OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Olympic Pole Vault champion Renaud Lavillenie and the World champion Shawn Barber have both been confirmed to battle at the 2016 Golden Spike – IAAF World Challenge meeting in Ostrava on 20 May, organizers said.
Lavillenie, who owns the Golden Spike meeting record of 5.92m, will be aiming to win his fourth title at Ostrava’s Mestsky Stadion.
The Frenchman, in pursuit of the Olympic gold in 2012, opened his campaign with a then-meeting record of 5.90m in Ostrava, in 2012 and he’s hoping to follow those same path as he prepares to defend his Olympic Games crown at Rio 2016.
The world record holder also won in 2013 when he improved the meeting record before grabbing his third in a row in 2014.
Lavillenie recently won the IAAF World Indoor title in Portland, Oregon, in March, and he plans to “attack” his own meeting record.
“I will be hoping for a good performance,” said the Frenchman, who owns the world record at 6.16m. “And, why not, I’ll attack the meeting record of 5.92m.”
Organizers have also revealed that Canadian IAAF World Championships gold medallist Barber, will also line-up in the event.
Barber is the current world-leader with a mark of 5.91m.
Already confirmed for the meeting as well are world champions Julius Yego, Anita Wlodarczyk and Pawel Fajdek, in addition to Pavel Maslak, the two-time world indoor champion.
Former pole vault world record holder, legendary Sergey Bubka, will be among the guests of honor this year.
