RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Greece's Ekaterini Stefanidi won the women's pole vault gold medal at the Olympics on Friday after virus-stricken defending champion Jenn Suhr crashed out.

European champion Stefanidi won on countback after three failures at 4.90m with Sandi Morris of the United States taking the silver.

New Zealand teenager Eliza McCartney claimed a superb bronze medal after a leap of 4.80m before bowing out.

The USA's Suhr however tumbled out early, missing three times at 4.70m.