Russian pole vaulter Anzhelika Sidorova enters 5m club, wins Diamond League title in Zurich

Russian Anzhelika Sidorova became the fourth athlete to scale more than 5-meter in women’s pole vault event Thursday night at Zurich’s Diamond League final.

The 30-year-old Russian cleared a height of 5.01m on her third attempt. It helped to take home the final Diamond League trophy and winning purse of $30,000.

Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, Jenn Suhr and Sandi Morris of the USA are the other three women athletes who have bettered the 5m in the pole vault. Yelena had set a world record of 5.06m in Zurich in 2009.

The 2019 world champion and Tokyo Olympic Games silver medalist Anzhelika’s previous best was 4.95m when she won the 2019 Doha World Championships. The Russian won silver at the Tokyo Olympics at a height of 4.85m.

On Thursday night in Zurich, Anzhelika cleared the 4.96m on her first attempt and then set her eyes on scaling 5.01m. She cleared the 5.01m on her third attempt.

In the post-event interaction with World Athletics, Anzhelika said:

“I think this is really the right place to jump high. I did not feel like it was coming today (Thursday night). I still cannot believe I got over the five-metre barrier on Thursday night.”

Anzhelika didn't go for the world outdoor record of 5.06m set by compatriot Yelena in Zurich in 2009.

Duplantis won the men's pole vault title at the Zurich Diamond League

The men’s Diamond League trophy in the pole vault went to Mondo Duplantis. The 21-year-old from Olympic champion from Sweden won the title with a meeting record of 6.06m. It was the fourth-best outdoor clearance of his career

Mondo raised the bar to 6.19m but was unsuccessful in his three attempts.

World and Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela won the women’s triple jump event. Yulimars’ winning jump in Zurich was the fourth-best mark in history. It was her 16th jump beyond 15m this season.

Overall 25 top athletes were awarded final Diamond League trophy and cash award of $30,000 as prize money. The winners were also given wild card entry for the 2022 World Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Eugene.