Monte-Carlo – The climax to the 2011 Samsung Diamond League begins in two days’ time
With the 13th edition of the IAAF World Championships concluding in fine style on Sunday (4) with a World 4x100m Relay record* set in front of a packed stadium of highly vocal and enthusiastic spectators in Daegu, Korea, the sport’s attentions have now swung back to Europe and the conclusion of the second season the 14 meeting Samsung Diamond League, which is the sport’s premier global invitational tour. The meetings Weltklasse Zürich (Thu 8) and Belgacom Memorial Van Damme (Fri 16 Sep), which respectively take place in Zürich, Switzerland and Brussels, Belgium, are the two Finals of the series just as they were last year.

Zurich Entries

At age 35, Miles was a surprise winner at the 2008 Olympic Trials, beating 40-year-old Jeff Hartwig plus U.S. and world favorite Brad Walker. Miles was the only one of that trio to reach the Olympic final, where he cleared 5.75 meters (18 feet, 10¼ inches) to finish fourth. A second place finish at the World Athletics Final was Miles’ highlight performance in 2009.

Trials veteran:

Born to fly:

Multi-talented:

The stats:

• Height:6-3
• Weight:190
• Birth date:September 28, 1972
• Hometown:Sacramento, California
• Personal best: 5.85 meters (19 feet, 2½ inches)

• Derek Miles

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  Derek Miles (born September 28, 1972) is an American pole vaulter, from Tea, South Dakota. A former pole vaulter for The University of South Dakota Track and Field team, Miles is currently an assistant coach for the Coyotes. Miles finished fourth in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. In 2004, he placed seventh in the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. ^[1]

  His personal best vault is 5.85 metres, achieved in September 2008 in Berlin, Germany. The vault, completed next to the Brandenburg Gate, was part of a promotional competition for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.^[2] Miles trains with Earl Bell in Jonesboro, Arkansas at Bell Athletics. He is represented by Karen Locke.

  He attended Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, California.

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
Representing the United States
2003	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, England	5th
	World Championships	Paris, France	6th
	World Athletics Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	5th
2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	7th
	World Athletics Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	3rd
2005	World Athletics Final	Monte Carlo, Monaco	5th
2008	U.S. Olympic Trials	Eugene, Oregon	1st
	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	4th
	World Athletics Final	Stuttgart, Germany	1st
2010	Continental Cup	Split, Croatia	3rd

DAEGU, South Korea — Whenever the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium is open, the Bahamas Government and the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is hoping to officially christen it with the hosting of the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships.

Over the weekend, the BAAA submitted the bid to host the championships for junior athletes aged 19 years or younger on December 31 in the year of the championships. It’s a biennial event that got started in 1986 in Athens, Greece.

If successful, the Bahamas will become just the second nation in the region to host it. The first was Jamaica in 2002. It has never been held in the United States. The last championships was held in Moncton, Canada. The 2012 championships is set for Barcelona, Spain, July 10-15.

read more http://www.tribune242.com/09062011_IAAF_sports

~ Shane Hackett ~

Shane had an extremely successful high school career. He was the California State Champion during his senior year at Verdugo Hills High School in 2000. Despite standing only 5’8 and 125 lbs Shane was able to dominate the competition with his speed and technique. He ended with a High School PR of 16’4 making him one of the elite young pole vaulters in the country.

Shane’s freshman season at UCLA was derailed when he suffered a broken foot in a horrific car accident. By his junior year, Shane was able to regain his form and strength to PR at 5.11m (16’9”) at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno.

Shane has taken over the pole vault coaching duties at Santa Monica High School and the So Cal Pole Vault Club in Los Angeles. Shane’s exceptional understanding and articulation of pole vaulting technique makes him one of the premier coaches in California. He emphasizes speed, fitness, a confident, open take off, and control through the swing and turn, believing this combination not only allows a vaulter to jump on poles much larger than their own weight, but also gives the vaulter the confidence to jump at their peak in any condition.