Brad Walker from the United States won the men's pole vault of the world athletics championships in Osaka on Saturday.
He cleared 5.86 meters in his first attempt to secure the gold, but failed to conquer 5.91m. French man Ramain Mesnil also jumped over 5.86m but was in his second attempt and had to settle the second.
Germany's Danny Ecker ranked third with 5.81m.
Walker, 26, was the silver medalist of the 2005 world championships. He has vaulted over 5.9m thrice this season and has a personal best of 6.00m.
"Of course I was not sure as other guys tried for 5.91m, they had great jumps and they were capable to do it," Walker said, " Luckily I made that 5.86m jump."
He won the US nationals this year and also struck gold at the 2006 IAAF world indoor championships.
Mesnil almost reached the gold. "I did some technical mistakes. On my last attempt at 5.91m, a mistake that I regularly do in training."
Six athletes tried 5.91m in vain, including Walker, Mesnil and Ecker.
Ecker, who skipped his second and third attempts in 5.86m said " I did not try the 5,86m because I was convinced that I would be able to clear 5,91m."
Ecker, who is the son of Heide Rosendahl, 1972 Olympic long jump champion and US basketball player John Ecker, is one of just six men who have cleared 6m indoors.
Source: Xinhua
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