Commonwealth Games Selection Trials - Australia

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/lo ... ubsection=

Boyd breezes into pole vault final


04.02.2006
THREE jumps was all it took for Alexandra Headland pole vaulter Alana Boyd to breeze into tonight's open final at the Commonwealth Games selection trials at Sydney's Olympic Stadium.
It was a case of “get in, get out, no stuffing aboutâ€Â

[pelle3]

Becca, Pela2 over at TFN provided this info on today:s vault final:

Vicky Parnov come second in the women's pole vault (after Grigorieva) with 4.30 and she is still 15 years old (16 in October).

[pelle3]

Tatiana's niece jumps in
By DAMIEN BARRETT in Sydney
05feb06

Source

TATIANA Grigorieva won the women's pole vault at Sydney Olympic Park last night. But, for one of the few times in her sporting life, she had the spotlight taken off her.

Grigorieva won the event with a season-best 4.45m, but it was the performance of her 15-year-old niece, Vicki Parnov, that stole the show.
Her 4.30m gave her second place in the event and ensured she would line up against Grigorieva in next month's Commonwealth Games.

Perth-based Parnov is the daughter of renowned pole vault coach Alex Parnov, who is married to the sister of Tatiana's ex-husband Victor.

Parnov, born in Russia and living in Australia for the past nine years, said watching Grigorieva win the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics convinced her to pursue the sport.

"I wasn't confident (of making the Games team), but I am happy now," Parnov said. "I started after the (Sydney) Olympics, I just wanted to have go."

Parnov will become the second youngest Australian track and field representative at a Commonwealth Games, as she does not turn 16 until October this year.

In the absence of Kym Howe, Grigorieva controlled the event, opting to stop competing on clearing the bar at 4.45m as she had achieved all she wanted.

"Like a lot of athletes, I like to concentrate on myself when I compete. But it is hard when there is a family member out there as well," Grigorieva said.

"I sort of was competing for two of us. It's an amazing feeling -- it's two generations of pole vaulters jumping at the same time -- and I am very proud of her. She made the team."

Grigorieva said the family connections with Parnov would again have a negating effect on her usual steely approach to competition when jumping at the Commonwealth Games.

"Family is number one to me, a lot more important than any result, and of course if she needed help or support I would give it to her," Grigorieva said.

"But at the same time I hope to be able to do that and not sacrifice my own chances.

"She made a personal best tonight, she really jumped very, very well."

The third Australian pole vault berth for Melbourne will go to Howe, provided she recovers from a shoulder injury.

Parnov's extraordinary performance impacted adversely on Alana Boyd, who failed to challenge the top two last night and will now, despite an A-qualifier, miss the Games.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=33385.html

Fourth national title for Burgess

Paul "Budgie" Burgess, erstwhile rock 'n roll guitarist and the only man in the world last year to fly over 6m, won the highest standard domestic pole vault competition ever held in Australia.

He scaled 5.80m to claim his fourth national title with his highest clearance away from his home in Perth, Western Australia, with Victoria's Steve Hooker second over 5.75m and another "six-metre man", the 2001 World Champion Dmitri Markov, third over 5.70m.