The High Jump competitions could prove to be a major highlight of the 66th Cork City Sports.

 

The fields in both the mens and womens event this year have some of the best competitors ever assembled in Cork. The meeting record of 2.30 in the mens event, set by Olympian Jamie Nieto USA in 2008, could be broken on July 18th. Likewise the womens record of 1.92 set by Amy Acuff in 2007 could also go.

 

In the mens competition one of the main contenders will be Chris Baker from the UK. He is European Championships Bronze medallist and Top 8 at World Indoor Championships. He is the number two British high jumper behind Robbie Grabarz Olympic Bronze medallist, and  has a best of 2.36 indoors and has jumped 2.27 outdoors already this year. This is over 7 and a half feet or six inches from the ceiling in the average house.

 

Jamal Wilson from the Bahamas with a personal best of 2.30 and has jumped 2.27 already this year.

Norbert Kobielski from Poland has jumped 2.26 already at the end of June and is at his best right now.

Mike Edwards GBR 2.25PB, Darius Purcell and Donte Nall USA 2.27 will all be in with a chance of breaking the record.

 

In the womens competition the main contenders will be Liz Patterson NCAA champion from USA with a personal best of 1.94 and Lavern Spencer from the Santa Lucia, Top 8 at Olympic Games and Pan American Games Champion with a personal best of 1.98.

 

When you stand next to the bar that these people jump over it is difficult to believe that it is possible to get your entire body over it. Cork City Sports invite spectators to get themselves to the standing area at the top bend at CIT stadium on July 18th to get a full appreciation of what these great athletes are capable of doing.