Teenager escapes injury after rough landing

10:08am Wednesday 14th May 2008

All high jumping events were cancelled at Kingsmeadow after international Charis O'Connor injured herself in the warm-up for the junior women's event.

Teenager O'Connor, due to defend the title she won last year, cleared a practice jump of 1.65m, but fell head first into a dip in the middle of the landing bed.

First-aiders strapped up her arm and shoulder before taking her to Kingston Hospital, where she was cleared of significant injury.

Officials examined the high jump bed and found that it gave way excessively due to the absence of an undercover.

Field referee Marianne Goldie decided it was unsafe to use.

Kingsmeadow Stadium manager Jonathan Waterkamp said: "We have not had anything like this for five years. We will now order a new high jump bed."

The immediate problem is whether it arrives in time for a British League meeting hosted by Kingston & Polytechnic on June 7.

"I am not going to hold the meeting without a high jump," said Kingston & Polytechnic's Dave Barrington.

"Either we have a new bed by then or we will have borrowed one from another track."

Meanwhile, athletes and officials had a lucky escape when a freak gust of wind lifted the metal pole vault cover on to the track on Saturday afternoon.

Fortunately, no races were taking place at the time and no one was in the vicinity of the cover, which normally takes at least four people to move.

The freak gust occurred at about 4pm, when negligable winds on the track suddenly surged to approaching 10mph ahead of the women's hurdles race.

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