Pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw smashes national mark to lead the field performances on day two of the British Championships

The European indoor bronze medallist, who had jumped a British outdoor record of 4.82m at the beginning of the month and 4.85m indoors at the start of the year, moved to another level in Manchester

Having made clearances of 4.55m and 4.70m at the second time of asking, she then moved on to 4.83m to break her British outdoor record. A subsequent clearance of 4.90m was an outright British record and obliterated her nine-year-old indoor mark of 4.87m. It puts the double Olympic top six-placer third in the world rankings for 2021.

“I don’t think it has hit me yet,” said Bradshaw. “I have dreamt about jumping 4.90m since 2012.

“It’s not so much a bugbear of mine but since jumping 4.87m I have known for years that it is in me and finally I have been healthy, training well and it has all come together for me.

“The competition that matters is the Olympic final and all the other competitions are preparation for that. Today I was super, super nervous but also relaxed and I was able to execute well.”

She added: “I know it will take anything between 4.80m and 4.95m to take a medal in Tokyo and I know I can be in the mix with six or seven others. I just need to stay healthy.”

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