Tori ready to spring into Olympic action

Added: 03-08-2012 08:34:38

Donegal based Olympic hopeful Tori Pena will compete for Ireland in the pole vault competition in London tomorrow.

Born in California, the 24-year-old is eligible to represent Ireland through her maternal grandmother, Angela McCoy, who was born in Derry.

Tori got her dual citizenship in 2010 and she then decided to represent the Finn Valley Athletic Club in Donegal.

In July 2010, she won the Irish national championships at Morton Stadium with an Irish record of 4.15 metres (13 ft 7 in), which she equaled in Barcelona.

On 5 March 2011 she set Irish indoor pole vault record of 4.35 metres.

Tori will compete in the Olympic A standard of 4.4 meters, having excelled at the Beach Track and Field Classic in California in March.

Pena has publicly expressed her pride in representing Ireland, but securing a medal will nevertheless be a tough task.

She is ranked 10th in Europe on the back of the championships in Helsinki in June, but the Olympics will bring a new challenge, as she is faced with her most demanding test so far.