Alysha Newman (credit Mark Blinxh/COC)
It was a close call for London born pole vaulter Alysha Newman to leave Brussels with a medal. On Saturday the Diamond League Finals took place in Belgium’s capital for women’s pole vaulting. The Canadian was one of only 3 athletes to qualify to the event alongside shot-putter Sarah Mitton and 800m runner Marco Arop. Newman qualified for the finals after placing second in Zurich’s Diamond League event on early September.
Nina Kennedy won the finals for women’s pole vaulting after successfully vaulting 4.88m. United States’ Sandi Morris bested Newman for a silver medal after vaulting 4.8m in her first try, while the Canadian got it in her second try. The London athlete finished the event with a bronze medal over British pole vaulter Molly Caudery who finished fourth. They both vaulted over 4.8m on their second attempt, but only Newman got 4.7m on her first attempt. That was the difference between a medal and fourth place finish.
Had Newman cleared 4.8m in her first try she would have won a silver medal instead, since Morris failed both of her first and second attempts at 4.7m. All Canadian athletes who participated in this year’s final came home with a podium placement as Arop won bronze as well in the 800m run and Mitton took the gold in the women’s shot put.
