Roslinda out to scale new heights

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http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp? ... sec=sports

Roslinda out to scale new heights

By AFTAR SINGH


ON RECORD BID: Roslinda Samsu is hoping to win a silver medal and break the national record in Doha.
KUALA LUMPUR: Pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu was in smashing form in the last two multi sports Games - breaking records in the Manila SEA Games last year and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March.

And now she is aiming to repeat the feat at her first Asian Games in Doha.

Roslinda, from Padang Terap in Kedah, broke the SEA Games record last November, leaping to 4.10m en route to winning the gold medal.

Four months later, she made her debut in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and rewrote her national record by clearing 4.25m. However, she missed out on a medal, finishing fourth behind Canadian Stephanie McCann on countback. The Canadian also cleared 4.25m – in her second attempt. Roslinda managed it in her third try.

For the Doha Games, Roslinda has been preparing hard.

She went on a two-month training-cum-competition stint to Europe in May and again shattered her national record twice.

The 24-year-old recorded a leap of 4.30m to take the silver medal in a competition in Portugal in June. A month later she reached 4.40m in a competition in Barcelona, Spain.

That height places her as the second best pole vaulter in Asia. Only China’s Gai Shuying, who has a personal best of 4.53m, is ranked higher.

Roslinda, obviously, is the most improved national athlete in the country and the National Sports Council (NSC) are banking on her to win the silver medal based on her ranking in Asia.

Roslinda, who won a bronze at the Asian Track and Field (ATF) championships in South Korea last year, said it would be the best achievement of her career if she could improve on her national record and realise the NSC's silver-medal projection.

“I definitely will try my best to achieve both as my aim is to continue improving and winning medals in the multi sports games.

“However, the pole vault is a technical event and anything can happen,â€Â