Emma George: hitting
the heights
February
28 1997
 MONACO - Monte Carlo - In
Paris the women’s pole vault makes its debut
as a Major Championship event. But as if this
wasn’t enough to focus attention, Paris will
also see the first European appearance in 1997 of
one of the fastest rising stars in women’s
athletics - Emma George. The 23 year-old
Australian, who was once an acrobat in a
children’s circus troupe, has been in
excellent form recently, improving her own
outdoor world record from 4.45m to 4.50m and then
to 4.55m in a matter of weeks. George, who also
set a world indoor record of 4.40m at the end of
last year, is based in Melbourne where she is
coached by Mark Stewart. In six years the
women’s outdoor world record has evolved
from 4.00m in 1991 (Zhang Chunzhen) to 4.55m. The
same amount of improvement in the men’s
event took 28 years, from 3.985m by Robert
Gardner in 1912 to 4.57m by Cornelius Wamerdam in
1940.
The World
Indoors in Paris will be your first appearance at
a major Championships. How do you feel about
this?
I’m really
excited. This is the first time I’ll be
travelling with an Australian team. I’m so
proud because I’ve wanted to have an
Australian vest since I was about 5 years-old.
We’re leaving on Monday but I’m still
waiting for the uniform!
You are
probably Australia’s biggest hope of a gold
medal. Does this add extra pressure?
To be honest, yes
it does. But I’m trying not to think about
it. The main thing for me is to relax, focus on
doing the best I can, and enjoy the experience.
You have
recently improved the world record by 10
centimetres. Is the fact that you could win
$25,000 for breaking the world record in Paris an
extra incentive?
The really
important thing is to win. If the record came as
well that’s fine but I think it’s more
important for me to win a major title. Obviously,
the money would be welcome but it’s not my
priority.
In Australia
most of the time you are going for a height,
while in Paris you will be up against the
world’s best in a championship situation.
Will this be difficult?
It is definitely a
different situation but I prefer the tough
competition. I’m glad that last year I was
able to compete in Europe against a lot of the
best girls. It was really great to be pushed and
I also enjoyed getting to know them all. I built
up some good relationships. The pole vault is
special because competitors need to help each
other at times. Also, since you’re out there
for two to three hours at a time why not be
friendly?
What do you
believe is the best way to encourage more women
to try the pole vault?
I actually think
that having the event on TV at Major
Championships like the World Indoors and the
Commonwealth Games is fantastic. If women can get
to see for themselves how exciting and fun the
pole vault is, the event will definitely grow.
The only limits are the technical requirements -
you need poles and mats etc - but that’s the
same in the men’s event.
Will this be
your first trip to Paris?
I took a year off
after school before going to university and spent
some time in Europe so I know a little bit about
Paris. But what’s nice is that my parents
are coming to watch me at the World Indoors and
they will be spending a couple of months in
Europe afterwards. As for me, I would like to
stay on for a few days but I’m supposed to
be back at university for the start of the new
term. I’m beginning the final year of my
Arts and Commerce degree.
PS: Some
interesting things you probably didn’t know
about Emma George …
The name of her childhood circus troupe was
"The Flying Fruit Flies." Her circus
coaches were Chinese.
One of her favourite hobbies is fishing.
|
