SYDNEY, Australia (AP) _ Stacy Dragila, a former heptathlete who was persuaded seven years ago to try pole vaulting, won gold as the women's event made its Olympic debut Monday.

After a sputtering start, Dragila clinched first by clearing 15 feet, 1 inch (4.60 meters) on her initial attempt _ short of her world record of 15-2¼ (4.63 meters) set at the U.S. trials in July.

"The gold medal is beyond any world record," said Dragila, who smiled and clapped her hands after her winning vault. "To make history, I don't think there's anything better."

After the medal ceremony, Dragila stopped at the edge of the track, turned her back to the crowd and tossed her floral bouquet into the stands as if she were just married.

Dragila, a 29-year-old from Auburn, Calif., already was the first and only women's pole vault world champion. She set the event's first Olympic record with her winning vault.

She missed her initial attempt at 14-5¼, then missed twice at 14-9 before clearing on her third try. Dragila grabbed her throat as she bounced to her feet.

Tatiana Grigorieva, who left her native Russia in 1996 and became an Australian citizen last year, took silver in front of a roaring home crowd at Olympic Stadium.

Vala Flosadottir claimed bronze, becoming the first woman from Iceland to win a track and field medal.

After missing twice at 15-3, Dragila made a final attempt to lower her world record. The bar initially stayed in place, then wriggled off.

"Towards the end, I started getting lazy and not being quick," she said. "I didn't finish it off. I've jumped it many times in practice."

Dragila began vaulting in 1993 at the urging of Idaho State track coach Dave Nelson. Although her first several attempts over the bar were "pretty frightening for me," she improved dramatically and won her first U.S. championship three years later.

She won her first world indoor title in 1997. After dropping to eighth at last year's world indoor championships, Dragila rebounded to win a world title at Seville, Spain, last year.

In high school, Dragila was a 4-H Club member who starred at goat-tying and breakaway roping. She also ran hurdles, which helped her land a scholarship to Idaho State. That's where she competed in heptathlon before being introduced to the pole vault.

"I came from an average athletic career," Dragila said. "To get here, to the Olympic stage, is a dream come true."

The other American, Kellie Suttle of Jonesboro, Ark., failed to clear any heights in the final.

Women have vaulted seriously for less than 10 years, and it's only been in the past two that the event has taken off.

"The crowd helped a lot. You can't want something more than these people," Grigorieva said. "It was a beautiful competition. I'm very proud to represent this country."

Flosadottir, a 22-year-old from Reykjavik, Iceland, cleared all of her first seven vaults. She then missed all three attempts at 14-11.

Dragila and Grigorieva each cleared 14-11. Then Dragila vaulted 15-1 on her first attempt. The Aussie missed and passed on her next two attempts to make a go at clearing 15-3. But Grigorieva missed twice, ensuring Dragila's victory.

"She's tough," Grigorieva said of Dragila. "I knew she was going to be pushing to the end."

(Copyright 2000 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)