Luke Cutts the mustard once more in Glasgow!

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/sp ... 4942485.jp

Luke Cutts the mustard once more in Glasgow!



Ahead of his Team GB contenders, Luke Cutts


Published Date: 06 February 2009
POLE-VAULT sensation Luke Cutts overcame an unfamiliar surface to finish third in the pole vault at the Aviva International Match in Glasgow... beating the athlete chosen ahead of him for the British team!
The Thurnscoe phenomenon stuttered a little at 5.15m, eventually clearing the height at the third attempt but suffered no stumble at 5.35m, which he bested at the first time of asking.

Compatriot Steve Lewis, in British colours, also cleared 5.35m but was pushed into fourth place as he took two attempts to beat the height.

Both Cutts and Lewis are used to the hard and fast run-up surfaces housed at the Sheffield and Loughborough English Institute of Sports at which they respectively train.

Thus, it was always going to be difficult on the wooden base of Kelvin Hall which provided a softer start.

Cutts said: "The opposite forces of reaction were just not coming back during my sprinting phase because the track was too soft."

His Dearneside coach Trevor Fox also acknowledged the problem, saying: "As a coach I probably didn't do my homework about the old Kelvin Hall venue, but anyway, due to his short notice call up we probably didn't have time to prepare for it too well."

American Jeremy Scott finished ahead of Cutts after clearing 5.45m, at which the Dearneside High Athletics Club star himself made three attempts, while German Alexander Straub won the event with a season's best 5.65m.

The three points earned by 20-year-old Cutts proved valuable in the Commonwealth Select team's victory over squads from Britain, the US, Sweden and Germany.

Cutts returns to action this weekend when he represents Sheffield in the UK Athletics City Challenge and may be joined by Dearneside teammate Ryhs Searles.

Both young vaulters have been invited to compete in the Aviva European trials at Sheffield's EIS later this month.

Coach Fox added: "Quite rightly, the South Yorkshire Times pointed out last week the small corner of the Dearne demonstrates its prospects of its continuing ability to produce top class pole vaulting prospects.