Irish Girls Doing Well
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2003 11:37 am
http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/story ... ory=476507
Athletics: Girls get a pole new lease of life
By Gerry Carson
28 December 2003
IRELAND'S top two women pole-vaulters are back home for Christmas from opposite sides of the globe.
High flying pair Zoe Brown and Lagan Valley team mate Erin Kinnear jetted back into the province from Loughborough and Alabama last weekend and promptly took part in an Antrim Forum training session with their mentor Jim Alexander, the region's own Mr. Pole-vault.
Zoe (20), seventh in the Manchester Commonwealth Games, is in her second year studies as a sports scholar at Loughborough, where she is studying human biology, while Erin (19), also on a sports scholarship, has just finished her first term studying physiotherapy at the University of South Alabama.
The talented two have their sights set on Commonwealth selection for the Games of Melbourne Australia in 2006, and not just participation, but medal success is what they both seek. And indeed judging from their progress so far, such a target is well within reach.
Zoe would concede, I reckon, that at first she found adjusting to the demands and pressure of University life extremely challenging.
However, the opening of a magnificent new multi-million pounds indoor high performance centre at the university last summer has brought a renewed determination to her goal of success in Australia.
"Where previously I could only vault once per week at home in Northern Ireland, I can now vault as often as I wish in almost perfect conditions," she explained. " I can get more event specific than ever possible before, so I know that I can progress faster and get much more training done."
And so it is also with Erin, where the warm weather almost all year round makes outdoor vaulting the norm, rather than the exception.
"My biggest challenge away from home was getting used to the glorious weather," Erin admitted. " Though coming to grips with temperatures in the high 70's, even in November, realistically, was something many athletes would be more than happy to tackle, as indeed I was. "
In the USA, measurements are still in feet and inches, and oddly enough, that was something that did cause Erin some time to assimilate.
"But I have the hang of it now, " she confirmed. "The weather, top class facilities, superb back-up and my links back home to Jim, mean that I feel I can really challenge for the next Commonwealths."
And what a coup for Bombardier man Alexander that would be. As it is, Zoe holds the GB and NI under 23 record with 4.00 metres, while Erin, who competes internationally for Ireland, is the Irish senior record holder with a best of 3.77 metres.
Both can, however, be selected for Northern Ireland for the Commonwealths and here the consideration standard sits at 3.95 metres, a mark which Zoe already has exceeded and which is well within striking distance of Erin.
Erin returns to Alabama on the 10th of next month to prepare for her first indoor competition on the American circuit in Tennessee on January 24 and will probably not be back in the UK until the summer.
Zoe, on the other hand, will be back at the books from the 5th of next month, but will return to be one of the star attractions at the Irish indoor championships at the Odyssey in February.
There she will again meet up with Jim Alexander and perhaps add to that UK record where her target long term, shared with Erin, is 4.20 metres, a height that would automatically lift her into the international world circuit.
All of which means that the Odyssey will be the place to be on February 14 and15!
Athletics: Girls get a pole new lease of life
By Gerry Carson
28 December 2003
IRELAND'S top two women pole-vaulters are back home for Christmas from opposite sides of the globe.
High flying pair Zoe Brown and Lagan Valley team mate Erin Kinnear jetted back into the province from Loughborough and Alabama last weekend and promptly took part in an Antrim Forum training session with their mentor Jim Alexander, the region's own Mr. Pole-vault.
Zoe (20), seventh in the Manchester Commonwealth Games, is in her second year studies as a sports scholar at Loughborough, where she is studying human biology, while Erin (19), also on a sports scholarship, has just finished her first term studying physiotherapy at the University of South Alabama.
The talented two have their sights set on Commonwealth selection for the Games of Melbourne Australia in 2006, and not just participation, but medal success is what they both seek. And indeed judging from their progress so far, such a target is well within reach.
Zoe would concede, I reckon, that at first she found adjusting to the demands and pressure of University life extremely challenging.
However, the opening of a magnificent new multi-million pounds indoor high performance centre at the university last summer has brought a renewed determination to her goal of success in Australia.
"Where previously I could only vault once per week at home in Northern Ireland, I can now vault as often as I wish in almost perfect conditions," she explained. " I can get more event specific than ever possible before, so I know that I can progress faster and get much more training done."
And so it is also with Erin, where the warm weather almost all year round makes outdoor vaulting the norm, rather than the exception.
"My biggest challenge away from home was getting used to the glorious weather," Erin admitted. " Though coming to grips with temperatures in the high 70's, even in November, realistically, was something many athletes would be more than happy to tackle, as indeed I was. "
In the USA, measurements are still in feet and inches, and oddly enough, that was something that did cause Erin some time to assimilate.
"But I have the hang of it now, " she confirmed. "The weather, top class facilities, superb back-up and my links back home to Jim, mean that I feel I can really challenge for the next Commonwealths."
And what a coup for Bombardier man Alexander that would be. As it is, Zoe holds the GB and NI under 23 record with 4.00 metres, while Erin, who competes internationally for Ireland, is the Irish senior record holder with a best of 3.77 metres.
Both can, however, be selected for Northern Ireland for the Commonwealths and here the consideration standard sits at 3.95 metres, a mark which Zoe already has exceeded and which is well within striking distance of Erin.
Erin returns to Alabama on the 10th of next month to prepare for her first indoor competition on the American circuit in Tennessee on January 24 and will probably not be back in the UK until the summer.
Zoe, on the other hand, will be back at the books from the 5th of next month, but will return to be one of the star attractions at the Irish indoor championships at the Odyssey in February.
There she will again meet up with Jim Alexander and perhaps add to that UK record where her target long term, shared with Erin, is 4.20 metres, a height that would automatically lift her into the international world circuit.
All of which means that the Odyssey will be the place to be on February 14 and15!