HELSINKI, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Pavel Gerasimov won the bronze medal in pole vault at the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championship in Helsinki, Finland.
The 26-year-old Russian cleared 5.65 meters.
Dutch Blom Rens won the gold medal with a jump of 5.80 meters and American Brad Walker took silver with 5.75 meters.
The third place was unexpected for Gerasimov because nine of the 12 athletes in the finals had out-jumped him in the qualifying rounds.
Last year Gerasimov suffered a serious back injury. "This is why the medal is particularly valuable for me," he said. "The medal signifies my return to sports."
He said the current competition was a test for his spirit, taking into account the bad weather in the Finnish capital. Gerasimov said he was optimistic about the future and intended to surpass the six-meter mark.
