Not since the first World Championships 22 years ago has there been such futility associated with the men’s pole vault final. But the vaulters should not be blamed. Again, it was the weather.
The vaulters were forced to start their competition in a moderate rain, and also to endure a stiff crosswind throughout.
Under such an unlikely backdrop, Rens Blom (NED) jumped 5.80 to break a deadlock with Brad Walker (USA) and win the title. It was the first-ever gold medal for a male Dutch athlete in World or Olympic competition in athletics.
Perhaps it was a March 1 birthday which gave Blom his resistance to tonight’s March-like weather in which he enjoyed his greatest career success. Prior to tonight, the 28-year-old’s claim to fame had been as the bronze medallist in the 2003 world indoor championships.
“When I woke up this morning and saw what the weather was like, I thought I had a good chance of doing well,” bubbled Blom in the media mixed zone. “Many of the top guys have problems with difficult conditions. This was really my day.”
Blom’s winning jump was only one centimetre off his personal best of 5.81, set on a warm June night last year in Spain. And it came after a month-long layoff for the Dutch jumper, whose last competition was in his national championships in early July.
US champion Walker, who jumped 5.75, passed after his initial miss at 5.80 in order to try and steal the win back from Blom at 5.85, but neither of his two attempts were successful.
“It was a rough competition tonight,” said Walker. “I even had problems at my opening height,” he recalled, as both he and Blom started the competition with a miss at 5.50. “But after all of those problems, I finally ended up with the silver medal, so I’m really happy.”
To the great relief of the nine jumpers who managed to clear 5.50, the rains subsided and they had to contend only with a wicked crosswind.
But some big names fell quickly at the next height of 5.65. Paris bronze medallist Patrik Kristiansson (SWE) tumbled first, followed by former world indoor champion Tim Lobinger (GER), defending world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco (ITA), and Sydney Olympic champion Nick Hysong (USA). It was just one of those nights when the pole-vaulting world was turned upside down.
The event was winding down quickly. The three eventual medalists were on the verge of being selected at 5.65 when reigning world and European indoor champion Igor Pavlov (RUS) cleared on his third attempt to send a quartet of aspirants to 5.75 and preserve some of the drama the rain and wind had squelched.
Walker first cleared the height on his second try, but that was immediately matched by the Dutch jumper as the two stood tied for the lead as the bar went to 5.80.
Gerasimov, a former world junior champion, had already equalled his season best of 5.65 under these difficult conditions, so it was not unexpected that 5.75 was out of his reach tonight, and he ended with the bronze medal. Pavlov, despite his prior credentials, also failed at 5.75 and, because of the three attempts he needed at 5.65, finished out of the medals.
The much-honoured trio of Gibilisco, Hysong and Lobinger ended tied for fifth at 5.50 in a championship that most certainly will quickly pass from their memories.
