Pole vault vice world champion Raphael Holzdeppe showed himself to be in good early form at the beginning of the Olympic season. At the indoor meeting in Merzig, Saarland, the 26-year-old jumped from LAZ Zweibrücken to victory in a strong jump of 5.70 m. The London Olympic bronze medalist narrowly missed his personal best indoor performance of 5.83 m. Shawn Barber is in even stronger shape. The only 21-year-old world champion from Canada jumped at the indoor meeting in Reno/Nevada with a straight six meters as the ninth jumper in the six-meter club – nobody has been younger so far. Holzdeppe’s personal best since July 26 is 5.94 m.