SOME of the country's top pole vaulters will be in the North-East this weekend.
They will be taking part in the Baltic Square Pole Vault Challenge, sponsored by Northumbrian Water, Sportmatch and Gateshead Council, which will be held at Baltic Square, Gateshead Quays, on Sunday.
The event has been organised by England Athletics regional development co-ordinator Richard Hunter and the North-East Pole Vault Academy.
The event will take place on part of the track surface used in the Commonwealth Games Stadium last summer, which has been donated to the Pole Vault Academy.
The country's number one junior, Mark Christie, of Gateshead, is looking forward to challenging his main rivals in his own back yard.
Mr Hunter said: "We are hoping to make it one of the best pole vault competitions in the UK this summer.
"With the Pole Vault Academy well established, this will be a showcase event demonstrating that North-East athletics is much more than the Great North Run or the harrier tradition that has existed for so long."
The event gets under way at 1.30pm with a DJ entertaining as athletes warm up for the 2pm start.
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