The men’s pole vault qualifications for the 2019 IAAF World Championships started today at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
World record holder Renaud Lavillenie failed to clear his third height at 5.70 meters, so he is officially out and did not progress to the final. His best clearance was 5.60 meters.
To qualify for the men’s pole vault final in Doha one needs a clearance of 5.75 meters, or at least the 12 best athletic performances.
Some of the pole vaulters that are progressing to the final include reigning world champion and world leader Sam Kendricks, Polish athlete Piotr Lisek, and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Thiago Braz, Brazilian pole vaulter Augusto Dutra, American Cole Walsh and Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, who holds the world junior record in the sport.
Lavillenie holds the world record in the men’s pole vault with 6.16 meters, and has won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games and at the World Indoor Championships (2012, 2016 and 2018), but the only gold medal he has yet to earn in his athletic career is an outdoor world championship one. Unfortunately, for Lavillenie, it will not happen this year either.
Read More: Earlier this year, in February, Digital Journal chatted with Lavillenie’s pole vault coach, Philippe d’Encausse.
