Fourth in the world: Pole vault champion Costas Philippidis cleared 5.65 meters in Doha, Qatar.

Greek pole vault champion Costas Philippidis came mighty close to winning a World Indoor Championship medal on Saturday but had to settle for fourth.

Though he cleared the same height as Germany's Alexander Straub (5.65 meters), the 23-year-old came in fourth in the final, missing out on the bronze medal, as he cleared the mark on his third attempt, while Straub did so on the first.

The Greek could not match the national record of 5.70 meters which he recorded just a few weeks ago, but showed that he was capable of making it big on the global stage in the future.

«Everything went well. I could have taken the bronze medal with my first attempt at 5.70 meters but I am still happy,» said Philippidis, who reiterated that his main target for the year is the European Championship in Barcelona this summer.

Yesterday it was the turn of the other Greek pole vaulter in a final, but Nicole Kyriakopoulou finished last, as she had three failed attempts at the first height she tried to clear, 4.35 meters.

All other Greek athletes failed to reach their discipline's final on Friday, when there was heartbreak for Dimitris Tsiamis in the men's triple jump, as he missed out on a place in the final by just 2 centimeters. His best jump was at 16.53 meters.