The NYRR Millrose Games will take place on February 11 at The Armory, Greek athlete Stefanidi will be vying American vaulter Sandi Morris, who was the silver medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games. Ironically enough, both female vaulters cleared 4.85 meters, but on count back, Stefanidi won the tiebreaker since she cleared 4.70 meters on her first attempt, while Morris needed two attempts to vault over 4.70 meters.
Ever since the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, Morris became the first American woman to clear the 5.00 meter mark in the outdoor track and field pole vault, and the second woman in the history of pole vault after world record holder, Russian athlete Yelena Isinbayeva. In the indoor track and field pole vault event, American pole vault queen Jenn Suhr holds a world record for clearing 5.03 meters.
Throughout her career in pole vault, Stefanidi was also a world youth champion in 2005 and a 2016 European champion, and she will return to The Armory as the defending champion, where Morris finished third last year.
The women’s pole vault event at the 2017 NYRR Millrose Games is named for John Catsimatidis, a New York businessman with interests in energy, real estate and the supermarket industry. Catsimatidis noted in a press release that he is proud to sponsor this event at the NYRR Millrose Games.
