Athletics: Dryburgh out of pole vault

Pole vaulter Jenni Dryburgh became the first New Zealand casualty at the world athletics championships in Edmonton yesterday.

Dryburgh was eliminated in qualifying when she managed a best vault of 4.25m.

That was 10cm below her personal best, recorded in March when she won the Australian national title.

The first New Zealander in action at the championships, the North Harbour athlete finished ninth in group A and 18th overall of the 25 pole vaulters in action.

One consolation was that her performance comfortably bettered the 2002 Commonwealth Games qualifying mark of 4.10m.

She opened yesterday by managing 4m before improving to 4.15m. During her third attempt, at 4.35m, Dryburgh dislodged the bar during her descent.

Of other Commonwealth vaulters, only Britain's Janine Whitlock and Australian Titiana Grigorieva performed better than Dryburgh.

Two New Zealanders will be in action today. Jane Arnott contests the 400m heats and Chantal Brunner the qualifying rounds in the long jump.

John Henwood had been expected to contest the 10,000m heats, but organisers have now decided to cancel them and have a 10,000m final only, on Thursday.

Thirty-two runners originally entered, but after four withdrew, organisers announced that all would progress directly in the final.

- NZPA