Steven Hooker of Australia on his way to winning gold in the Pole Vault (© Getty Images)
The Pole Vault has had some of its finest moments on French soil. 13 July 1985 was one of the most memorable, when World record holder Sergey Bubka made the most of the perfect conditions reigning at the Paris meeting, then hosted at the Jean-Bouin stadium, to become the first man to clear 6m.
On Friday 16 July 2010, the Pole Vault is set to have the place of honour once again, at the Stade de France, for the second edition of the Meeting AREVA – IAAF Diamond League.
Indeed the men’s competition will see two of the best pole vaulters of the day vying for supremacy. The first is a IAAF Diamond League Ambassador Steven Hooker of Australia, the reigning World and Olympic champion, credited last year with an indoor jump of 6.06m, and the second is Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie, the World bronze medallist, who topped the 2009 outdoor world season list with a jump of 6.01m.
Hooker ranks as the favourite, but Lavillenie is fearless and will be performing on home soil. The upshot is a conflict of styles and builds, which is likely to be right up there as far as duels go.
Hooker on Lavillenie:
“For me, Renaud has a touch of madness about him. I find his way of jumping a bit crazy. He runs very fast over his twenty strides. He’s also very aggressive. He clearly has the potential to go even higher, because he has all the necessary elements you need for this discipline: a very good technique, power and a high speed run-up.”
“However, it’s not easy to jump high on a regular basis with this very aggressive style. To jump high and be consistent is doubtless his biggest challenge right now. However his 6.01m jump was incredible. I wasn’t surprised by the progress he made last year. I was able to watch a video of his victory at the European Indoor Championships so I’m aware of his qualities and his potential.”
“He’s certainly nothing like me. However, the beauty of the pole vault lies in the fact that this conflict of style and build exists. All types of pole-vaulters can be successful. You just have to adapt your technique to your talent and your physical qualities. However, anyone can jump high.”
Lavillenie on Hooker:
“The presence of Steven Hooker in a competition is a great source of motivation for me. It spurs me on. I consider it to be a challenge worth taking up. With him as a direct opponent, I just know we’re going to have a battle on our hands. A battle is often synonymous with some interesting performances, because to win against a rival of such calibre, you have to be capable of jumping 5.90m, 6m or more.”
“Over the past few years he has gained a certain maturity in his jumping. He controls what he does, which is an asset that enables him to play the ‘dangerous’ card in the highest jumps. He knows the right adjustments that are required to pull off good pole vault jumps so he demonstrates great consistency.”
“Our respective builds are a whole world apart, so we don’t jump in the same way. Steven is powerful and fast. He’s capable of using long poles for his jumps. Mentally he’s someone you can count on. He has a confidence in himself, which he has gained from his victories in the Beijing Games and the Worlds in Berlin, that adds to his physical qualities.”
Sergey Bubka on Hooker & Lavillenie
Having retired from competition back in 2001, IAAF Senior Vice President Sergey Bubka remains the tsar of the discipline as he is still the World indoor (6.15m) and outdoor (6.14m) record holder and (still Meeting AREVA (ex. Meeting de Paris) record holder with 6m.
A keen observer of the evolution in the Pole Vault, he casts a knowing eye over the two candidates in line to take over from him:
Bubka on Hooker: “There is no doubt in my mind that Steven has the talent and qualities of a very fine pole vaulter. He has his own style, which is different to mine. His technique is excellent, to which he adds power and speed. Furthermore he knows how to handle the pressure, as he proved in his victories in the outdoor and indoor Worlds and in the Olympic Games.”
“I wish him the very best of luck in one day beating my World record. He’s already performed the second best jump of all time, as well as demonstrating a certain degree of consistency at 6m and beyond. It’s important that, among the planet’s top pole vaulters, one of them is strong enough to attack my records. I’ve prepared myself for the day that I’m beaten.”
Bubka on Lavillenie: “I’ve already had several opportunities to observe Renaud and, very early on, I understood that this chap has real potential. He’s among the circle of jumpers that have cleared 6m and I’m convinced he can go very high.”
“He has a slender frame, but his technique is impeccable and his speed very interesting. I discovered him during the winter of 2009, when he won the European Indoor title. Since that time I’ve been following his progress very closely.”
IAAF Diamond League
Click here to access the central IAAF Diamond League website
Click here to read all IAAF Diamond League news
