Pune, India - Pole vaulter Ariane Beaumont-Courteau of Montreal won Canada’s first medal in athletics Tuesday at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India.
The 2008 Canadian junior champion became the first woman in Games history to clear the bar at 3.90-metres but the record was short lived as gold medallist Jade Ive of England vaulted 4.05-metres to set the new standard.
“I was happy at being the first woman to break the 3.90-metre mark, but unfortunately Jade passed it a few moments later,” said Beaumont-Courteau who began pole vaulting at the age of five after her father built her a pole from a small tree at their cottage. “I am very proud of my performance today and am pleased to have won the silver.”
Notebook:
Beaumont-Courteau is the daughter of former Olympic handball player Louise Beaumont and Ambriose Courteau who finished third in the pole vault at the 2003 World Masters championship.