Australian Olympic Hopes

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/ ... 04295.html

Howe favoured in women's pole vault


February 23, 2004 - 5:05PM

Less than six months out from the Athens Olympics, Australia's leading female pole vaulter is not a part-time model from Russia or a flame-haired former member of the Flying Fruit Fly Circus.

With Tatiana Grigorieva struggling to recapture the heights of 2000 and Emma George forced into retirement through injury, the favourite at this week's Olympic trials is Perth childcare worker Kym Howe.

Despite winning the silver medal at the 2002 Commowealth Games, Howe's public profile is a mere fraction of that enjoyed by Grigorieva.

But Howe is the only Australian to have bettered the A qualifying standard of 4.40m and is the likelier of the two to earn a berth on the team for Athens.

"The aim right now is to get the A standard again at the trials and get straight on the Olympic team," said Howe, who was in the WA junior gymnastics team before switching to the pole vault in the late 1990s.

"After having knee surgery two years ago I still have to pick my meets carefully so I haven't made many appearances recently.

"But it's feeling fine right now."

Despite sitting clear atop the Australian rankings, the 23-year-old Howe said she didn't look upon herself as the national No.1.

"I know what I need to do at the trials and as the other girls need to get the qualifier, they'll be concentrating on that more than beating me," she said.

Since Grigorieva won the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics with a clearance of 4.55m, the standard in the sport has skyrocketed.

Russian Svetlana Feofanova raised the indoor world record to 4.85m in Athens, while countrywoman Yelena Isinbayeva holds the outdoor mark of 4.82m.

"They're definitely pulling away - the gap is large at the moment, although it's not always going to be like that," said Howe, who set her personal best of 4.45m two years ago.

"My aim this year is to make the Olympic final.

"At this stage the Russians are so far ahead a medal is very much a long shot, but you never know what is going to happen on the day."

The national trials start on Thursday at Sydney Olympic Park, with the women's pole vault final scheduled for Saturday.