PoleVaultPower.com

Aberfeldie Venue, Melbourne, Australia

January 31st 2009

Irie Hill broke the Women's 40 World Record in the pole vault tonight, clearing 3.50m at Aberfeldie in Melbourne, Australia.

Competing for the first time since dislocating her heel at the 2008 Olympic Trials in England, Irie took precautionary measures jumping off a shortened run up of 10 steps and wearing her favorite Asics running shoes but not her jumping spikes.

After not touching a pole between June 2008 and December 2008, and with only a few vaulting sessions before she turned 40 on January 16th the outcome was in doubt until warm up with Irie having not even tried a run up past 6 steps. However the warm up went well clearing bars comfortably and she was full of confidence that the old record of 3.45m (held by Irie's training partner Dawn Hartigan) could be beaten.

Irie entered the competition at 3.05m and cleared easily on her first attempt before repeating at 3.20. At 3.35m a change up of pole brought reward on the second attempt, leaving her clear to make the world record attempt. Coming in flat out on a pole she used an ESSX 400/73, off 14 strides last season Irie sailed over first time to take out the record.

She then withdrew from the competition post the record, leaving opportunity to break it again shortly, as she has a series of competitions coming up in Melbourne, Australia before heading for Europe and the European Indoor Masters Championships in Ancona in March 2009.

"After injuring my take-off foot at the trials I was ready to give up and walk away from pole vault, but with only 6 months to go until I turned 40 I felt I ought to have a go at the world age record. I couldn't train until November due to the instability in the ankle, and even in November it was lots of walking and cycling before starting to jump in December. Luckily the ankle seems fine now, and the rest, my first in 12 years of pole vaulting, has done me the world of good.
I am really looking forward to moving the record towards 4m over the next few weeks/months", said Irie shortly after the competition.

END OF RELEASE

Warren Hill
Complete Madness Sports
Wazza_hill@yahoo.co.uk<mailto:Wazza_hill@yahoo.co.uk>

Close, but no cigar.

The W40 world record is 3.60, so Irie is a little short.

No doubt she'll go higher this year, though.

Details on the record:
http://masterstrack.com/blog/005335.html

ken

Hi

So pleased that Irie walked her way onto 3.50. Hey old girl maybe you would like to have a look at the completemadness.com site. It has got some fab info and photos picturing the real stars

Larissa Lowe (the one and only still awaiting to have her world record (real ones) broken)

http://www.herefordtimes.com/sport/4103 ... ury_break/

World best for Herefordshire athlete Irie Hill in Australia after injury break

10:20am Friday 6th February 2009
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HEREFORDSHIRE pole vaulter Irie Hill made a successful comeback after injury by breaking the women’s aged 40 years world record in Australia.

Hill cleared 3.50m at Aberfeldie in Melbourne, Australia, and was competing for the first time since dislocating a heel at the 2008 Olympic Trials in England.

She took precautionary measures by jumping off a shortened run up of 10 steps and wearing her favourite running shoes.

Hill had not touched a pole between June and December 2008 and, with only a few vaulting sessions before she turned 40 on January 16, the outcome was in doubt until the warm-up.

However last weekend’s warm-up went well and Hill was full of confidence that the old record of 3.45m (held by her training partner Dawn Hartigan) could be beaten.

She entered the competition at 3.05m and cleared easily on her first attempt before repeating at 3.20m.

At 3.35m a change up of pole brought reward on the second attempt, leaving Hill clear to make the world record attempt.

"After injuring my take-off foot at the trials I was ready to give up and walk away from pole vault,” said Hill. “With only six months to go until I turned 40, I felt I ought to have a go at the world age record,” she said.

Hill added: “Luckily the ankle seems fine now, and the rest, my first in 12 years of pole vaulting, has done me the world of good.”

Irie cleared 3.65m at a local meet in Australia before taking the European W40 title with 3.40m..