(L-R) Silver medalist Martina Strutz of Germany, gold medalist Fabiana Murer of Brazil and bronze medalist Svetlana Feofanova of Russia celebrate on the podium with their medals for the women's pole vault (© Getty Images)
Americans Jenn Suhr and Chaunte Lowe will find plenty of high class international competition to match their own impressive talents respectively in the Pole Vault and High Jump at the 38th Prefontaine Classic - Samsung Diamond League meeting at Hayward Field on 2 June.
Suhr, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist and American record holder outdoors and indoors in the Pole Vault (4.92m), will face the gold, silver and bronze medallists from last year’s Daegu World Championships Fabiana Murer of Brazil, Martina Strutz of Germany, and Russia's Svetlana Feofanova. Suhr finished 4th at Daegu last year and aims for redemption.
Murer (4.85), Strutz (4.80) and Feofanova (4.88), like Suhr and many others slated to compete, are over 30 in an event where experience plays a major factor in success as athletes can get better with age.
The women’s Pole Vault field has plenty more, including two World Championships gold medals: Feofanova and Anna Rogowska of Poland. As well as her Daegu bronze already mentioned Feofanova was the 2003 World Championships gold medallist and has won Olympic medals in 2004 (silver) and 2008 (bronze). Rogowska, the 2009 World Championships gold medallist, was also the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, and has a best of 4.85.
The veterans will be challenged by a two youngsters, led by 20-year-old Holly Bleasdale of Great Britain. With a best of 4.87, Bleasdale was the bronze medallist at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. 18-year-old Angelica Bengtsson of Sweden is on a big-time rise. She won golds at the 2010 World Junior Championships and 2011 European Junior Championships.
Another exciting entrant is former two-time NCAA champion Kylie Hutson, with a best of 4.70.
Chaunte Lowe seems like a new person after the birth of her second child in April 2011. This winter the two-time Olympian jumped higher than she ever has indoors – an American record 2.02m – and won her first gold medal by claiming the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. Her best remains an American record outdoors of 2.05.
She will once again meet many of the best in the world, among them Anna Chicherova of Russia, who won last year’s gold medal at the Daegu World Championships after two straight silver medals and a 2008 Olympic bronze.
A stunning group of world-class talent will also contend, including four more 2008 Olympians. Emma Green Tregaro of Sweden was a bronze medallist at the 2005 World Championships and has jumped the highest of the group at 2.01. She has been a finalist at every Olympics or World Championships since 2005. Svetlana Shkolina of Russia has a best of 2.00, while Melanie Melfort of France has a best of 1.97, and they are joined by Xingjuan Zheng of China who has a PB of 1.95.
The world class talent doesn’t end there. Sweden’s Ebba Jungmark was the silver medallist behind Lowe at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul this March. She has a career best of 1.96. Ariane Friedrich of Germany, bronze medallist at the 2009 World Championships, has a best of 2.06. Mariya Kuchina, last year’s European Junior champ from Russia, is still just 19 and has a PB of 1.97.
With the addition of the women’s Pole Vault and High Jump to the previously announced fields, 26 athletes in this year’s Prefontaine Classic have won a total of 59 Olympic or World Championships medals (26 gold, 16 silver, 17 bronze). The 26 medalists include 14 with at least one gold medal.
Organisers for the IAAF
Women’s Pole Vault
Fabiana Murer (Brazil)
Jennifer Suhr (USA)
Svetlana Feofanova (Russia)
Anna Rogowska (Poland)
Martina Strutz (Germany)
Angelica Bengtsson (Sweden)
Holly Bleasdale (Great Britain)
Kylie Hutson (USA)
Women’s High Jump
Anna Chicherova (Russia)
Svetlana Shkolina (Russia)
Xingjuan Zheng (China)
Emma Green Tregaro (Sweden)
Melanie Melfort (France)
Ebba Jungmark (Sweden)
Chaunte Lowe (USA)
Ariane Friedrich (Germany)
Mariya Kuchina (Russia)
Suhr, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist and American record holder outdoors and indoors in the Pole Vault (4.92m), will face the gold, silver and bronze medallists from last year’s Daegu World Championships Fabiana Murer of Brazil, Martina Strutz of Germany, and Russia's Svetlana Feofanova. Suhr finished 4th at Daegu last year and aims for redemption.
Murer (4.85), Strutz (4.80) and Feofanova (4.88), like Suhr and many others slated to compete, are over 30 in an event where experience plays a major factor in success as athletes can get better with age.
The women’s Pole Vault field has plenty more, including two World Championships gold medals: Feofanova and Anna Rogowska of Poland. As well as her Daegu bronze already mentioned Feofanova was the 2003 World Championships gold medallist and has won Olympic medals in 2004 (silver) and 2008 (bronze). Rogowska, the 2009 World Championships gold medallist, was also the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, and has a best of 4.85.
The veterans will be challenged by a two youngsters, led by 20-year-old Holly Bleasdale of Great Britain. With a best of 4.87, Bleasdale was the bronze medallist at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. 18-year-old Angelica Bengtsson of Sweden is on a big-time rise. She won golds at the 2010 World Junior Championships and 2011 European Junior Championships.
Another exciting entrant is former two-time NCAA champion Kylie Hutson, with a best of 4.70.
Chaunte Lowe seems like a new person after the birth of her second child in April 2011. This winter the two-time Olympian jumped higher than she ever has indoors – an American record 2.02m – and won her first gold medal by claiming the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. Her best remains an American record outdoors of 2.05.
She will once again meet many of the best in the world, among them Anna Chicherova of Russia, who won last year’s gold medal at the Daegu World Championships after two straight silver medals and a 2008 Olympic bronze.
A stunning group of world-class talent will also contend, including four more 2008 Olympians. Emma Green Tregaro of Sweden was a bronze medallist at the 2005 World Championships and has jumped the highest of the group at 2.01. She has been a finalist at every Olympics or World Championships since 2005. Svetlana Shkolina of Russia has a best of 2.00, while Melanie Melfort of France has a best of 1.97, and they are joined by Xingjuan Zheng of China who has a PB of 1.95.
The world class talent doesn’t end there. Sweden’s Ebba Jungmark was the silver medallist behind Lowe at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul this March. She has a career best of 1.96. Ariane Friedrich of Germany, bronze medallist at the 2009 World Championships, has a best of 2.06. Mariya Kuchina, last year’s European Junior champ from Russia, is still just 19 and has a PB of 1.97.
With the addition of the women’s Pole Vault and High Jump to the previously announced fields, 26 athletes in this year’s Prefontaine Classic have won a total of 59 Olympic or World Championships medals (26 gold, 16 silver, 17 bronze). The 26 medalists include 14 with at least one gold medal.
Organisers for the IAAF
Women’s Pole Vault
Fabiana Murer (Brazil)
Jennifer Suhr (USA)
Svetlana Feofanova (Russia)
Anna Rogowska (Poland)
Martina Strutz (Germany)
Angelica Bengtsson (Sweden)
Holly Bleasdale (Great Britain)
Kylie Hutson (USA)
Women’s High Jump
Anna Chicherova (Russia)
Svetlana Shkolina (Russia)
Xingjuan Zheng (China)
Emma Green Tregaro (Sweden)
Melanie Melfort (France)
Ebba Jungmark (Sweden)
Chaunte Lowe (USA)
Ariane Friedrich (Germany)
Mariya Kuchina (Russia)
