Current pole vaulters lack technique: Sergey Bubka

Amit Kumar Das
New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Legendary pole vaulter Sergey
Bubka reckons the 6.14m mark he set way back in 1994 still
remains uneclipsed because his successors are not technically
equipped enough.
"It is better to ask athletes who are still competing,
why they cannot jump higher. But I think it has to do with
their technique," the six consecutive IAAF World Champion told
PTI during the Laureus sports award in Abu Dhabi recently.
"It is technique that can allow them to jump 6.20, 6.30
and go to another level. I think this (technique) is the main
reason why they came close but could not better the mark," he
explained.
The Ukrainian legend, who broke the world record for
men's pole vault 35 times -- 17 outdoor and 18 indoor -- has
only one Olympics gold and the maestro said he wanted to have
more.
"I'm lucky to win one gold medal. Of course, in some way,
I missed 1984 because of boycott. It could have been a good
chance. Another time I was injured. I tried to be back but
didn't succeed.
"Olympics is Olympics, it is the most powerful and
popular event. I wanted to have more but perhaps I deserved
only one," Bubka said.
Though he had complete dominance on pole vaulting at his
time, he was highly unlucky in the Olympic Games. The first
Olympics after his introduction into international athletics
was in 1984, which was boycotted by the USSR. (More) PTI ATK
AY SHN
Two months before the games, Bubka vaulted 12 cm higher
than the eventual Olympic gold medal winner Pierre Quinon.
In 1988, Bubka entered the Seoul Olympics and won his
only Olympic gold but in 1992 he failed to clear in his first
three attempts and was out of the Barcelona Olympics.
A heel injury spoilt his Atlanta Olympics in 1996 as he
was forced to withdraw from the competition without making
even a single jump and in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Bubka was
eliminated from the final after three attempts at 5.70 m.
The strapping vaulter officially retired in 2001.
Asked whom he considers to be the best among the current
vaulters, Bubka said, "Today most impressive are the female
pole vaulters because we don't have stronger leader in men.
Last year's Steve Hooker was in leading position in Olympics
but the most impressive is Yelena Isinbayeva."
Bubka won his first gold in the 1983 World Championships
in Helsinki, clearing 5.70 metres and then went on to win five
successive golds in pole vaulting in World Championship till
1997 in Athens.
Until the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR) in late 1991, Bubka competed for Soviet teams
and later represented Ukraine. PTI ATK SHN