13 yo New Zealand girl clears 3.90
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:29 pm
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystar ... a6469.html
Vaulter challenges world record
By SIMON PLUMB - North Shore Times | Saturday, 20 October 2007
SUSAN CORSER-SMITH
ON THE UP: Kerry Charlesworth plants and takes off on her record-breaking vault attempt.
Bays Cougar's Kerry Charles-worth was literally millimetres from setting a new pole vault world record.
Competing in a local 'hot meet' at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, Charlesworth successfully made a vault of 3.90 metres - just 5cm below the girls world record of 3.95 metres set by Greek vaulter Ekaterini Stefanidou in 2004.
The previous New Zealand record was held by clubmate Jaedena Ward, 16, who cleared 3.55 metres at this year's national championships in March.
Charlesworth?s weekend vault even exceeded the women's under-19 national record of 3.85 metres.
At 13, Charlesworth now holds a senior national record.
No stranger to top-level competition, it's Charlesworth's background as a national gymnast that's got many people drawing comparisons.
"I think part of Kerry's early success is in being able to relate her gymnastics to pole vaulting," says coach and New Zealand pole vault champion Jeremy McColl.
"Kerry's technique is very good. As she continues to get stronger and faster and on to bigger poles, she will no doubt be a top international vaulter in the future."
And if genetics have got anything to do with it, you wouldn?t bet against her. Sisters Jessica and Phillipa are both track and field national champions too.
For the time being though, the international stage will have to be patient on Kerry's full appearance, currently restricted by age to the under-17 World Youth Championships in 2009.
On the bright side, she's got six more years to break her own under-19 record.
Vaulter challenges world record
By SIMON PLUMB - North Shore Times | Saturday, 20 October 2007
SUSAN CORSER-SMITH
ON THE UP: Kerry Charlesworth plants and takes off on her record-breaking vault attempt.
Bays Cougar's Kerry Charles-worth was literally millimetres from setting a new pole vault world record.
Competing in a local 'hot meet' at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, Charlesworth successfully made a vault of 3.90 metres - just 5cm below the girls world record of 3.95 metres set by Greek vaulter Ekaterini Stefanidou in 2004.
The previous New Zealand record was held by clubmate Jaedena Ward, 16, who cleared 3.55 metres at this year's national championships in March.
Charlesworth?s weekend vault even exceeded the women's under-19 national record of 3.85 metres.
At 13, Charlesworth now holds a senior national record.
No stranger to top-level competition, it's Charlesworth's background as a national gymnast that's got many people drawing comparisons.
"I think part of Kerry's early success is in being able to relate her gymnastics to pole vaulting," says coach and New Zealand pole vault champion Jeremy McColl.
"Kerry's technique is very good. As she continues to get stronger and faster and on to bigger poles, she will no doubt be a top international vaulter in the future."
And if genetics have got anything to do with it, you wouldn?t bet against her. Sisters Jessica and Phillipa are both track and field national champions too.
For the time being though, the international stage will have to be patient on Kerry's full appearance, currently restricted by age to the under-17 World Youth Championships in 2009.
On the bright side, she's got six more years to break her own under-19 record.