T&FN: 5.55 [18-2½] was the previous height in the progression before 5.65. On another day, might that have been a better height to open with? But you must have felt confident opening at 5.65?
Walker: I was opening at 5.80 [19-¼] at some meets during the season. I opened at least at 5.70 [18-8¼] at every meet. So why come in so much lower at the Olympics? You save energy in the prelims.
So no, I wouldn’t have made that decision. I was setting myself up for the win. I wasn’t trying to get tired and trying to take as few jumps as possible.
Yeah, I might have come in at 5.55 and taken a few jumps there. Then taken a few more at 5.65 and get tired for the final. But the main thing was, it was never an issue about height.
Some people have said was I high enough to clear 5.65. I was high enough to clear 5.80 that day. So it was never an issue about the height. Now, timing-wise and all that, hindsight is great. Maybe it would have been better to come in a little earlier, but that’s just not the way we work when we’re out there competing.
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