Women's Finals Live Updates

[rainbowgirl28]

OK, now that the team has been selected... how do they stack up against
the rest of the world given the marks they made yesterday?
I'm curious.

http://www.tilastopaja.net/
http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/toplists/index.htmx

[Bubba PV]

Does Issy not have an outdoor mark yet? Didn't see her on the 2008 list at first glance. If so that could backfire. Jenn keeps getting big jump experience in less than favorable conditions and coming through BIG. Though it may have drained her Sunday I think she's stronger than ever from the experience. Almost nh, to AR to attempting WR, moving through and adapting to huge poles, etc.

Thanks! Bubba

[BruceFlorman]

Does Issy not have an outdoor mark yet? Didn't see her on the 2008 list at first glance.

Isi will open her outdoor season this Friday at the GL meet in Rome.
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... 590#107590
This is pretty close to the schedule she followed in '04. I guess we'll find out if it's a good idea or not. It's not a particularly late opening for her. Each of the last three years she's opened her season the first weekend in July (in Lausanne in '05 and Paris the last two years), so she's really only starting a week late this time around.

[Bubba PV]

You're right Bruce. Sorry, I forgot. She does start late and always jumps well. I certainly don't doubt that. Should be a great Olympics. Thanks for the info!! Bubba

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/Olympi ... es/F26.asp

Athlete Quotes - Women's Pole Vault Final

Jennifer Stuczynski, Olympic Qualifier, Winner (American Record)

"I can tell you throughout the entire meet, it never got on, but I'll tell you, it worked OK. Now we'll go back and see what happened. Either the weight got it out of my legs or I was too amped up and running through. I'm not sure really which one."

On the American record: "I don't know. I had two jumps and my coach kept telling me, 'you're over it by this much.' I felt I was over it but I couldn't get it into my head. On the runway I didn't feel good, but on that one, I just tried to run and jump and see what happened. It worked out."

"This is a huge relief. When I was finished, I was probably more relieved at making that (the height) than the American record. It was a huge relief. It was exciting because I knew I was on the team at that point. And then I could just jump."

"I think I was more happy to make the opening height than the record jump. We had some height progressions in between and that jump I just went with it. I just tried to let my technique carry me through and it worked out."

April Steiner-Bennett, Second Place

"I really wanted Stacy to make the team. She's my hero and role model. I got to train with her for a couple years and she taught me so much about the circuit that I would not have known otherwise. I always want to PR when I come into a meet, so making that next bar would have been great. I had to make 15'1" or I didn't make the team. It was a little warm and I tried to stay in the shade, but the conditions were optimal for me. I never gave up, even though I've encountered lots of obstacles. Getting through life is tough and it's very similar to the pole vault, but my family is very supportive of me."

Erica Bartolina, Olympic Qualifier, Third Place

"This is the meet I was the least nervous for. I figured I would either really screw it up or I would make it. I just kept fighting. I PR'd twice. The first one I got the "A" standard, the second one, I made the team. Four years ago I PR'd by a foot and I hadn't since then, until today."

Stacy Dragila

"Obviously it wasn't a good day. I was healthy. I just didn't feel on. I didn't have my "A" game. It didn't take much to make the team, which I kind of thought all the anxiety of the young athletes ... I just knew I needed to have poise out there. I got a little flustered. I brought out a couple poles and then I picked up the wrong one and second guessed myself on that first one. And then the second one, the wind pushed."

"It just wasn't in the cards today."

[BruceFlorman]

It's not a particularly late opening for her. Each of the last three years she's opened her season the first weekend in July (in Lausanne in '05 and Paris the last two years), so she's really only starting a week late this time around.

Oops... I lied. Last year she started on June 15th at the GL meet in Oslo. But in '05 and '06 she didn't start until July. Sorry for the misinformation.