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On a vibrant Saturday afternoon in Täby Square, USA’s Sandi Morris put on a sparkling performance — both literally and athletically — winning the women’s street pole vault competition with a best clearance of 4.82m.
The event, staged as part of the BAUHAUS-galan Diamond League weekend, served up energy, drama, and glitter in equal measure.
Morris, a three-time world silver medallist and brought the crowd to life not only with her world-class vaulting but also her dazzling pink, sparkly outfit — a signature statement of her competitive persona.
“Perfect. My marketing is working,” Morris joked after her win. “I want to be out there sparkling like a superhero. Look good, feel good, jump good, is what I like to say. The sparkle and shine is my personality — a little bit of unicorn and a little bit of fairy dust, that’s what I am.”
She had good reason to celebrate. Morris cleared 4.82m cleanly to secure the win and then made three ambitious attempts at 4.87m to try and break her own meeting record. Though those final efforts fell short — fatigue setting in late in the competition — the American was pleased with how her technical focus translated into results.
“I’m very, very pleased,” she said. “I’ve been working on some stuff on my run and with my poles… and I feel like I executed those things really well today. It was a great day — it’s going to help me build for the rest of the season and take data points that I learned today into World Championships.”
European champion Angelica Moser of Switzerland claimed second place with a strong clearance of 4.63 as Italy’s Roberta Bruni finished third with a first time clearance at 4.53m. But it was Morris who took centre stage in front of an enthralled audience.
“It was incredible,” she said. “I personally love street events. The energy of the crowd is always amazing. This country knows pole vault — because of one very specific person, Mondo — so I have him to thank for such an energetic crowd.”
Indeed, with Olympic champion Armand “Mondo” Duplantis slated to headline the men’s competition at Sunday’s main Diamond League event, the passion for pole vault in Sweden is undeniable. But on Saturday, Täby Square belonged to the women — and especially to Morris, who took full advantage of the unique stage.
“The pole vault is such a cool event. I might be biased, but we can really stand on our own as this crazy extreme sport,” she said. “And having an event in the street where fans can walk right up to you… I’m sure it must be crazy to witness for the first time. I wish I could watch pole vault from fresh eyes.”
