Irie smashes championship record, closes in on Olympic spot

[completemadness]

COMPLETE MADNESS SPORTS

Press Release

Birmingham, UK - June 20th, 2004

Midland Championships, Alexander Stadium.

Irie Hill destroyed the championship best performance, set a new national record and went to the top of the UK outdoor rankings for 2004 at the Midland Championships, held today in Birmingham, England.

Irie, who had been undecided as to whether to jump in Birmingham or Boston with conflicting weather reports about where the best place would be, decided to go closer to home in Hereford by competing in the Midland Championships. Last year she lost her championship best performance to junior Kate Dennison, and lost her title while competing overseas.

Irie entered the competition at 3.50m, as her warm up was interrupted by one of the stands breaking down. To make sure she was right she decided to enter at this height, and then promptly took all 3 of her attempts to clear it!

Having gone clear at her opening height, however, she then went on a mission, clearing 3.70m to move into first place ahead of Hillary Smith from Halesowen, before smashing the previous best by 15cm when clearing 3.90m at the first attempt as well.

With only Irie left in the competition she raised the bar straight away by a further 20cm, to 4.10m. Her first jump she was too close at the point of take off, and had to bail out whilst over the bar, knocking it off on the way down. She adjusted her run-up and charged down for her second attempt, sailing clear by a very large margin, setting a national over 35 record by 10cm, and adding a further 20cm to the championship best. She also moved to the top of the UK outdoor rankings, surpassing Zoe Brown, Tracey Grant and Liz Hughes, who all had bests of 4.05m prior to this weekend.

"After I made the decision to jump in Birmingham I was sure I could jump high, and I knew from last week that 4.10m was going to happen. After I cleared 4.10m, I decided to go for 4.17m to get used to the next pole, which is the one I will need to use if I am going to jump an Olympic qualifier next weekend. I had three good jumps on it, but the timing is not quite there yet. I am thinking of having another competition midweek, or maybe a training session, so I should be ready to use it properly next weekend. Hopefully I can get a place in the Norwich Union meeting in Gateshead with this result, otherwise I will be back in Birmingham at the Masters Nationals. At least my coach will be here when he flies out from Australia this week."

Full Result.

Midland Championships. Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, UK

1. Irie Hill, WSEH, 4.10m (National O35 record, CBP)

(3.50m xxo, 3.70m o, 3.90m o, 4.10m xo, 4.17m xxx)

2. Hillary Smith, Halesowen, 3.60m

3. Kimberly Smith (u20), Halesown, 3.20m

Media contact for Irie: (+44) 0789 0375 398

END OF RELEASE



Warren Hill

Managing Director
Complete Madness Sports Limited

Europe
Tel: +44 1432 273379

Asia Pacific
Tel: +61 408 355 039

Email: warren@completemadness.com

www.completemadness.com

[Bruce Caldwell]

Bruce Caldwell and the ESSX staff wish to congratulate Irie Hill on her new Personal record and jump of 4.10.

Good luck on making the team for England.

Bruce

[Decamouse]

The field for the Norwich Union Meet is loaded:
P/Vault
1c SVETLANA FEOFANOVA RUS
2c YELENA ISINBAYEVA RUS
3c MONIKA PYREK POL
4c THOREY ELISDOTTIR ISL
5c CHRISTINE ADAMS GER
6c ANNA ROGOWSKA POL
7c YELENA BELYAKOVA RUS
8c NASTJA RYSHICH GER
9 ZOE BROWN GBR
10 TATYANA GRIGORIEVA AUS

If she gets in - good luck - jump safe and high