Irie Hill is World Champion

[completemadness]

COMPLETE MADNESS SPORTS - Press Release

Sindelfingen, Germany - March 12th 2004

New UK Indoor Record but still not satisfied.

GB International Irie Hill competed in her first event as an official "Masters" athlete having turned 35 in January. The event was the inaugural World Masters Indoor Championships, held near Irie's home town of Kaufering in the amazing Glaspalast stadium in Sindelfingen.

Having flown back from Australia specifically for this competition, Irie had set several goals prior to the competition. She wanted to take out the title, wanted to break through the 4m barrier for the first time this season, to have a chance of breaking the world record for her age group (4.25m) and finally to use the biggest pole she has ever used while still on her short pre-summer approach run of 12 steps.

She did not manage to achieve all of these goals, but entering the competition at 3.60m she was the only athlete left after French athlete Sandrine Vauchell, who has a season best of 3.70m, failed at the previous height. Irie sailed clear to break the 5 year-old UK Women's indoor record, held by Noel Bradshaw with 3.35m.

Irie raised the bar to 3.80m and moved to a stiffer pole, and sailed clear on her second attempt, with the crowd now getting behind her and wolf whistling and clapping her down the runway!

The bar went straight to 4.00m and Irie had one attempt on the same pole before moving up to her biggest pole ever used. She could not quite manage to get the timing of the jump and bowed out at this height, knowing that with some practice and a longer run in the summer she is in good shape to challenge the new UK number one Zoe Brown.

Irie will now take a short break, skiing with her mother much to the disapproval of her coach, before returning to Australia to begin her summer competition schedule. Irie will next compete on Easter weekend at the Australian National Masters Championships.

First 3 places. (full results available at www.sindelfingen2004.de)

1. Irie Hill, GBR, 3.80m
2. Sandrine Vauchell, FRA, 3.30m
3. Dr. Christina Ziemann, GER, 3.10m