Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Pole vault: 2003 - 2nd (U20), 2005 - 4th (3rd Australian, 1st U23), 2006 - 4th (3rd Australian), 2007 - 2nd, 2008 - 1st
100m hurdles: 2001 - 3rd (U20)

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World Championships: 2007 - pole vault qual round (4.20m)
Olympic Games: 2008 - pole vault qual round (4.30m)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:
2002 3.15m
2003 3.85m
2004 3.65m
2005 4.20m
2006 4.40m
2007 4.55m
2008 4.45m

EVENTS/PERSONAL BESTS:
4.56m - Monaco, 29/07/08

RECORD(S):
U23 Queensland State Record - 4.20m

Interesting Facts

Alana started athletics as a 10 year-old at school. She first represented Queensland as an 11 year-old in the high jump at National Championships and went on to jump 1.70m in the high jump as a 14 year-old.

She combines training with working as a part time Development Officer with Athletics Queensland.

Sporting Career

After representing Queensland in hurdles at high school and winning a national U18 100m hurdles title, Alana followed her father into pole vault, jumping 4.20m at the U23 state titles. Selection in an Australian development squad to compete in China followed.

A new PB of 4.55m came in Perth early in the 2007 year, propelling Alana to a silver at the National Championships and selection for the World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Osaka and the road to it provided some tough environments for Alana. After competing on the European circuit and persevering through a number of no-heights, she posted 4.20m in the qualification rounds at the Worlds and missed the final.

In season 2008 Alana, with a new found determination, won the Sydney Athletics Grand Prix (4.30m) and then went on to post an A qualifying performance of 4.45m, claiming her maiden Australian title in the process and achieving automatic nomination for the Beijing Olympics.

Family connections
Alana’s parents are Ray and Denise Boyd. Both represented Australia at two Olympic Games in athletics; Denise in the 100m, 200m and relay and Ray in the pole vault. Denise also held the Australian record over 200m with 22.32 until Melinda Gainsford-Taylor and Catherine Freeman broke it. She was seventh in the final of the 200m in both the 1976 and 1980 Olympics and won 11 national titles.  Ray won 12 Australian pole vault titles and had a personal best of 5.30m.

Alana’s selection for Osaka made her the fifth member of the family to make an Australian team after her parents, sister Jacinta and brother Matthew.

When Alana lines up to compete in Beijing, she will be the first Australian to join with parents as Olympians. It is the first time in any Olympic sport that an Australian combination of mother, father and either son or daughter has achieved the coveted title of Olympian.