Rens BLOM

Without a doubt, pole vaulter Rens Blom's top achievement was winning the gold medal at the 2005 World Championships. In a rainy Helsinki, Blom was the surprise winner with a height of 5.80 m, one cm below his Dutch record. This made him the first Dutch World Champion in athletics. In addition to this title, Blom has won bronze medals at the World Indoord Championships (2003) and European Indoor Championships (2000). He won 13 national titles - 7 outdoor, 6 indoor - and held both Dutch records when he retired in 2008. By then he had been plagued by injuries since 2005, and had missed qualification for the Beijing Olympics. Blom's father, Wim, was also national champion in track and field, winning the 200 metres title in 1967.

Personal Best: PV – 5.81 (2004).