Boyd sets new polevault record

Alana Boyd

With a leap of 4.76m, Alana Boyd has last night broken the Australian Pole Vault record previously held by Kym Howe (4.72m) at the Strive Inter-Club Athletics Meet at the WA Athletics Stadium.

In her third competition in as many weeks, Boyd attained the new national mark on her third attempt.

After clearing her opening height of 4.40m with ease, the bar was lifted to the Olympic qualifier height of 4.50m before another 10cm raise to 4.60m.

With a previous personal best of 4.66m from the Go For 2 & 5 Perth Track Classic a fortnight ago, the Western Australian bettered that mark by 5cm with a clearance of 4.71m before she attempted her assault on the national record.

“To jump two PB’s in the one night, I am pretty stoked,” Boyd said after her performance.

“It has probably been about time. It has been coming and coming all season, and to go out there and not only jump the PB’s but get the Australian record is great. I’m definitely on a massive high right now.”

Boyd now not only sits atop Howe and Emma George (4.60m), both of whom who have previously held world records in their careers, but is 11th in the world all-time.

Boyd heads to the Qantas Melbourne Track Classic and Olympic Team Athletics Trials next weekend before departing for the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey from 9th – 11th of March.