Name: Holly Bethan Bleasdale
Event: Pole vault
Date of Birth: 2nd November 1991, Age 20
Career Highlight: Breaking the British record, and securing third place in all time
Did you know?: Bleasdale only took up pole vaulting in late 2008 after seven years of gymnastics training and moderate success in the hurdles and heptathlon.
Preston born Holly Bleasdale has enjoyed a remarkable two years, rising from obscurity to become one of the top pole vaulters in the world, and a genuine medal hopeful in the London Olympics. Aged only 20 her career is in its fledgling stages, and she possesses the potential to develop into one of the true greats of her discipline.
Bleasdale first announced herself on the world stage in June 2010, when she vaulted to the height of 4.35m, in the process breaking the British Junior record. A month later she competed in the Junior World Champinships at Moncton, Canada, where she started as the favourite for gold. However Bleasdale failed to live up to the expectations and had to settle for bronze, yet this was still the first time a female British pole vaulter had won a medal at a global championships.
2011 saw the Preston born athlete progress to a new level, as she stepped up onto the Senior stage with comfort. She finished 11th in the European Indoor Championships, before improving to finish fifth in the European Team Championships. Better was yet to come though, as she first set a new British U-23 record, then only six days later smashed that by leaping 4.70m, to surpass Kate Dennison’s British record. Not only was she British record holder, but this was also a U-23 World record. In addition to all of this she won gold at the European U-23 Championships.
In 2012 though Bleasdale has vaulted even higher, as she puts the finishing touches to her Olympic preparations. In January 2012 she broke the British indoor record by sailing over 4.87m, which puts her third on the all-time list. In March Bleasdale then continued her sterling form by winning bronze at the indoor World Championships, showing her immense ability in the run up to the Olympics.
Bleasdale has no Olympic experience, yet she possesses phenomenal natural talent, and oozes confidence and maturity beyond her age. So much so that Bleasdale has emerged as a genuine medal contender, in an event which Britain has traditionally struggled to attain any success in. However, she faces stiff competition from the likes of Russian world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva and in form American Jennifer Suhr. Yet with the support inside the Olympic stadium, Bleasdale may go onto spring a surprise, and could well be an Olympic medal holder by the end of London 2012.