Vicky has shown great composure under pressure, most recently when she qualified for the pole vault final in Ostrava on her final jump after two no-heights. She had entered the competition as favourite.

An eventual gold medal forced selectors to consider her World Championships prospects and she got the nod, becoming the youngest ever Australian athlete to be named for the worlds.

Osaka was always going to be a mighty challenge for Vicky, however, the experience alone will count for plenty as she immerses herself in senior competition.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Pole vault: 2006 - 2nd, 2007 – 6th, 2008 – 2nd, 2009 - 3rd

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

World Youth Championships: 2005 - pole vault 4th (4.10m), 2007 - pole vault 1st (4.35m)
Commonwealth Games: 2006 - pole vault 6th (4.25m)
World Junior Championships: 2006 - pole vault 3rd (4.20m), 2008 – pole vault 5th (4.20m)
World Championships: 2007 - pole vault qual round (4.15m)

PROGRESSION:

Pole vault
2000 2.13m
2001 2.90m
2002 3.40m
2003 3.70m
2004 3.90m
2005 4.15m
2006 4.30m
2007 4.40m
2008 4.35m

EVENTS / PBS:

Pole vault: 4.40m - Saulheim (GER), 30/06/07

RECORD(S):

National under-20 record - pole vault: 4.40m - Saulheim (GER), 30/06/07
National under-18 record - pole vault: 4.40m - Saulheim (GER), 30/06/07
National under-16 record - pole vault: 4.15m - Gold Coast, 5/07/05

INTERESTING FACTS

After watching the Sydney Olympics at nine, Vicky asked her dad if she could try pole vaulting. Her aunt is Tatiana Grigorieva, the Sydney Olympic pole vault silver medallist, and her grandmother Natalya Pechonkina won a bronze medal in the 400 metres at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.

SPORTING CAREER

Vicky has a remarkable record for such a young age, having competed at two editions of the World Youth Championships, two World Junior Championships, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

The youngster’s talent has been fostered by her father Alex, who coaches the Perth-based pole vault camp that includes Steve Hooker, Paul Burgess and Kym Howe, among others.

At Melbourne 2006, Vicky finished sixth in a senior women’s event that saw her aunty Tatiana Grigorieva win a silver medal. Later that year in Beijing, she won bronze at the World Juniors and set herself up for a successful domestic season.

She finished second at the All Schools Championships in December 2006 and returned to Sydney for gold at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in January 2007.

Sixth place at the Australian Championships was down on her 2006 effort, however, a small European campaign prior to the World Youth Championships in Ostrava sealed a new personal best of 4.40m.

Vicky has shown great composure under pressure, seen when she qualified for the pole vault final in Ostrava on her final jump after two no-heights. She had entered the competition as favourite.

An eventual gold medal at that meet forced selectors to consider her World Championships prospects and she got the nod, becoming the youngest ever Australian athlete to be named for the worlds.

Osaka was always going to be a mighty challenge for Vicky, however, the experience alone will count for plenty as she immerses herself in senior competition.

Vicky competed in a number of events in the 2007-2008 domestic season, including a win at the Australian under 20 titles and silver at the Open National Championships.

These performances earned her a place in the Australian junior team to compete in her second World Junior Championships where she placed 5th (4.20m).

Family Connections
Her aunt is Tatiana Grigorieva, the Sydney Olympic pole vault silver medallist, and her grandmother Natalya Pechonkina won a bronze medal in the 400 metres at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. Vicky’s younger sister Liz is also an emerging vaulter, clearing 3.65m in 2007.