Short Interviews
Andy Ashurst
Olympian & Commonwealth Games Champion

1988 Olympian & 1986 Commonwealth Games Champion

World Indoors Masters Champion M55 2023

Commonwealth Games 1986, 1990,1994

European Championships 1986, Indoors Euros 1990 & 92

UK Junior record of 5.21m

Personal Best 5.45m age 27 in 1992

Height 1.78cm

Weight 68Kgs

Q1 Pole Vault High Point

Commonwealth Gold 1986 

Q2 Pole Vault Low Point

Olympic NO HEIGHT at 5.10 in 1988 and Commonwealth NO HEIGHT at 5.00m in 1990 

Q3 Biggest Pole & Highest Grip

4.90 x 190 (16.9 FLEX SPIRIT) 4.55 effective grip

Q4 What are your 3 key factors for success in Pole Vault

1. SPEED 

2. POLE VAULT SPECIFIC STRENGTH ON HIGH BAR/ROPE ETC 

3. REGULAR PHYSIO/CHIRO/SPORTS MASSAGE TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE OF 1 & 2 

Q5 Life after Pole Vault.

When did you know it was time to retire? Was it hard? What did you do after Pole Vault?

Retired at 1998 Commonwealth Trials. Didn’t even get down run up -Achilles issues. Decision made for me by constant injuries. Got fed up of training hard & injured vaulting loop.

Once Achilles settled , started playing Rugby for Aldwinians for about 8 years, then X Training gym competitions (i.e ‘’crossfit’’). Then took up cycling road race and Time trialing before returning to Masters Pole vault in Mid 50’s.  

Still train hard but with a little more structure/rest/recovery/therapy/sleep/better nutrition.