Cuba's Yarisley Silva needed a jump of 4.90 meters to win a thrilling women's pole vault contest and claim her first major global title at the world championships on Wednesday.

Pushed all the way by Brazil's Fabiana Murer and Greece's Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou, the London Olympic silver medalist won gold with her third attempt at the winning height before failing three times at 5.01 meters.

"This was one of the hardest competitions of my career," said the 28-year-old.