Emma George

George came to the vault from Australia's Flying Fruit Fly Circus, and her trapeze-honed body control was exactly what the newly recognised women's event needed. Between 1995 and 1999 she broke the world record 11 times, taking it to 4.60m, and won the first women's Commonwealth title in 1998. She did more than anyone to show the event's potential before it joined the Olympic programme, though injury blunted her chance at the home Games in Sydney.