Howe set record on way to Pole Vault victory

Australia’s Kim Howe has blown away the competition in the women’s pole vault, setting a new Oceania and Commonwealth record on the way to victory by a massive 27cm at the MCG tonight.

Coming into the event, a tight battle was expected between Olympic silver and Manchester gold medallist, Tatiana Grigorieva, and the Perth-based Howe, who set a national record of 4.61m in Canberra this January.

However, what became a head-to-head showdown turned into a one-sided contest after Grigorieva failed to top her competition-best 4.35m in three attempts. Howe had no such problems, clearing 4.45m immediately, following it up with 4.50m, before confirming her standing as the Commonwealth’s best pole vaulter with a personal best and Games record climb of 4.62m.

“Oh my God, this is what I’ve been working for. I’ve got it around my neck, I’m stoked,” she said.

“Once I had gold I was happy, then the record just blowed me away. I just can’t even think right now, my head is so full of excitement I can’t even remember the jump.”

Grigorieva could do little but watch from the sidelines as the 26-year-old Howe shattered her old 2002 Games mark by 27cms. Canadian Stephanie McCann (4.25m) claimed the bronze on a countback from her teammate, Dana Ellis.

Australian triple jumper Alwyn Jones continued the medal trend for the locals with an unexpected bronze in the men’s triple jump final.

Six competitors in the field, including compatriot Andrew Murphy, had a better personal best mark than Adelaide-native Jones, but his fourth jump of 16.75m was enough to finish in third place.

“I’m shocked, I didn’t expect it. The crowd is absolutely amazing, it’s indescribable,” Jones said afterwards.

While the others disappointed, the predicted fight at the top ensued as anticipated, however, silver medallist from Manchester, England’s Phillips Idowu, would prove too good with a season’s best effort of 17.45m. The other favourite, South African Khotso Mokoena, captured second place with 16.95m, while Murphy (16.70m) ended up just outside the medals.

After the number of remarkable close finishes at these Games, it came as little surprise that the result of the men’s 10000m final was undecided until the last few strides.

An African quartet containing Boniface Toroitich Kiprop (Uganda), Fabian Joseph Naasi (Tanzania), Geoffrey Kipngeno (Kenya) and Paul Langat (Kenya) cleared out by the 5000m mark and controlled the race before the usual last lap excitement.

Fourth position in the 10000m at both world championships and Olympic level, Kiprop decided it was time to go with 200m remaining, leaving Joseph and Langat in his wake, but Kipngeno kept up the chase.

Kiprop had a clear advantage entering the final straight, however, the Kenyan was rapidly gaining on him, using his long, fluid strides to make up the margin. The straining Kiprop wanted it badly though and pushed himself to the line to win in 27 minutes, 50.99 seconds, just ahead of Kipngeno (27:51.16).

It was the Ugandan’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal and his country’s second in Melbourne after Dorcus Inzikuru’s success in the women’s 3000m steeplechase on Wednesday night.

“It’s my first major medal, it’s Uganda’s second medal and everyone will be very proud of me. Tonight I wanted to win the race and I definitely knew it was out there to be won,” he said.

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