Boyd in a Commonwealth class of her own

Australia Alana Boyd is the red-hot favourite to successfully defend her Commonwealth Games pole vault title in Glasgow.

Australian Alana Boyd's near-complete domination of the women's pole vault at Commonwealth level will be writ extremely large at the Diamond League meet in Monte Carlo.

The entry list for one of the most prestigious outings on the global track and field calendar features world leader Fabiana Murer from Brazil, US Olympic champion Jenn Suhr, nine vaulters from continental Europe and a lone Cuban.

And then there's Boyd, currently ranked fifth in the world, in the form of her life and the deserved red-hot favourite to successfully defend her Commonwealth crown in Glasgow.

The Queenslander - now back being coached by father and 1982 Commonwealth champion Ray Boyd after a successful three-and-half year stint under the stewardship of Alex Parnov - has already cleared 4.50m or better six times this year, with a 2014 best of 4.65m.

No other vaulter from a Commonwealth country has managed any better than 4.41m.

Boyd broke the national record with a leap of 4.76m in 2012 and feels back in that sort of shape again after foot surgery cruelled her 2013 campaign.

"I'm stronger than I've ever been and I have worked a lot on my running technique so I actually am up tall, running with the pole and my speed into the take-off is a lot better," she said.

"I feel like that, coupled with the technical side of it, with all the work on the pole I have been able to slowly marry the two up."

Boyd has also benefited from the decision to rejoin father Ray's training group last year - a squad which includes younger brother Matt, who will be making his senior international debut in Glasgow.

"I'm pretty fiery and when the going gets tough sometimes it was hard to separate the coach-daughter relationship from the father-daughter relationship," said Alana Boyd of her initial decision to link up with Parnov, the former coach of 2008 Olympic champion Steve Hooker.

"But for me, the time came when I felt it was in my best interests to come back home to Queensland and train with my dad again.

"The relationship had run its course, although I had learnt so much from Alex.

"Now the relationship with dad, I'm a bit older and a bit wiser, knowing how to be an athlete on the track and not just dad's little girl."

All four previous Commonwealth women's pole vault titles were won by Australians, although Boyd could become the first multiple gold medallist in the discipline.

She is one of five Australians invited to compete at the Herculis meet in Monte Carlo on Friday night (Saturday morning AEST).

World championships silver medallist Kim Mickle and the consistent Kathryn Mitchell are in the javelin field, while Commonwealth champion Benn Harradine is contesting the discus.

Rising star Alex Rowe has also been rewarded for his win in Switzerland earlier this week with a spot in a red-hot 800m field headed by Kenyan superstar David Rudisha.

BOYD'S POLE VAULT DOMINANCE AT COMMONWEALTH LEVEL IN 2014

World rankings

1. Fabiana Murer (Bra) 4.80m

= 2. Jenn Suhr (USA) 4.71m

and Lisa Ryzih (Ger) 4.71m

...

= 5. Alana Boyd (Aus) 4.65m

....

Next best Commonwealth vaulters

= 37. Alysha Newman (Can) 4.41m

= 40. Eliza McCartney (Nzl) 4.40m

and Sally Peake (Gbr) 4.40m


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