THREE of Russia’s best pole vaulters will be in South Africa to test Okkert Brits during the Engen Grand Prix Summer Series. Vadim Strogolev, Yevgeny Smiryagin and Pavel Burlatsenko have confirmed their participation in Pietersburg on March 13, Roodepoort on March 19 and in Cape Town on March 26. Joining them will be woman highjumper Yelena Topchina, who will provide Hestrie Cloete, South Africa’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist, with competition. Of the men, Strogolev was the Russian champion in 1997 and finished seventh that year at the IAAF World Championship in Athens. Smiryagin was one place behind him in Athens and both have a personal best of 5,85m. Burlatsenko achieved his personal best of 5,81m in Cape Town last year and went on to finish seventh at the European Championships. Topchina cleared 1,94m last year and it is hoped she can spur Cloete an ASA qualifying height for the World Championships in Seville, Spain.