Alana flies high in Beijing warm-up
- Paul Munnings
- 31st July 2008
A PERSONAL best in her last competition before she contests her first Olympic Games has given pole vaulter Alana Boyd a timely confidence boost ahead of her arrival in Beijing.
The 24-year-old from Alexandra Headland soared 4.56 metres at the grand prix meeting in Monaco yesterday to finish in eighth place against a field which included nearly all of the main Olympic contenders.
Boyd's previous PB, a 4.55m leap, was set 18 months ago in Perth and was six centimetres better than her season's best of 4.50m which was achieved when she took second at a meet in Lucerne, Switzerland, earlier this month.
It was 36cm higher than her best effort at last year's world championships.
Making the final in Beijing is the main goal for the daughter of former Olympians Ray and Denise Boyd, who, along with sister Jacinta and brother Matt, will be in the stands at the "Bird's Nest" stadium watching her compete.
However it's probably going to take a repeat of her new PB, or close to it, in qualifying for her to make the last 12 who will contest the Games final.
She is now ranked 15th in the world, although there are competitors above her who will not be in China.
"We always thought it was going to take something like 4.55m to 4.60m to make the final," Denise Boyd said.
"It will be a wonderful achievement if she does.
"The last meet before the Games is a good one to jump well in. It will be great for her confidence."
Ray, who is also her coach, was in Monaco to see his daughter's climb to a new height.
While he will return to the Coast tomorrow, Alana will arrive in Hong Kong along with the rest of the Australian track and field squad.
"Right now my goal is to make the final in Beijing and then anything can happen. I am in good shape and ready to jump some big heights," she said earlier this month.
"Beijing will only be the start of my career. Come London in 2012 I think I am capable of being very competitive with the top pole vaulters in the world."
The reigning Olympic champion, Russian Yelena Isibayeva, set a new world record of 5.04m to win the Monaco event.
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