Kabelo KGOSIEMANG BOT
I prepared very well for this competition. It's the first time an athlete from Botswana ever reaches an outdoor world championships final, so I'm really happy with myself. At 2.29m I had some difficulty at first, I stretched out my last stride too much and touched the bar with my spikes, but everything came right for the third attempt. The move I did was just a celebration I used to do when I was a football player. Now I'm in the game for the final. Like any other, I'll be aiming for the gold and hope at least to come back with a PB.

Eike ONNEN GER
Normally, I like to gamble by passing some heights. But the qualification was too important and I did not dare to take any risk. I might gamble in the final. These are my first World Championships and I try not to think too much about the big stadium and the big crowd and fortunately, when I was in the field, it worked. I hope that I will be able to recover until the final and digest all these new impressions. It would be great to have a medal, I dream of that. In my back, I feel a little pain when I do knee bends, but I guess I will just do with it - for such a big championship I can and want to bear that.

Yuri KRYMARENKO UKR
I do not want speak too much about the reasons why I did not qualify, that is not for media. It is not a tragedy, life goes on and I hope to be better at Olympic Games. Maybe my illness during the training camp in Seoul was also part of today's bad result.

Stefan HOLM SWE
I lost for a second my focus in first jump at 229, but then I was clearly over in second. Of course the most important is that I am through. I think the standard was a little bit too low, maybe 230 would be more adequate. If we are not colliding with other events too much we can manage the finals with 15 jumpers, we are used to it at the meetings. And do not worry I will shave before the finals.