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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Former world champion pole vaulter Fabiana Murer guaranteed her place at next month's Rio Olympics on Sunday by registering the highest leap in the world this year.
The 35-year-old also set a new personal best, clearing 4.87 meters at the Brazilian track and field championships in Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo.
"I'm very happy with how I went, but there are seven or eight athletes vying for an Olympic medal," said Murer, who won gold at the 2011 world championships in Daegu but is yet to earn a podium finish at the Olympics.
Murer's vault on Sunday was a new South American record and eclipsed by one centimeter the previous 2016 high set by Greece's Ekaterini Stefanidi.
Joana Costa also achieved the Olympic qualifying standard in the event with a jump of 4.5m.
The other athlete to secure an Olympic berth was Nubia Soares, who leapt 14.9m in the triple jump. Enditem
