Limgoes - Clavier 5.80, Lewis 5.70, Dennison 4.40
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:21 am
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/di ... eId=158332
ATHLETICS: LEWIS RAISES THE BAR TO OLYMPIC STANDARD
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09:40 - 04 February 2008
Steve Lewis took a giant leap towards selection for this year's Beijing Olympics after reaching the qualifying mark of 5.70m.
The 21-year-old, from Light Oaks, smashed his previous best by nine centimetres at an indoor pole vault tour event in Limoges, France on Saturday.
After sailing over the bar for a season's best 5.58m, he failed once at 5.70m before succeeding with his second attempt.
The Newham and Essex Beagle came second in a high quality field behind French number one Jerome Clavier, who cleared 5.80m.
Lewis - the current top-ranked Briton - had already met the Olympic B standard of 5.55m, but has now reached the highest A mark.
His leap also met the selection standard of 5.70m for the World Indoor Championships, starting on March 7 in Valencia, Spain.
A delighted Lewis, who won bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, is now targeting Nick Buckfield's British record of 5.81m.
He said "Everything fell into place - it all worked very well and I'm delighted.
"I don't think there was anything different leading up to it. It's just taken four weeks to settle in to the season, get mentally prepared and be relaxed enough to jump really high.
"You have to pole vault really well to get up to 5.70m and I felt everything was going right when I cleared at 5.30m and then 5.58m.
"I couldn't believe it when I cleared 5.70m, and it still hasn't sunk in. I've tried not to think too much about it because I want to remain as focused as possible for the events coming up.
"I want to back it up with another big jump of 5.70m or more, and hopefully I can find another 10 or 15cm to break the British record."
Lewis's display was the highest jump by a Briton since June 2004, when Buckfield achieved the same height outdoors in Cottbus, Germany.
It also equalled Buckfield's British record for under-23s, and overtook Keith Stock's 5.65m - set in 1981 - to put him second in the all-time British rankings.
Lewis achieved the feat using a new pole, specially extended by 10cm, for the first time.
He said: "The pole is pretty incredible for someone of my body weight and I was flung around so that I don't really know what to expect. It wasn't technically the best vault, but I was delighted with what I achieved given that I'd never used it before."
Lewis is due to compete at the Norwich Union European Indoor Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield this weekend.
Meanwhile, Alsager's Kate Dennison also hit form to reach the World Indoors selection standard of 4.40m at the same meeting.
The 23-year-old Sale Harriers star's leap matched her personal best, and she will now aim to achieve the Olympic standard of 4.45m.
ATHLETICS: LEWIS RAISES THE BAR TO OLYMPIC STANDARD
Be the first reader to comment on this story
09:40 - 04 February 2008
Steve Lewis took a giant leap towards selection for this year's Beijing Olympics after reaching the qualifying mark of 5.70m.
The 21-year-old, from Light Oaks, smashed his previous best by nine centimetres at an indoor pole vault tour event in Limoges, France on Saturday.
After sailing over the bar for a season's best 5.58m, he failed once at 5.70m before succeeding with his second attempt.
The Newham and Essex Beagle came second in a high quality field behind French number one Jerome Clavier, who cleared 5.80m.
Lewis - the current top-ranked Briton - had already met the Olympic B standard of 5.55m, but has now reached the highest A mark.
His leap also met the selection standard of 5.70m for the World Indoor Championships, starting on March 7 in Valencia, Spain.
A delighted Lewis, who won bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, is now targeting Nick Buckfield's British record of 5.81m.
He said "Everything fell into place - it all worked very well and I'm delighted.
"I don't think there was anything different leading up to it. It's just taken four weeks to settle in to the season, get mentally prepared and be relaxed enough to jump really high.
"You have to pole vault really well to get up to 5.70m and I felt everything was going right when I cleared at 5.30m and then 5.58m.
"I couldn't believe it when I cleared 5.70m, and it still hasn't sunk in. I've tried not to think too much about it because I want to remain as focused as possible for the events coming up.
"I want to back it up with another big jump of 5.70m or more, and hopefully I can find another 10 or 15cm to break the British record."
Lewis's display was the highest jump by a Briton since June 2004, when Buckfield achieved the same height outdoors in Cottbus, Germany.
It also equalled Buckfield's British record for under-23s, and overtook Keith Stock's 5.65m - set in 1981 - to put him second in the all-time British rankings.
Lewis achieved the feat using a new pole, specially extended by 10cm, for the first time.
He said: "The pole is pretty incredible for someone of my body weight and I was flung around so that I don't really know what to expect. It wasn't technically the best vault, but I was delighted with what I achieved given that I'd never used it before."
Lewis is due to compete at the Norwich Union European Indoor Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield this weekend.
Meanwhile, Alsager's Kate Dennison also hit form to reach the World Indoors selection standard of 4.40m at the same meeting.
The 23-year-old Sale Harriers star's leap matched her personal best, and she will now aim to achieve the Olympic standard of 4.45m.
