Dessau - Otto 5.60

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http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=49536.html

Otto and Maresova notch jump victories in Dessau

Bjorn Otto of Germany in action in the Men's Pole Vault Final (Getty Images)
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Dessau, Germany - Björn Otto of Germany and Czech Oldriska Maresova took their events at the 8th Jumpers’ Meeting in Dessau on Sunday (01) afternoon in front of about 1,500 spectators.

The winning heights were not quite what organisers and fans had hoped for. Otto took the Pole Vault with 5.60m and Maresova cleared 1.89m in the High Jump. But there were some very good attempts at greater heights, though none were ultimately successful. While the winners have not qualified for the upcoming European Indoor Championships they are both targeting the World Championships in Berlin this summer.

Men’s Pole Vault -

5.60m proved to be the decisive height in Dessau’s Anhalt Indoor Arena. While there were eight athletes still in contention only two were left when the bar was lifted to 5.70m: Otto, who had cleared the crucial height of 5.60m at his second attempt in convincing style, was in the lead while Russia’s Viktor Chistiakov had passed this height after clearing 5.50m with plenty of room above the bar.

Tobias Scherbarth, who had convinced throughout the indoor season with the exception of the vital qualifier at the German indoors last week, was one of those who had promising attempts at 5.60m, but finally had to settle for third with 5.50m. Lars Börgeling also almost cleared 5.60m, but had to settle for fourth with 5.40m. After the dramatic competition at the German indoors in Leipzig eight days earlier it became obvious that the national pole vaulters lacked some tension.

Not so Otto, who had very good first and third attempts at 5.70m – a height which he had not cleared this winter. Together with his 5.60m jump these three jumps had looked as in his best times two years ago, when Otto had won a silver medal at the European Indoors. This time in Turin he will not be able to compete.

“But my indoor season gives me confidence regarding the summer, when I want to be back in peak form and qualify for the World Championships,” Otto said. “It was good to see that it was getting better and better during this indoor season. It was important to get confidence back after my Achilles tendon operation last year.”