THE most exciting and drawn out world record that I have seen was by the 19-year-old Soviet high jumper Vladimir Yashchenko at the 1978 European Indoor Championships in Milan. He had set an outdoor record of 2.33m the previous year and started this competition by failing his opening height of 2.10m. He also failed a number of other heights, but nevertheless first equalled his outdoor mark and then set a new world record of 2.35m with his 20th jump of the nearly four-and-a-half hour competition.
It was the highest jump ever made with the straddle style. Almost as tense was when flopper Patrick Sjoberg of Sweden went for the world mark outdoors at Stockholm in 1987. Having twice failed the height and taking only his sixth jump of the competition, after a nail-biting pause he cleared 2.42m.
In 1993 the superb Javier Sotomayor of Cuba raised the outdoor record to a remarkable 2.45m (8ft 01/2in) in Salamanca, taking only five jumps in the whole competition. It came 37 years after the first 7ft (2.13m) jump. I was extremely lucky to have seen Sotomayor set the indoor mark when winning the 1989 world indoor title in Budapest with 2.43m (7ft 111/2in).
Back in the days when Britain produced world-class female high jumpers, Sheila Lerwill, unusually then for women, using the straddle, broke the world record with 5ft 71/2in (1.72m) at the 1951 Women’s AAA Champs. That record was beaten in May 1956 with 1.74m (5ft 81/2in), also with a straddle, by Thelma Hopkins of Northern Ireland, who had won the 1954 European title in Berne, Switzerland.
At that meeting a group of enthusiasts had gone to the British Embassy and borrowed a flag – it was very long and heavy – which we took turns in waving. When Hopkins took the title it was my turn to wave it and it seems I had my photo taken by Pathe Newsreel, which appeared in cinemas all over Britain.
This story is from the November 28, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 28, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Carbon Footprint
You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.
Trail time
WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.
Support network
WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.
Need for speed
THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.
How To Prime Your Immunity
Taking steps to shore your body’s defences has never been more important. Here’s how to do it, says Peta Bee
English Schools Survival At Stake
Covid-19 could lead to ESAA losing thousands this summer
Covid-19: Athletics Events Are Wiped Out
Unprecedented calendar changes due to Covid-19
Tributes for Lindsay Dunn
BRENDAN FOSTER, CHARLIE SPEDDING AND OTHERS SAY FAREWELL TO ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST PROLIFIC AND ADMIRED ENDURANCE COACHES
Treasure islands
TRAVEL TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS IN DECEMBER FOR A RACECATION LIKE NO OTHER
Tokyo Olympics are postponed
2020 GAMES AND PARALYMPICS ARE NOW SET TO TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR
