Dennison's motivator
Kate Dennison claims losing the British pole vault record to Holly Bleasdale has given her motivation for 2012.
Last Updated: 15/05/12 3:26pm
Kate Dennison claims that losing the British pole vault record she once owned to Holly Bleasdale has given her all the motivation she needs ahead of the London Olympics.
In 2009, Dennison broke the national record 10 times, netting a bonus of around £5,000 a time, before 20-year-old Bleasdale blew it out of the water with a clearance of 4.70 metres last summer.
Bleasdale then extended that mark to 4.87m during this year's indoor season, while Dennison's best is 4.61m from 2011.
Despite this, the 28-year-old believes that domestic rivalry is exactly what is needed leading up to the biggest summer of her career.
Personal best
The psychology graduate said: "I think in the past maybe I have (rested on my laurels).
"I jumped 4.60m three years ago and I've only jumped 4.61m last year. I need to step it up and hopefully competing with Holly will help me do that.
"It was very tough last year, but I felt like I had to deal with it (Bleasdale's emergence) last year and it's been dealt with now.
"It's time to move on. Holly will do what Holly will do and I'll do what I do.
"The British record's great to have, but at the end of the day I'm still trying to jump personal bests and that's the way I looked at each British record, as a personal best, and hopefully I can still carry on and jump a personal best soon."
Improvements
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist cleared 4.50m last week, at the opening Diamond League meeting of the season in Doha, attaining the Olympic 'A' standard.
The South Africa-born athlete did not complete a full indoor season as she recovered from a stress fracture of the shin - from last year's World Championships - but was still able to jump 4.52m.
She now has her sights set on the 4.70m mark this summer.
The athlete added: "I think I'm worth more than 4.60m. I feel like I'm behind where I want to be so I need to step it up quickly this year.
"I would like to be in the 4.70m bracket at least, that would be a nice start and hopefully I can build on that."
