Prefontaine - Suhr and Murer entered

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Murer and Suhr lead women's Pole Vault field in Eugene - Samsung Diamond League

Fabiana Murer ups her South American record to 4.85m in San Fernando (CIASF/APD Cadiz - G. Cumbreras)
Eugene, USA - “4” is the magic number in the women’s pole vault in the 2011 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field.

The fourth stop on the Samsung Diamond League circuit, this year’s Pre Classic on 4 June will feature four of the five highest vaulters in the world from last year, and four of the top in the world as ranked by Track & Field News magazine. And the field also includes four of the five highest vaulters in history. The meet record of 4.72m, set by Stacy Dragila in 2002, is definitely in danger.

Last year's No. 1 (okay, we’ll let another number in) on the Samsung Diamond League circuit, Fabiana Murer returns to defend her Pre Classic title from last year. The personable Brazilian started her 2010 campaign by winning gold at the World Indoor Championships and finished off by capturing the event's Diamond Race Trophy. Her PB of 4.85m makes her =No. 4 on the all-time list.

Look for Jen Suhr to be her biggest competition: the U.S. record holder tops the world list this year at 4.86 from the indoor season. Suhr is the Olympic silver medallist from Beijing, and the second highest vaulter of all-time with her 4.92m clearance in the 2008 Olympic Trials at Hayward Field.

The big names don’t stop there. Super-consistent Svetlana Feofanova of Russia is the winner of nine Olympic or World championships medals indoors and out. She’s the third highest vaulter of all-time (4.88m) and ensured her place in history by becoming the first women’s 16-footer ever.

And don’t forget the woman who is tied with Murer for No. 4 on the all-time list, Anna Rogowska of Poland, merely the reigning World champion.

Suhr’s not the only American to watch for. Last year Lacy Janson was the top-rated American. Then there’s up-and-coming Kylie Hutson, who won NCAA titles indoors and out in both 2009 and 2010 and recently raised her PB to 4.70m.

Wanna see the future of the event? Check out 17-year-old Angelica Bengtsson. The Swedish wunderkind raised the World Youth Best last year, and already this year has broken the World Junior Record no fewer than four (there’s that number again) times, the highest at 4.63m.