by Larry EderFor the next five weeks, Nike is sponsoring a daily homage to the World Indoors. From Monday to Friday, we feature athletes from US, UK, Europe, Africa and Asia. On Saturdays and Sundays, we feature a great moment from World Indoor Championship history, again thanks to sponsor, Nike. We hope that you like this series.
Today, we feature, for Week Four, Day 6, we feature how Renaud Lavillenie, Sam Kendricks and Piotr Lisek battled in Portland in 2016 .
For more information on the World Indoors Birmingham in March 2018, please go to www.wicbirmingham2018.com .
The happy warriors, Lisek, Lavillenie, Kendricks, photo by PhotoRun.net
The pole vaut is a chess game in the sky.
Piotr Lisek, bronze medalist, 2016 World Indoor Champs photo by PhotoRun.net
In Portland, the LOC and IAAF featured the pole vaults as a special opening night, which was fantastic. The attention to the event, well deserved, opened the event with two strong performances.
In the men’s pole vault, while rather straight forward, there are always some unusual circumstances in the pole vault.
Sam Kendricks, the US champion, began at the earthly height of 5.40 meters, clearing 5.55 meters, and 5.65 meters.
Others tried a similar approach, but were not so successful.
Sam Kendricks, photo by PhotoRun.net
Thiago Braz Da Silva, Brazil, cleared 5.55 meters, then used his final three attempts to get into the medal contention. Da Silva tried at 5.75 meter twice, but then, passed to 5.80 meters. That miss put him in twelfth.
The 2015 World Champion, Shawn Barber, opened at 5.55m, clearing on first attempt. At 5.65m, the Canadian needed all three to get over. Barber needed three to clear 5.75 meters. He used his final three attempts to attempt at 5.80 meters (twice) and his final miss at 5.85 meters. That put him tied for fourth.
Jan Kudlicka, the fine Polish vaulter came in at 5.40 meters, clearing on first attempt. Passed at 5.55 meters. Kudlicka, like Barber, took three attempts to clear 5.65 meters, three attempts to clear 5.75 meters, and missed on all three attempts at 5.80 meters.
Piotr Lisek cleared 5.55m on his first attempt, then moved to 5.65m, which he cleared on his second attempt. Lisek cleared 5.75 meters on his first attempt. He then tried 5.80 meters, with two unsuccessful attempts and saving his final attempt for 5.85 meters, which he did not clear, putting him in clear third.
Sam Kendricks competed well. Kendricks cleared 5.40 meters, 5.55 meters, and 5.65 meters on first attempts. Kendricks passed 5.75m and cleared 5.80 meters on his first attempt. Kendricks tried to attempt to challenge Lavillenie at 5.85 meters, missing once. Kendricks saved his final two attempts to 5.90 meters, then, missed both, and took the silver.
Renaud Lavillenie, gold medalist, World Indoors, photo by PhotoRun.net
Renaud Lavillenie, the world record holder, had a championship winning series. Lavillenie ignored 5.40m, 5.55m, 5.65m. Lavillenie cleared 5.75 meters easily. He then passed 5.80 meters, and 5.85 meters. At 5.90 meters, the French star was supreme. He entertained the fans with a fine 6.02 meter clearing, on his first attempt, the Championship Record, then made three game attempts at 6.17m a new world record.
His gold medal at the World Indoors showed that Lavillenie is the finest vaulter in the world, and shows the @airlavillenie has gold medals in all global championships except for the World Outdoor Championships.
Renaud Lavillenie, il est Champion De Monde!
