoon in Valencia one exceptionally talented athlete who holds all the current global accolades for her event spent that same period sitting in the centre of the infield of the Palau Velodromo Luis Puig just waiting to enter her qualification round competition!

Don’t let anybody try and convince you that Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva has an easy time being the pre-eminent pole vaulter of her era. The World, Olympic and European champion and World record holder might be peerless in most competitive respects but she still has to sit through the attempts of her opponents, which today numbered 15 athletes of varying abilities, before the bar reached a height at which she could respectably enter the qualification round.

With the opening height of the competition being an incredibly low 3.95m… remember this is a WORLD indoor championship, it was the best part of two hours before the 25-year-old who has an outdoor best of 5.01m and indoor best of 4.95m blazed with ease over 4.55m, the automatic qualification mark for the final. Work finished, bags packed, back to the hotel. Isinbayeva will be back tomorrow for the real medal fight, and will most likely have another long patient wait. Athletics can be a strange game.

All the rest of the obvious medals contenders went through to the final too but none else even attempted 4.55m. However, its fair to say they didn’t have to because it was certain to the six others who cleared 4.45m or better - Monika Pyrek (POL), Anna Battke (GER), Fabiana Murer (BRA), Jenn Stuczynski (USA), Anna Rogowska (POL), all 4.50m, and Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) at 4.45m – that their place in the eight woman final was secure. In fact it turned out to be nine women who qualified as there was nothing to split Spain’s Naroa Agirre and Czech Pavla Rybova who had third time clearances at 4.45m.

Athletics like all sport can be unpredictable, and if anyone is going to spring a surprise in the final it is likely to be Isinbayeva’s compatriot and former World record holder Feofanova, who made 4.45m on her first and only attempt of the qualification competition.

Chris Turner for the IAAF

[BruceFlorman]

Flash interview from IAAF.org:

Pole Vault Women Qualification
Published on: 07 Mar 2008 19:31

First - Yelena ISINBAEVA, RUS

I feel great! I did a good jump, I am feeling in a really good shape. It was quite good not to wait too long for my first jump. Tomorrow I will do my best.

Me siento genial! Hice un buen salto. Me siento en plena forma, la verdad. Estuvo bien no tener que esperar demasiado para mi primer salto. Intentare hacerlo lo mejor posible en la final.

It sure seemed long to me, but I'm happy if she's happy.

[BruceFlorman]

The women's final is underway now.

Code: Select all

                    430 440 445 450 455 460 465 470
Anna BATTKE         O   -   
Naroa AGIRRE        XXO -   
Pavla RYBOVA        XXO -   
Svetlana FEOFANOVA  -   
Monika PYREK        -   
Anna ROGOWSKA       -   
Fabiana MURER       -   
Jennifer STUCZYNSKI -   -   -   
Yelena ISINBAEVA    -   -   -   -   -   -   


Isi will open 10cm over her Q height.

[BruceFlorman]

Code: Select all

                    430 440 445 450 455 460 465 470
Svetlana FEOFANOVA  -   o   
Monika PYREK        -   o   
Anna ROGOWSKA       -   o   
Fabiana MURER       -   o   
Naroa AGIRRE        xxo o     
Anna BATTKE         o   -   
Pavla RYBOVA        xxo -   
Jennifer STUCZYNSKI -   -   -   
Yelena ISINBAEVA    -   -   -   -   -   -   

The bar going up to 4.45 now.

[mjaubbs40]

Stu over 4.50 1st attempt!

[BruceFlorman]

Code: Select all

                    430 440 445 450 455 460 465 470
Jennifer STUCZYNSKI -   -   -   o
Svetlana FEOFANOVA  -   o   -   o   
Fabiana MURER       -   o   -   o   
Pavla RYBOVA        xxo -   xx- o   
Anna BATTKE         o   -   o   -   
Monika PYREK        -   o   -   -   -   
Anna ROGOWSKA       -   o   -   -   
Naroa AGIRRE        xxo o   -   xxx
Yelena ISINBAEVA    -   -   -   -   -   -   

Go Jennski!

[BruceFlorman]

Code: Select all

                    430 440 445 450 455 460 465 470
Anna ROGOWSKA       -   o   -   -   xo  -   
Jennifer STUCZYNSKI -   -   -   o   -   
Svetlana FEOFANOVA  -   o   -   o   -   
Fabiana MURER       -   o   -   o   -   
Pavla RYBOVA        xxo -   xx- o   xxx
Anna BATTKE         o   -   o   -   xxx
Monika PYREK        -   o   -   -   -   
Naroa AGIRRE        xxo o   -   xxx
Yelena ISINBAEVA    -   -   -   -   -   -   

I sure wish they'd show some of this on the webcast.

[mjaubbs40]

[quote="BruceFlormanI sure wish they'd show some of this on the webcast. [/quote]
Every time you can see a vaulter in the background, they pan away. Long & high jumpers must have paid off the camera man!

[polevaulter08nw]

seriously its quite frusterating!

[mjaubbs40]

Stu & Feo over 4.60 on 1st. Isy coming in at 4.65. Do you think Stu & Feo will jump 4.65 or pass to 4.70?