Women's Olympic Trials

[roger/over]

Not a new topic, really, but I'm not sure where my contribution would fit in.

I'm posting this in mid-stream of a series of others on the USA women's olympic trials that I've sent to the VaultCanada and t-and-f mailing lists. If you're on either of those, I apologize for the repetition. However, if you're not, this may be of interest. As introduction, I should explain that my earlier postings saw the women's vault field as the strongest event of the trials competitions. RR


Okay, so maybe I did get a little carried away by there being seven 15-footers (and seven of the current world top twelve) competing in the USA Women's PV trials. As it turned out, only Stacy Dragila bettered 15' (4.57m) in the finals. In case you haven't seen the results, in brief they are:

current world ranking

1 Stacy Dragila 4.75m 15'7" 3
2 Jillian Schwartz 4.55m 14'11" 8
3 Kellie Suttle 4.55m 14'11" 4
4 Chelsea Johnson 4.50m 14'9" 11
5 Tracy O'Hara 4.45m 14'7 1/4" 10
6 April Steiner 4.45m 14'7 1/4" 27
7 Mary Sauer 4.40m 14'5 1/4 12
8 Lindsay Taylor 4.40m 14'5 1/4" 22
9 Andrea Dutoit 4.35m 14'3 1/4" 7
10 Alicia Warlick 4.35m 14'3 1/4" 41
11 Amy Linnen 4.20m 13'9 1/4" 73
11 Kira Sims 4.20m 13'9 1/4" 50
13 Elizabeth Metzinger 4.20m 13'9 1/4" 49
Becky Holliday NH 26

Okay, so the heights were a little disappointing, but the fans got to see Stacy try three times at a new world record 4.89m (16' 1/2") and some fascinating gamesmanship among the second through sixth placers as they skipped vaults trying for the all-important Olympic team selections. As it turns out, barring injuries or other problems, the U.S. will be represented at Athens by vaulters currently ranked #3, #4, and #8 in the world.

Meanwhile, most of their toughest competition were at it in Madrid a day earlier. The results there:
current world ranking
Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) 4.80 1
Thorey Edda Elisdottir (ISL) 4.60 14
Monika Pyrek (POL) 4.60 9
Anastasiya Ivanova (RUS) 4.50 17
Anna Rogowska (POL) 4.40 5
Nastja Ryshich (GER) 4.40 28
Anzehla Balakhonova (UKR) 4.40 13
Dana Cervantes (ESP) 4.30 39
Naroa Agirre (ESP) 4.30 19
Yelena Belyakova (RUS) 4.30 33
Tanya Stefanova (BUL) 4.30 21
Afroditi Skafida (GRE) 4.15
Maria del Mar Sánchez (ESP) 4.15 96

The only top-20 vaulters not represented in one or the other of these meets are

Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) 2
Tatyana Polnova (RUS) 6
Carolyn Hingst (GER) 15
Vanessa Boslak (FRA) 16
Katerina Badurova (CZE) 18
Georgia Tsilliggiri 20

So, if I missed on Sacramento's heights, I'll try again--Athens should be a barnburner of a competition!

(Thanks to Carlos Baronet for the Madrid results and to Mirko Jalava <tilastopaja.net> for his world rankings.)

[Bruce Caldwell]

looks like 15'6" will get a medal in the GAMES

[Decamouse]

Looks like Anna just added herself to serious contenders lits - 4.71 which backs up her 465 a few weeks ago - New Polish Record -