Blanka Vlasic equals the World Athletics Final competition record of 2.01m to record her 36th consecutive competition over two metres (© Getty Images)
The women’s High Jump will be one of the highlights of the BW Bank Meeting in Karlsruhe - an IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting - on 15 February.
While Germany’s Ariane Friedrich had been signed recently for the event, organisers announced that Blanka Vlasic will be among her rivals. The Croatian is the reigning World Champion indoors and out.
While Friedrich had famously beaten Vlasic and denied her a portion of the ÅF Golden League Jackpot in Brussels in September the Croatian has had good experience in Karlsruhe. As a 20-year-old she had competed at this meeting in 2004, winning the event with a then national record of 1.99m. Meanwhile her indoor best stands at 2.05m. Last winter she returned to Karlsruhe and won again with a 2.02m leap, missing German Heike Henkel's meeting record by two centimetres.
In contrast to Vlasic her German rival Friedrich so far has never competed at the BW Bank Meeting in Karlsruhe. The expected duel between the two could well threaten the meeting record. Henkel, among the meeting's guests of honour, will watch the event live.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
