Sweden's Emma Green won her first national high jump title on Saturday in Malmö, jumping 1,98m for the sixth-best mark in the world this season.
Green improved her personal best indoors by two centimetres, and jumped one centimetre higher than her lifetime best of 1,97m set at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, where she took home the bronze medal.
Green spoke with Swedish newspaper reporter Svenska Dagbladet following her victory, stating that she had been stable at just about the 1,90m—and a bit higher—so her winning mark on Saturday was finally worth the wait.
"I've now taken a step toward higher heights," she said.
Green had a great third-attempt at 2,00m. With a few minor adjustments and another day such as this, where she is beaming with confidence, Green may break through that dream barrier.
Green's competition had bowed out by the time Green entered the competition at 1,83m—a height Green cleared on her first attempt. She continued first-attempt clearances through to her season's best height of 1,95m.
Green's first attempt at her new personal best was marginally good, but she found the bar on her second and cleared her lifetime best. She then had the bar raised to 2,00m, where she missed on her three attempts—including running under the bar on the first.
"This is the second time I've jumped at this height. It definitely felt that it is there and possible that I can clear it. Two metres is a dream barrier that one wants to clear—a big goal. It is perhaps a mental block, but also an inspirational goal."
Croat Blanka Vlasic, who has a 20-meet win-streak and who has cleared 2,00m 27 times in her career, has the highest mark in the world this season at 2,04m.
Vlasic has jumped injured the past two meets, however, and her participation in next month's IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, is not a clear certainty.
Green's exposure to the magical barrier puts behind her a tumultuous past two seasons in which the 23-year-old, who is trained by her live-in boyfriend Yannick Tregaro, went from an immediate star to an athlete who appeared to have lost her confidence against the best in the world.
Green placed a surprising third in the world outdoor championships three years ago, knocking Russia's Anna Chicherova, who'd won the European Indoor title earlier that spring, into fourth.
Green was spared the limelight when Kajsa Bergqvist, returning from a nasty achilles injury, not only won the competition at 2,02m, but made three attempts at bettering Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova's world outdoor record of 2,09m in the process.
Green was thrust partly into the spotlight, but needed time to mature both on and off the field—something she readily admits she has been able to accomplish over the past two seasons.
2 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Anonymous about 1 year ago
This is good news for your high jump-crazy country with Kajsa Bergqvist gone. Does Emma have enough confidence to be the best though? 198cm is good, but there are others much better including Chicherova.
Charles
Edit Comment Cancel
Anonymous about 1 year ago
Nice piece again Eric Pelle. Thank you for contributing so much to those of us not living in Europe. I receive your contributions by feed, and it is a pleasure to continue reading your great and informative work. Keep it up.
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.