(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-03 09:57

Sergey Bubka of Ukraine became the senior vice president of the world's athletics governing body IAAF, replacing Arne Ljungqvist of Sweden, the IAAF announced in Osaka on Sunday.

Ukraine's Sergei Bubka, center, talks to reporters after his election as a vice president of the IAAF at its congress meeting in Osaka, Japan Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007. The World Athletics begin here on Aug. 25. [AP]

Bubka received the highest number of votes at the recent elections at the IAAF Congress starting on August 22.

Ljungqvist stepped down from the IAAF Council before the world championships began on August 25.

Bubka, 44, is a retired Ukrainian pole vaulter. He represented the former Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1991. He is widely regarded as the best pole vaulter ever and one of the best athletes of modern times.

Bubka won six consecutive world championships, an Olympics gold and broke the world record for men's pole vault 35 times.

He was the first to clear 6 meters and the first and only to clear 6.10 meters.

He holds the current outdoor world record of 6.14 meters, set on July 31, 1994 in Sestriere, Italy and the current indoor world record of 6.15 meters, set on February 21, 1993 in Donetsk, Ukraine.

He was designated as an IAAF council member in 2001. He is currently serving as the president of National Olympic Council of Ukraine and is an IOC member.