Sunday, August 07, 2005
Sports - Auburn native Dragila fails to qualify at World Track and Field Championships - sacbee.com
Sports - Auburn native Dragila fails to qualify at World Track and Field Championships - sacbee.com: "Auburn native Dragila fails to qualify at World Track and Field Championships
By Bob Burns -- Special to The Bee
Published 6:38 pm PDT Sunday, August 7, 2005
HELSINKI, FINLAND - Stacy Dragila, the Auburn native who made the women's pole vault a showcase event with her record jumps and effervescent personality, plans to rest up and get a fresh start after failing to make it out of Sunday's qualifying at the World Track and Field Championships.
Dragila looked nothing like the aggressive vaulter who won a pair of world titles, one Olympic championship and set numerous world records. Her third-attempt clearance of 14 feet, 5� inches placed her 16th out of 28 vaulters in Sunday's qualifying."
Twelve women advanced to Wednesday's final, including the world record holder, Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia.
"I had a rough day," said Dragila, who has been hampered by an Achilles' tendon injury since last summer, when she failed to qualify for the Olympic final in Athens. "The confidence for me has been in the dumps. I'll sit down and evaluate whether I'm going to call it a season."
Asked if she was considering retirement, the 34-year-old Dragila shook her head no.
"If I want to do this, I want to be healthy," she said. "I have days when I can jump well. But I haven't been consistent, and that used to be my strength. I know I'm capable of more. That's what keeps me going."
Dragila jumped a season-high 15-1 last month in Lausanne, Switzerland, placing second behind Isinbayeva's world-record 16-2. Isinbayeva subsequently broke the record two more times, becoming the first woman to vault five meters (16-4¾) two weeks ago in London.
"I hope what she's doing doesn't discourage the other girls," said Dragila, whose career best is 15-10. "They have the potential to jump five meters, too. I think I can still jump it, on the right day, with the right pole. But once you get injured …"
Her voice trailed off.
"I'll be in the stands cheering for them."
By Bob Burns -- Special to The Bee
Published 6:38 pm PDT Sunday, August 7, 2005
HELSINKI, FINLAND - Stacy Dragila, the Auburn native who made the women's pole vault a showcase event with her record jumps and effervescent personality, plans to rest up and get a fresh start after failing to make it out of Sunday's qualifying at the World Track and Field Championships.
Dragila looked nothing like the aggressive vaulter who won a pair of world titles, one Olympic championship and set numerous world records. Her third-attempt clearance of 14 feet, 5� inches placed her 16th out of 28 vaulters in Sunday's qualifying."
Twelve women advanced to Wednesday's final, including the world record holder, Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia.
"I had a rough day," said Dragila, who has been hampered by an Achilles' tendon injury since last summer, when she failed to qualify for the Olympic final in Athens. "The confidence for me has been in the dumps. I'll sit down and evaluate whether I'm going to call it a season."
Asked if she was considering retirement, the 34-year-old Dragila shook her head no.
"If I want to do this, I want to be healthy," she said. "I have days when I can jump well. But I haven't been consistent, and that used to be my strength. I know I'm capable of more. That's what keeps me going."
Dragila jumped a season-high 15-1 last month in Lausanne, Switzerland, placing second behind Isinbayeva's world-record 16-2. Isinbayeva subsequently broke the record two more times, becoming the first woman to vault five meters (16-4¾) two weeks ago in London.
"I hope what she's doing doesn't discourage the other girls," said Dragila, whose career best is 15-10. "They have the potential to jump five meters, too. I think I can still jump it, on the right day, with the right pole. But once you get injured …"
Her voice trailed off.
"I'll be in the stands cheering for them."
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