The international pole vault event, ESSX4ALL, continues to grow in popularity. With over 140 participants now registered, the January 2026 edition is set to be a major sporting and social event in Sittard.
On Friday 9 January, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., a strong field of top female athletes will compete. Elise de Jong, the European junior champion, and Marijn Kieft will be taking on Juliana de Menis Campos, the South American champion from Brazil, so there is a real chance of a new Dutch record being set.
Saturday and Sunday’s competitions are fully booked and will focus primarily on youth and talent development. On Saturday, in the under-14 girls’ category, Sittard talent Tess Wassenberg has a serious chance of setting a new Dutch record. There is even a chance of a world record, partly thanks to the participation of Ukrainian super-talent Matvey Strogalev, who travelled by car from Kyiv to Sittard. Strogalev is considered an exceptional talent who has broken several youth records set by world record holder Armand Duplantis at a young age.
The presence of these international top talents underlines the motto of organiser AV Unitas: Our ‘ESSX4ALL’ competition is accessible and open to all, with a particular focus on youth and talent development, and fostering a strong, positive competitive atmosphere.
