Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi won second place for Greece at the Boston Indoor Grand Prix Athletics competition on Saturday.
The meet is the first of six comps in the IAAF World Indoor Tour, and the Greek champion came behind US women’s champion Katie Nageotte who cleared 4.86 metres.
Stefanidi’s best vault came in at 4.71 metres.
Unfazed by her second place, Stefanidi appeared satisfied. “Very proud with my jumping at Boston. I have been sick all week and haven’t been able to do anything the last few days. I was able to put a couple of great jumps together and make 4.71 metres but was too drained for the bigger heights,” she wrote on social media, adding that she would be flying to Karlsruhe next.
Nageotte, who hopes to dethrone Stefanidi, has been encouraged by her win.
“The first couple of meets is just getting the rust off. It was just working out the kinks,” said Nageotte, who is aiming for another win against Stefanidi at the World Championships at Doha in September.”That’s what I’m gunning for. I want to come after this indoor season and attack it and get ready for worlds.”
Stefanidi has won a total of nine medals in all five major international athletic championships. She is the 2016 Olympic Games gold medallist with a pole vault jump of 4.85 metres.