Pole vault draws the crowds in Cork

The Pole Vault event was first up at the BUPA Ireland Cork City Sports in the Mardyke today, but such was the quality of the field involved that a flood of people took their seats early in order to watch the action.

Prior to the meeting, City Sports PRO Tony O'Connell said that the Pole Vault was one of the most attractive events and so it proved as it took seven different heights before the outcome was decided.

In the end, the Czech Republic's Adam Ptacek came away with the gold medal. Despite failing at his three attempts at 5.70m, his successful effort at 5.50m proved enough to keep him clear of his nearest challengers, Sweden's Oscar Janson and Bjorn Otto of Germany, neither of whom could do any better than 5.30m.

The sole Irish competitor Ruairi O'Briain was eliminated when he made three unsuccessful attempts at clearing 4.80m.