Dutch pole vaulter Rens Blom caused one of the biggest shocks in World Championships history when snatching pole vault gold in monsoon-like conditions in Helsinki 12 years ago.
Yet if it hadn’t been for the wedding of US high jumper Amy Acuff and pole vaulter Tye Harvey in Hawaii the previous year, Blom may well not have even been in the Finnish capital to enjoy crowning moment of his career.
Blom had enjoyed some international success, most notably when taking world indoor bronze in Birmingham in 2003. But he had disappointed on his two previous appearances at the World Championships, no-heighting in the final in Edmonton in 2001 and failing to advance to the final two years later in Paris.
