UK pole vault standards are on the up, says Henrietta Paxton
Birchfield record breaker Henrietta Paxton attributes her outstanding performance at last weekend’s UK Championships to the increasing quality of Britain’s pole vaulters.
The 26-year-old has improved her personal best six times this season and did so once more at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium on Sunday as she finished third in a high quality final.
While established No.1 Kate Dennison took the title with a leap of 4.45 metres, Paxton was nudged into the bronze medal position on count back behind Blackburn’s rising star Holly Bleasdale, after they both cleared 4.35m.
And Paxton could not conceal her delight at what has turned out to be an outstanding season – just her third since switching from the long jump.
Indeed things have gone so well, she has now achieved the B qualifying standard for next month’s European Championships, a feat that places her ahead of schedule.
While she remains an outside bet for Barcelona and has only one competition left to achieve the 4.45m A standard, the Loughborough-based athlete has made the final of the Commonwealth Games her main target and is well on track.
“It was a really good comp, I am just pleased to be part of a comp where there were three girls over 4.35m that has never happened before,” Paxton said.
“That helped me, it’s not been like that in this country for a long time. Kate doesn’t compete here that much. It’s tough for me and tough for Holly as well because we are just in by ourselves.
“In the past you come in and you have to jump by yourself. But it was so positive to jump like that with British girls. I really enjoyed it.” Indeed Paxton has startled herself with her rate of improvement and says the sky is literally the limit as she builds towards London 2012.
“There is definitely more, my technique is still very, very far from perfect,” she admitted. “I am getting better, it’s just putting what I do in training into my comp. It’s all about the Commonwealths that is what I have been training for. I would love to go to the Europeans but I have to keep in mind that when I came into the season it was the Commonwealths I was aiming for. I believe I can go there and really do Scotland proud.”
She competes in Uden this weekend, where she will have one last crack at 4.45m before taking part in the Super 8 in Glasgow and other events. She will then take a month off to hone her preparation for Delhi where she will challenge Dennison once more.
