by Larry Eder
In a heated competition, two time world champion and two time Olympic gold medalist Yelena Isinbayeva did not clear a height in the World Championships tonight in Berlin. Attempting 4.75 meters, missing once and then passing to 4.80 meters, and missing twice, Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, who has broken the world record 23 times, did not medal!
Isinbeyava in qualifying, August 15, 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net. She did not clear a height in the final!
Instead, it was the smart vaulting of Anna Rogowska of Poland, who cleared 4.40m on her first, 4.55 m on her first, 4.65 m on her second and 4.75m on her first, missing at 4.80m. It was the 4.75m that gave Anna, always a promising athlete, the gold!
In second, Monica Pyrek of Poland, who cleared 4.40m, 4.55m and 4.65m, first attempts, before missing at 4.75m twice and missing at 4.80 once! Monica gets
a tie for the silver!
Who did she tie with, you ask? I am glad that you asked. None other than one Chelsea Johnson! Chelsea Johnson, showing the best tactics of her jumping career, cleared 4.40m, 4.55m and 4.65m, all on her first attempts and missed on her three attempts at 4.75m. So, Pyrek and Johnson get silvers and Rogowska gets the gold! Who could have forseen that?
It was not clear if Yelena Isinbayeva congratulated the three medalists or not, but as we say, athletics is a sport and Anna Rogowska, Monica Pyrek and Chelsea Johnson sure showed that.
Chelsea Johnson, WC silver medalist, 2009, photo by Photorun.net.
A bit of trivia, Chelsea’s father, Jan Johnson, won a bronze in 1972 in the pole vault, now there are two medals in the family. Congratulations Atascadero, California!
As Monica Pyrek wrapped her Polish flag around her, she noted to the crowd: ” I would have liked to have jumped higher, but the silver medal is very good! ”
Enough said.
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