Israeli Pole Vaulter Yarden Mental Competes Without Personal Pole at U20 World Championships

Israeli pole vaulter Yarden Mental participated in the World U20 Championships in Eugene but was forced to compete without her personal pole, which significantly impacted her performance. Mental, the Israeli national champion and a leading athlete in her discipline, failed to clear the opening height of 3.80 meters and did not advance to the next round. Former European champion Alex Averbukh criticized the situation on Facebook, questioning whether Mental had a fair chance since all other competitors used their own poles while she did not. He emphasized that the pole is an essential tool for the athlete and expressed hope that such an incident would not recur.

The Athletics Association explained that logistical challenges caused by the ongoing air transport crisis affecting Israel and difficulties with international airlines prevented Mental's poles from arriving in time. The association maintained continuous communication with Mental and her coach, Roman Kogan, exploring alternative solutions including renting poles from an American company. However, Mental and her coach rejected the initial rental option because it involved poles from a different manufacturer. The association then arranged for poles from the same company she usually uses, but the process delayed her preparation.

This was Mental's second appearance at the World U20 Championships. She recently set a personal best of 4.16 meters but was unable to replicate that performance under these adverse conditions. The Athletics Association expressed regret over the situation and hopes it will not happen again, wishing Mental and her coach success in their future endeavors.