The Australian pole vault record holder, Alana Boyd, has formally announced her retirement from athletics.
Boyd closed out her career in remarkable fashion leaping 4.80m to place 4th at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Her third Olympic campaign, Boyd followed the lead of her parents, sprinter Denise and pole vaulter Ray, into athletics before making her debut for Australia at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka (JPN).
Boyd won her maiden national pole vault crown in 2008, before a 4.30m clearance on Olympic debut at Beijing 2008. She has since won the Australian Athletics Championships gold medal on three occasions (2009, 2013, 2015).
A gold medal at the Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games followed, before a bronze medal at the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech (MAR) and a new personal best of 4.81m earlier this year to become the best ever Australian female pole vaulter. The mark bettered her own previous Australian record of 4.76m.
“Like every athlete, I have had ups and downs but over the last ten years. I have had a successful international career. I have had an amazing 2016, pushing my Australian Record that little bit higher with two personal bests and a fourth place finish at the Olympics,” Boyd said.
“I was the athlete I always hoped I could be in Rio and given a less than ideal preparation, I cleared a height only one centimetre below my lifetime best. I am so proud of that and couldn’t ask for much more.”
“I absolutely love the sport and everything it’s given me. I know at times I will miss it but I also really look forward to the next stage of my life away from the track.”
Oceania Athletics Association congratulates Alana on her outstanding career and retires as the current Oceania Area Record holder for the Women’s Pole Vault with 4.81m.
Story from Athletics Australia
