POLE-VAULTING ART

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22822, 1 September 1937, Page 20

POLE-VAULTING ART

WORLD CHAMPION'S OPINION The world's most efficient exponent of the spectacular art of pole-vaulting, George Varoff, of California in e\ cryday life a caretaker —recently made a trip to England for the international athletics contest at White City Stadium. Varoff holds the world record for the pole vault with 14ft. 6};n. and believes that ono day someone will vault loft. As his name implies, Varoff is of Russian extraction. Ho must be something of a psychologist, for it is his opinion that when the technicalities of pole-vaulting are acquired the height a man may leap is largely .a matter of "mental reaction." "An athlete viewing the cross-bar in a small stadium thinks it is higher than is actually the case," says Varoff. "in a large arena the bar looks lower, so the athlete makes his jump with greater confidence." Another point which VarofF makes is that the size of the uprights can affect a man's jump. "When the bar is perched right on top of the uprights it acts as. a mental hazard against the vaulter. You reduco the hazard by having taller uprights which will tower over the crossbar, no matter the jumping height," states Varoff. When the officials at the White City Stadium learned Varoff's views, they ordered the tallest side-posts obtainable —for their arena is big enough if a 15ft. leap is possible.