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Flopping their way to victory
Like all the field events, the high jump is a blend of power and technique - the power to blast off the ground with enough escape velocity to allow your technique to get you over and around the bar. It's the one event where the winning jump will almost certainly be a complete flop - the flop technique, in which jumpers wrap themselves backwards around the bar with an arched back and upward-kicking legs, has made otherwise unattainable heights a possibility.
 
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Men
"The Russians -- Voronin and Klyugin -- have been jumping very well this
year, as have the Swedes, especially Strand lately. But Boswell will have an
advantage being on home soil, and that should give him the edge."

Women
"Bergqvist from Sweden is very consistent, but Veneva from Bulgaria has the
best jump of the year, so it should be between those two."
-- Michael Smith
MEN
Athlete Height Venue - Year
World Javier Sotomayor (CUB) 2.45m Salamanca - 1993
Canadian Mark Boswell
 2.35 Seville - 1999
Year's Best Charles Clinger (USA) 2.35 Pocatello - May 19
WOMEN
Athlete Time Venue - Year
World Stefka Kostadinova (BUL) 2.09 Rome - 1987
Canadian Debbie Brill 1.98 Rieti - 1984
Year's Best Venelina Veneva (BUL) 2.04 Kalamata - June 2


Copyright © 2001 CBC
All Rights Reserved

Wed., Aug. 8
8 -10pm. ET
-Men's FINAL

Sun., Aug. 12
4 - 7:30pm
-Women's FINAL

  • Mark Boswell (CAN)
  • Kwaku Boateng (CAN)
  • Kajsa Bergqvist (SWE)

    • Jumpers take off powerfully about a metre from the bar, launch their bodies into the air and twist while climbing upwards until they face away from the bar.
  • more

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