Markov/Burgess Article

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http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Pol ... click=true

Pole-vault prince threatens to unseat the king

By Len Johnson
January 22, 2005

Dmitri Markov came into the Athens Olympic year ranked fourth in the world in the pole vault. A year on, he faces competition for the title of best vaulter in Australia.


That competition will start right from the opening leg of the A-series in Perth this afternoon when Markov faces Paul Burgess, who last weekend lifted the Australian all-comers' record to 5.91 metres.


Markov did not rank in the world top 10 last year, the only year other than an injury-hit 2002 he had failed to do so since his first appearance in 1996. He was in good form early last year but his Olympic hopes crashed and burned when he failed in the qualifying rounds.


Burgess, who was the 1996 world junior champion, now threatens to take over as Australia's leading man.


Burgess reached last year's Olympic final, finishing 11th. Last weekend in Perth, the 25-year-old cleared 5.91 metres, the best height cleared in this country, surpassing American Nick Hysong's Sydney 2000 Olympic winning height by one centimetre.


Markov is one of the few men in the world to have cleared six metres, having done it first in New Zealand in 1998 and then reached 6.05 in taking out the 2001 world championships.


Ironically, Markov's problems last year stemmed partly from being injury-free for the first time in several years.


He found it hard to convert his renewed run-up speed to vertical height.


He said yesterday his primary aim, as ever, would be focused on the European season. The first priority was to be jumping well, Markov said.