Eben Beukes (Tuks) is certainly no one hit wonder that became abundantly clear on Saturday when he won the pole vault clearing the bar at 5.50 metres during a league meeting at Pilditch.
It was the second time in three weeks that Beukes managed to jump 5.50 metres. Three weeks ago, also at a league meeting at Pilditch, he jumped 5.60 metres.
A quick glance at the South African pole vault statistics for the past 10 years puts Beukes’s performances into perspective. Since 2006, only three local vaulters were able to jump higher than 5.50 metres.
In 2006 Ockert Brits cleared 5.82 metres. Four years later Cheyne Rahme jumped 5.50 metres and now, five years later, Beukes jumped 5.60 metres, which he followed up with his attempt of 5.50 metres. During the past 10 years he was the only vaulter who was able to clear 5.50 metres and higher on two separate occasions in the same year.
In fact, South African pole vaulting went through such a bad patch that the women’s world record holder in the pole vault, Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia), would have been a serious medal contender at the national championships if she were allowed to compete against the men at the national championships between 2008 to 2009.
In 2008 Jan Blignaut won the gold medal at the South African Championships, clearing 4.80m. In 2009 Brits, South Africa’s pole vault legend, came out of retirement to win the national title with a jump of 5.10 metres. The second and third placed athletes both jumped 4.80 metres. In 2010, the winning height at the national championships was again 4.80 metres.
Between 2008 to 2009 Isinbayeva recorded jumps of 5.03m, 5.04m, 5.05m and 5.06m.
It is, therefore, clear that there is ample reason to be excited about Beukes’s performances. At long last it seems as if a revival in South African pole vaulting is on the cards. This is especially true considering that Michael Cilliers cleared 5.40m on Saturday. It has been quite a few years since two local athletes cleared 5.40m at the same meeting.
Beukes opened his campaign on Saturday by clearing 5.20. This was followed by a jump of 5.40m before he cleared 5.50m.
Afterwards, Beukes said he was quite happy with his performance.
“It was important to me to jump 5.50m again to prove to myself that my 5.60m attempt was no fluke. Clearing 5.50m was just the confidence booster I needed. I now know that I am capable of consistently clearing good heights, providing that I keep my wits about me throughout the competition.”
The Tuks athlete admitted that the Olympic Games in Rio are at the back of his mind.
“I know I am capable of jumping 5.70m, which is the qualifying standard, but it would be foolish to become obsessed with it. For me it is a case of if it happens it happens.”
According to his coach, Jakes van Vuuren, the most important challenge now is to ensure that Beukes performs consistently every time he competes.
“At the moment it is a numbers game for me. On Saturday he started at 5.20m. Next weekend, at the Gauteng North Championships, his starting height will be 5.25m. Depending on how it plays out, he could start at 5.30m the next time he competes.
“We are in no rush at the moment to get to the really big heights. We will take it step by step. I would be satisfied if Eben could jump higher than 5.50m three or four times before the end of the season. If he should be able to do that, there is good chance that a really big jump could sneak in. And, who knows, when that happens it might just be good enough to get him to the Olympic Games.”
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