OG MPV Prelims - All of the favorites advance

[ashcraftpv]

just skimmed the replay. is it just me, but with a few exceptions, was the jumping today a bit underwhelming? 5.50m to make an Olympic final? The wind didn't seem bad like it was for the women. Anybody have any guesses?

[rainbowgirl28]

Via USATF:

Jeremy Scott, Pole Vault: “Nothing really unexpected happened out there other than it was the first time this whole year that I was running without pain. I think I kind of hit that new gear, and in something as technical as the pole vault when you start to change something drastically, all of a sudden things start changing too much as far as timing, what pole you need, grip and where the standard needs to be.

Derek Miles, Pole Vault: “I don’t think I had one thing go right today. I wasn’t feeling very good, and my achilies was sore, I had timing and rhythm problems down the runway, I couldn’t get steps in the same spot twice. So I tried to go conservative with a lower bar and work through the gears, but it didn’t work that way. It is the first final in nine teams that I haven’t made, so it is a little disappointing, but it is the end of this career for me, and it’s not how you want to go out, but it is still a great experience.”

Brad Walker, Pole Vault: ‘I was scared and I emotionally wore myself out. It was obviously nerve wracking on the third attempt at the opening bar. It was kind of reminiscent of Beijing, and that obviously didn’t go the way I wanted it to. IT was just getting through it and a big scream after I made it.”

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.iaaf.org/Mini/OLY12/News/New ... x?id=67001


Wednesday, August 08, 2012
London 2012 - Event Report - Men's Pole Vault Qualification


Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany competes in the Men's Pole Vault Qualifications on Day 12 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 8, 2012 (Getty Images)
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With no one attempting the automatic qualification height of 5.70m and the 14 men who had gone above 5.50m or more agreeing with the officials, it was not worth expending further energy to remove 2 men given that 6 were tied for ninth with a best of 5.50.

Given the relatively low qualification required most of the favourites progressed and so it’s easier to begin with the casualties. These included Poland’s reigning World champion Pawel Wojciechowski, which doesn’t come as a great surprise as he’s been injured this year, Ukraine’s Denys Yurchenko, the Olympic bronze medallist, South American record holder Fabio Da Silva, and USA’s Derek Miles, 4th in Beijing and at 39 competing in his fourth Olympics. These four made up half of the athletes who no heighted today!

Of those who made a height Cuba’s Lazaro Borges, last year’s World silver medallist was also short of the required consistency ending his day with a best of 5.50. He was one of three at this height who lost out on count back at earlier heights to those who did make the final after clearing this bar.

Leading the qualifiers, the only two men to succeed at 5.65, both on the first time of asking were France’s World Indoor and European outdoor champion Renaud Lavillenie, and Germany’s Raphael Holzdeppe, who finished third behind Lavillenie at the continental championships and was 8th in Beijing four years ago.

However, the German who finished second behind the Frenchman in both Istanbul (WIC) and Helsinki (Ech), this year was Bjorn Otto, and he was one of those qualifying with 5.50. Those also included Olympic champion Steven Hooker who in recent weeks has found a glimmer of his old form.

Malte Mohr makes it three Germans in the final. He beat Otto in the national championships this summer and like his compatriot made the cut at 5.50. The others qualifying at this height were Spain’s Igor Bychkov, Czech Jan Kudlicka, and the host nations Steve Lewis.

Sandwiched between the top pair of vaulters today and the nine at 5.50, were six men who cleared 5.60. These were, in third best overall Greek Konstadinos Filippidis, who was sixth in at the World Championships in Daegu last summer, Beijing silver medallist Russia’s Yevgeniy Lukyanenko, USA’s 2007 Brad Walker who has a PB of 6.04 (2008), two-time World silver medallist Romain Mesnil of France, Russian Dmitriy Starodubtsev who was fifth in Beijing, and Poland’s Lukasz Michalski, 24, who was fourth in Daegu.

The leading two commented:

Holzdeppe: "I think it's looking pretty good. I'm feeling good. I'll relax today and tomorrow and then I'll try and get a place among the top five on Friday. Of course, it's everyone's dream to win a medal at an Olympic Games. It's not going to be impossible but it will be very hard."

"For myself, I'd also be satisfied if I equal or better my personal best (5.82m) and end up in the top five. If everything is going perfect, I could jump 5.90 but first of all I will just try and stay focused - as long I don't end up being fourth having cleared the same height as the third-ranked guys it's all good."

"The (weather) conditions were OK. There were few changing winds during our warm-up but nothing too distracting. There is wind in every stadium and it was definitely not as strong as it was during the women's (pole vault)."

Lavillenie: "I had a good feeling today. The important thing is to get to the final. I will prepare for it, I want to get to it not too nervous and not too relaxed. I want to do well, I am not here just to have some fun.

"Today I have achieved what I expected and this is a big satisfaction. The final will be a difficult competition. In pole vaulting everything can happen, it does not matter exactly who jumped what today, Friday will be a new game.

"I decided to jump 5.65 (metres) even if I did not have to, because I wanted to show everyone that I was right here. I did these extra jumps because I wanted to have a feel of the track and of the place in preparation for the final."

Chris Turner for the IAAF

[hardflex]

I too was underwhelmed with the Jumping, although I only watched the first 15 min so far, will watch the rest later. Seemed like little wind and dry, certainly not difficult conditions. It's a bit troubling.

Looks like Hookers back though, Should make for an interesting Final. Borges out. I've already blew my prediction.

I"m just hoping the weather is a non factor in the finals. Let em slug it out !

[fishman4god]

Well Glad Brad made it but defenitely bummed for Derek and Jeremy. Odd qual round for sure..............things that make you go Hmmmmmm. Looks like Steve is back in the mix and that is good as well......just all kinda weird

[achtungpv]

Finally got to watch the prelim. The most intriguing thing, IMO, is if Holzdeppe finally going to live up to the potential he showed jumping 5.80 as a junior. His 5.65 was at least 5.95.

[Barto]

Finally got to watch the prelim. The most intriguing thing, IMO, is if Holzdeppe finally going to live up to the potential he showed jumping 5.80 as a junior. His 5.65 was at least 5.95.

He may be the most consistent guy in the world this year. That usually pays big benefits in championships.

[fishman4god]

Finally got to watch the prelim. The most intriguing thing, IMO, is if Holzdeppe finally going to live up to the potential he showed jumping 5.80 as a junior. His 5.65 was at least 5.95.

He may be the most consistent guy in the world this year. That usually pays big benefits in championships.

That is true however they called bubka mr automatic but according to an article becca posted the Olympics was a rough ride for him. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out!

[Barto]

Bubka was far from automatic. The media and non-pv track fans always gave him much more credit for his "consistency" than he truly deserved. He was a great pole vaulter - the best ever, but he did not jump high every day and was never "automatic".

[hardflex]

With the exception of the Games of 92 where Bubka nh'd I don't remember a time when an American beat a healthy Bubka in a Major meet. There were times during injury maybe, as he I know he had achilles trouble late in his career.


That said, There are 3 or 4 'A' jumpers and then the rest. Anything can happen, that's why they have the meets. I just hope the weather doesn't win.

[Barto]

The weather never wins. It only reveals who is the best vaulter.

[fishman4god]

It will be good no matter it's the olympics