Greek athletes win gold medals in 4th Athens Street Pole Vault event

Greek athlete Costas Filippidis won the 4th Athens Street Pole Vault event held in the center of the Greek capital on Tuesday, clearing the bar at 5.70 meters.

Katerina Stefanidis celebrated her victory in the women' s competition with 4.65 meters.

Filippidis, the 2014 world champion, celebrated his first victory in the Athens event before packing his luggage for the May 14 IAAF Diamond League Shanghai games as part of his preparation for the Rio Olympics.

He failed to break the event' s record (5.83 meters) held by German Bjorn Otto since 2013, but was happy for the first place and people' s response to the event.

"I believe that the audience had a great time. The weather conditions helped us to perform well. I think that this was the most significant goal and we made it," he told Xinhua.

Last year Filippidis lost the first place to Poland' s Piotr Lisek, who ranked second this time with 5.60 meters.

Greek athlete Dimitris Patsoukakis, the winner of the 2nd Athens Street Pole Vault event, was third with 5.45 on Tuesday.

Stefanidis, the winner of the women' s competition which was added for first time to the outdoor meeting, was not very happy with her performance, but she enjoyed the event and interaction with the crowd.

"It was only my second participation in an outdoors event (this year). It was very nice competing here so close to the people, in front of the Greek fans. I think we had plenty of spectators and I am very happy," she said.

Venezuelan Robeilys Peinado ranked second with 4.50 meters, qualifying for the Rio Games, and Czech Jirina Ptacnikova was third with 4.40 meters in the women' s category.

Like the past events, this year' s Athens Street Pole Vault was above all a celebration of sports which gave Athenians and foreign visitors a unique opportunity to see a high-level competition in an open public space.

On Syntagma square which has become the central point for Greek anti-austerity protests over the past six years, two dozen elite athletes from across the world competed under the warm applause of a cheering crowd of Greeks and foreign tourists.

The event was launched in 2013 by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) in cooperation with the Municipality of Athens in a bid to present a different image of Athens and Greece, to attract tourists and bring youth closer to sports, according to organizers.

"It was very nice because this specific event is very spectacular ... It was odd, very odd, very nice and original," Georgia A., a Greek spectator said.

"I think it is really good. We do not have anything like this in London. I have never seen pole vault in the middle of Trafalgar square. Yes, I think it is very good bringing athletics out on the street. Why not?" Alex, a British tourist who was on Syntagma square with his wife, added. Endit