Alejandra Garcia Article

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http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=28090.html

Alejandra García – the pioneer of female pole vaulting in South America
Wednesday 5 January 2005
Argentina’s Alejandra García has dedicated almost all her life to Athletics winning Pan-Am and continental titles but reaching the final of the Olympic Games in Athens has so far been the highlight of her career.

A national celebration

For Argentina her Olympic feat was an historic event, followed live on television by millions of viewers around the country, and even though she finished in 13th place, the feeling of satisfaction for the 31-year-old born in Buenos Aires, was immense.



Alejandra García of Argentina
(Biscayart)


The only Argentineans to reach an Olympic final in the last 48 years had been Osvaldo Suárez, who was 9th in the Marathon at the 1960 Rome Games, and Antonio Silio, 18th in 10,000m in Barcelona 1992.

The last woman to be in a final was Isabel Avellán in the Discus Throw in Melbourne 1956, where she was 6th. That’s the last time the country placed someone in the top-8 at the Olympic level.

“In 2005 I will reach my 20th anniversary with Athletics, and advancing to the final in Athens feels like a great reward for all those years of sacrifice and hard work. One of my dreams, since I was a child, was to reach an Olympic final. Now, my next goal is to jump over 4.50 metresâ€Â