Pole vaulter leaps to new national best
The weekend’s Greek indoor athletics championship produced a new national record in the women’s pole vault from Nicole Kyriacopoulou, who cleared the 4.40-meter mark to break a record set exactly six years earlier. The country’s previous best, 4.37 meters, had been set on February 23, 2002, by Gogo Tsiliggiri. Kyriacopoulou’s record qualified her for the World Indoor Championship, scheduled for March 7-9 in Valencia. «I did not expect to break the record. I changed my pole and started the event with a harder one, as I wanted to improve my personal best. I hope to further improve my record in Valencia,» said the 22-year-old Kyriacopoulou. In the men’s long jump, Louis Tsatoumas won a thrilling three-way battle with a 7.88-meter performance, just ahead of Stergios Nousios, a centimeter behind, and Giorgos Tsakonas, who registered 7.86 m.
