PolevaultFilter!
August 6, 2007 9:23 PM   Subscribe

PolevaultFilter! Those who like to read about successful female athletes reaching great heights & being admired for their athletic achievements will be happy to know that Aussie World Youth Polevault Champion Vicky Parnov - niece of respected Olympic Silver Medallist Tatiana Grigorieva - will become the youngest ever Australian to take part in the world titles, in Osaka later this month.
posted by UbuRoivas (17 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Pretty average picture you chose there, sizzlechest.

Also, you could have linked to some pics of Tatiana's *ahem* tasteful nude shoot for Black+White magazine.

If memory serves (can't find any reference on the 'net), Kim Howe was going to retire after the recent Comm Games due to money problems. Good to see her make the team as well. Probably still stone broke!
posted by uncanny hengeman at 10:04 PM on August 6, 2007


you could have linked to some pics of Tatiana's *ahem* tasteful nude shoot for Black+White magazine

Me? That wouldn't have been in keeping with the feelgood nature of the post. I was actually quite touched to find that the wiki article on Ms Grigorieva didn't include any photos.
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:13 PM on August 6, 2007


If memory serves (can't find any reference on the 'net)

Erm. That would be because I spelt her name wrong.

"Despite only being 25 and seemingly now coming to the peak of her powers, Howe said the reality of her situation was that if she didn't get a sponsor after the Games then she would most likely be lost to the sport."
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,17949624-14822,00.html

Didn't Kym get the memo?
posted by uncanny hengeman at 10:13 PM on August 6, 2007


Me? That wouldn't have been in keeping with the feelgood nature of the post.
Ah ha. I read an extra level snark / teh hotness / sarcasm that didn't exist. The Princess Bride style.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 10:15 PM on August 6, 2007


Oh, is that right? I meant nothing of the sort. You really shouldn't read so much into things.
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:19 PM on August 6, 2007


Oh, is that right? I meant nothing of the sort. You really shouldn't read so much into things.

Well the only other option is that you truly think this is worthy of an FPP.

;)
posted by uncanny hengeman at 10:21 PM on August 6, 2007


Well, in the sense that complaints / debate about the Stokke photo generated just shy of 500 comments, so I thought that it would be interesting to see if a polevaulter of similar age, but far superior achievements, would be lauded to anything like a similar degree, in the absence of similar photos. So, you called my troll ;)
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:27 PM on August 6, 2007


Erm. That would be because I spelt her name wrong.
Quite a few people seem to get Vicky wrong too. I see that Tatiana is now promoting a gym that vibrates.
posted by tellurian at 10:38 PM on August 6, 2007


you called my troll

OK, I'll shut up then. But not before I quickly repeat what I said on the other thread. Female pole vaulters have absolutely amazing bodies. Best, on average, of any sportswomen.

That's if you like muscle. For tall skinny birds you can't go past elite indoor volleyballers. Hubbada hubbada.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 10:41 PM on August 6, 2007


I do find, however, that the tighter and skimpier my clothes, the higher I can pole vault. Aerodynamics, I presume.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 10:48 PM on August 6, 2007


Actually, what's kinda interesting is that so far the media seem to be reporting her successes with either no photo at all, or else standard sport-action shots, when they would probably be able to conjure up a Stokke-like photo if they wanted to. Certainly, Grigorieva was hyped into near-universal hawtness acclaim at the time of the Sydney Olympics, and I was half expecting to find that her niece was on the same track, but it doesn't seem that way so far.

I don't know if this is some kind of self-censorship - perhaps even in response to the Stokke affair? Certainly, the media have imposed a level of self-censorship here before, eg in the case of the rugby international Tony Daly, who was an undercover cop during his playing career. There was a secret agreement to publish as few photos of him as possible, and to avoid writing too many articles or profiles specifically about him, in case it blew his cover.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:44 PM on August 6, 2007


Yes, that could well be it, although I'm not sure how this ties in with the family's Eastern European background. Still, secret service people have a long history of being recruited by the winning side after any war (cold or otherwise).

The flipside is probably that Scooter Libby first posted Alison Stokke's photo on the internet, presumably on Donald Rumsfeld's instructions...
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:16 AM on August 7, 2007


what, no Stokke?
posted by progosk at 3:44 AM on August 7, 2007


on review: oops.
posted by progosk at 3:46 AM on August 7, 2007


no, as far as a quick google can tell me, i think she's not competing in the world championships. probably can't vault high enough, or something. i for, one, welcome our new Russian Aussie overlords.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:55 AM on August 7, 2007


I heard an interesting story from a tour guide in Munich last week. He was an older guy, and had apparently been giving this city tour for most of his life. Right after the '72 Olympics, he was leading the group past the newly-constructed (and very impressive) Olympic Park, when they saw a guy in street clothes running full-bore at a retaining wall below them (some sections of the park are sunken in). Anyway, a few feet before the wall, the guy *bam* pokes a cane into the ground and gracefully (and effortlessly) vaults over the retaining wall onto the ground right near the tour group.

Lots of the people in the group start applauding and some impressed rube asks him, "Are you a pole vaulter?" The man, of course, replies, "Nein, I am Bavarian! But how did you know my name was Walter?"

I am so, so sorry.
Not really; I have been waiting for this moment.

posted by uncleozzy at 4:49 AM on August 7, 2007 [5 favorites]


MACH SCHNELL MIT DER SCHLECHTSCHERZBANNHAMMER!
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:48 AM on August 7, 2007


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