Stacy Dragila first
Olympic gold in the women’s pole vault
SWJ for the IAAF
Stacy Dragila from the USA backed up her victory in the inaugural outdoor presentation of the women’s pole vault in Seville last year with an historic Olympic gold here this evening.
Dragila, who is also the world record holder for the event could not have been more delighted with her success this evening. "It’s a dream come true.
"I took up the pole vault seven years ago and now it has become an Olympic event and here I am on this stage with a gold medal!"
Much of the pressure of the evening, however, fell on the shoulders of the runner up in the competition, Tatyana Grigorieva.
The neo-Australian was the only national hope in the event, which had been dominated for so long by her compatriot Emma George.
"It was a lot of pressure," she admitted. "But there was also so much support, it was fantastic."
Grigorieva, who set a new personal best of 4.55 to take the silver said that she was unaware of the heights as she progressed. "I was just going from height to height and counting the other girls still left in the competition.
"In the last jumps I asked the crowd to support me and it was just great."
The support from the crowd was not just for the Australians, though. Dragila said how much she appreciated the spectators’ applause: "The stadium was behind me. It was the first women’s pole vault competition and the whole crowd was with us." For Dragila, the conditions were excellent.
"We had a great little tailwind and even if it was a little chilly, all the adrenaline flowing in the stadium warmed us up.
"My earlier attempts were a little rushed I think, then my 4.60 clearance just fell into place. It was definitely my best jump of the evening. "I tried at 4.65, but I just wasn’t up to it."
Dragila won the first ever women’s gold in the pole vault, but the third place finisher, Vala Flosadottir of Finland also made history, when she won the first ever woman’s Olympic medal for Iceland.
"I feel very proud," she beamed. "I am proud to be an Icelander, proud of my country and really honoured to be here. I used to do high jump and pentathlon before and now with pole vault I have won the third Olympic medal ever for Iceland."
