Irie Hill     Updated 5-Aug-2002
 
Name Irie Heidi Alexa Hill
(Current)
   
Sex Female
Born 16/01/1969 (Schwabmuenchen, Germany)
   
Height 1.76m
Weight 60kg
   
Event Pole Vault
Club Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow
Coach Warren Hill
   
Irie Hill

Irie first exceeded 4 metres in her first ever appearance for Great Britain, at the GB vs France match, in Ashford, Kent in 1999. At the time she was one of only two British athletes to ever have cleared this height.

In 2000 Irie had a fantastic year improving her personal best 8 times, and jumping over 4m in 11 competitions, resulting in her being the runner-up in the Olympic Trials with a personal best of 4.20m. She then chased the extra 10cm required for a place on the Olympic team, unfortunately she severely strained her ligaments in her right ankle during warm up for the final opportunity to take the place in the team, and so her season came to a premature end.

In 2001 Irie returned as strong as ever but motivation had dropped with missing the place at Sydney, so her results suffered to where she only just held on to second place in the UK rankings above Lucy Webber. Irie had her worse result indoors (5th) and was also third at the AAA's for the first time.

Born in Germany, Irie moved to England in 1996 to be coached by her husband. Irie spends most of her winters "down under" in Melbourne, Australia. Irie is currently 2nd on the UK All Time lists for the pole vault.

 
Personal Bests:  
               
   Pole Vault 4.20m    6 Aug 2000   1 Stoke
   100 11.8    4 Apr 2002   3 Brisbane, AUS
   LJ 5.50m    11 Aug 1983   1 Kaufering, GER (Age 14)
TJ 11.29m 11 Oct 2002 1 Melbourne, AUS
   HJ 1.76    11 Aug 1983   1 Kaufering, GER (Age 14)
   Indoor:    
   PV 4.10    8 Aug 2000   1 Cardiff
 
Current Form
2002 has seen an awesome return to form for Irie, who has cleared 4m or above no less than 14 times this season. Irie passed on competing indoors in order to complete her preparation for the outdoor season, and her faith was justified when she came 2nd in the Commonwealth Games trials and repeated the feat at the AAA's/European trials, both with season best jumps at 4.15m.

Despite not being picked for the European championships, Irie went to the Commonwealth Games in great spirits and showed her fighting skills as she became the first British Woman ever to win a medal in the pole vault at a major championships.

Irie completed her season with 3 gold medals at the 2002 World Masters Games in Pole Vault, Triple Jump and Long Jump.


Internationals:  5 (1999-2002)
v USA PV 5 (2002)
Commonwealth Games PV 3 (2002)
v FRA PV 2 (1999), 3(2000), 2(2001)
World Masters Games PV 1 (2002)
World Masters Games TJ 1 (2002)
World Masters Games LJ 1 (2002)
     
Nationals:  
AAA Championships PV 1(2002), 3(2001), 2(2000), 2 (1999)
AAA Indoor Championship PV 5(2001), 2(2000), 2(1999)
Commonwealth Games Trials PV 2(2002)