Irish Girls Doing Well

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http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/story ... ory=476507

Athletics: Girls get a pole new lease of life


By Gerry Carson
28 December 2003

IRELAND'S top two women pole-vaulters are back home for Christmas from opposite sides of the globe.

High flying pair Zoe Brown and Lagan Valley team mate Erin Kinnear jetted back into the province from Loughborough and Alabama last weekend and promptly took part in an Antrim Forum training session with their mentor Jim Alexander, the region's own Mr. Pole-vault.

Zoe (20), seventh in the Manchester Commonwealth Games, is in her second year studies as a sports scholar at Loughborough, where she is studying human biology, while Erin (19), also on a sports scholarship, has just finished her first term studying physiotherapy at the University of South Alabama.

The talented two have their sights set on Commonwealth selection for the Games of Melbourne Australia in 2006, and not just participation, but medal success is what they both seek. And indeed judging from their progress so far, such a target is well within reach.

Zoe would concede, I reckon, that at first she found adjusting to the demands and pressure of University life extremely challenging.

However, the opening of a magnificent new multi-million pounds indoor high performance centre at the university last summer has brought a renewed determination to her goal of success in Australia.

"Where previously I could only vault once per week at home in Northern Ireland, I can now vault as often as I wish in almost perfect conditions," she explained. " I can get more event specific than ever possible before, so I know that I can progress faster and get much more training done."

And so it is also with Erin, where the warm weather almost all year round makes outdoor vaulting the norm, rather than the exception.

"My biggest challenge away from home was getting used to the glorious weather," Erin admitted. " Though coming to grips with temperatures in the high 70's, even in November, realistically, was something many athletes would be more than happy to tackle, as indeed I was. "

In the USA, measurements are still in feet and inches, and oddly enough, that was something that did cause Erin some time to assimilate.

"But I have the hang of it now, " she confirmed. "The weather, top class facilities, superb back-up and my links back home to Jim, mean that I feel I can really challenge for the next Commonwealths."

And what a coup for Bombardier man Alexander that would be. As it is, Zoe holds the GB and NI under 23 record with 4.00 metres, while Erin, who competes internationally for Ireland, is the Irish senior record holder with a best of 3.77 metres.

Both can, however, be selected for Northern Ireland for the Commonwealths and here the consideration standard sits at 3.95 metres, a mark which Zoe already has exceeded and which is well within striking distance of Erin.

Erin returns to Alabama on the 10th of next month to prepare for her first indoor competition on the American circuit in Tennessee on January 24 and will probably not be back in the UK until the summer.

Zoe, on the other hand, will be back at the books from the 5th of next month, but will return to be one of the star attractions at the Irish indoor championships at the Odyssey in February.

There she will again meet up with Jim Alexander and perhaps add to that UK record where her target long term, shared with Erin, is 4.20 metres, a height that would automatically lift her into the international world circuit.

All of which means that the Odyssey will be the place to be on February 14 and15!

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http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/story ... ory=512636

Pole-Vault: Sweet pole alabama

Gerry Carson Reports
18 April 2004

JUST as the local UK track and field season fires into action comes good news from the USA that Erin Kinnear, the young Lagan Valley starlet at the University of South Alabama, has again broken her own Irish record in the pole-vault with a clearance of 3.86 metres.

This adds five centimetres to her previous best set in similar US inter-collegiate competition just last month.

But more importantly for Northern Ireland athletics, it is one centimetre better than the B Commonwealth Games consideration standard for the Melbourne Games.

The initial Northern Ireland 'possibles' squad is due to be assessed at the end of this summer season, which means that Erin's efforts could not be better timed, reminding selectors that while she is out of sight, she should not be out of mind!

So the chances of both Loughborough based Zoe Brown and Miss Kinnear heading down under are fast becoming more likely, and what a boost to local field events this will prove.

Erin, from the same home-based training stable led so expertly by coach Jim Alexander, has enjoyed a stunning first year in the US, winning five of her six appearances in the high class and tough inter-collegiate series.

Indeed her outdoor record under the Alabama sun since the middle of last month, follows a wonderful indoor season that saw her become the first South Alabama student to win the prestigious 'Sun Belt Conference Trophy'.

Now rated as one of the University's senior stars of the coming seasons, Erin looks set to become one of the major attractions of college competitions which could see her face 'poaching' bids to lure her to one of the bigger northern state seats of learning!

June, at the Northern Ireland championships, will offer the first chance to see Erin back in action here, when she returns to defend her title at the Mary Peters track.

She then hopes to compete in the Europa Cup for Ireland, contest the Irish senior championships and afterwards return to Alabama, presumably for a well earned rest, before preparing for this year's US indoor season as winter approaches.