Dean Starkey — Finished third to world record holder Sergey Bubka in the 1997 World Championships. Once cleared 19-5
Garrett Starkey — posted an Arizona State best of 16-0 this year.
Daily Archives: April 8, 2012
From marriage to medals?
At first blush, the pole vault was a turnoff.Jenn Suhrwanted nothing to do with the event until her future husband, Rick, coaxed the former basketball player into taking a leap of faith.She eventually landed on the Olympic stage, earning a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games“I actually thought those people who did it were really crazy,” Suhr recalled. “Now, pole vault is something that I live for and it’s something Rick and I are both diehards about.”Suhr is among the elite track and field athletes hoping to use the 103rd annual Drake Relays, April 26-28 in Des Moines, as a springboard toward this year’s Olympics in London.She also belongs to a select sorority of newly married competitors capable of adding a gold medal to their wedding ring.“It was my husband, really, who got me into it,” Suhr said. “It’s funny how you can go from not even knowing the event to absolutely loving it.”Suhr, formerly known as Jenn Stuczynski, was married on Jan. 3, 2010.“For me, moving into coaching was an easy transition,” Price-Smith said. “Now, the focus is still somewhat on myself, because I want to be successful at it.”Rick Suhr offered some insight to establishing a healthy marriage away from the sport.“You have to have a majority of your interest together outside of track and field,” he said. “If you don’t, I don’t think your relationship is going to last.” Rick’s relationship with Jenn began as a coach. They became a couple in 2007, partly because of their travel demands.“It came up as a conversation one day,” Rick recalled. “She goes, ‘It’s really hard for me to date anybody with this schedule.’ And I go, ‘You know what? It’s hard for me.’
Kemper goes 15-1
Maryville, Mo. —Four Northwest Missouri State athletes earned or improved on NCAA provisional marks, and both Bearcat teams combined for 12 first place finishes at the Jock’s Nitch Northwest Open Saturday. Kemper Kellerstrass rose 15-1 to finish second in the pole vault behind Courtland Ingram who was unattached.
Swifty meet at Metamora
Freshman from Canton clears 12 feet in pole vault at co-ed invite
METAMORA, Illinois —Canton freshman Hannah Swift is not a patient girl. Just two weeks after setting the Journal Star area pole vault record at 11 feet, 9½ inches, Swift wanted to hit new heights Saturday at the Metamora Co-Ed Invitational.
“I’ve worked so hard for a year, working on technique all the time,” said Swift. “And I’ve been trying to get 12 feet for the past two weeks, going from 11 feet straight to 12. And I was talking to my mom saying, ‘When is it going to come? I’m working so hard.’ ”
Saturday was the day. Swift cleared 12-0 on her first attempt to win the pole vault by one foot over top seed Brittany Hull of Normal Community.
“Today was a perfect day,” said Swift, who was using a 12-6 pole. “I just started screaming when I made it.”
Blue Earth track
Minnesota –Balanced scoring helped the Buc girls to a first-place finish at an indoor quadrangular track and field meet held March 30 at Minnesota State University in Mankato.Blue Earth Area won eight of 16 events.Senior Marissia Hagedorn had three first-place finishes.She won the pole vault competition, clearing a height of 10 feet. Teammate Rowan Hacken was fifth with 6-6, which also places her No. 9 on the Honor Roll List.Sydney Henningsen’s vault of 6 feet was good for seventh place and No. 10 on the Honor Roll.
In the pole vault, he broke his own indoor record of 14 feet, 6 inches by clearing 15 feet to take first place.
Brandon Olson’s vault of 8 feet, 6 inches was sixth overall and puts him No. 10 on the Honor Roll List.
Alexanders the Great
KANSAS – Brothers Nathan and Zack Alexander turned in record days Saturday to guide Old Fort to third at the Lakota Invitational. Nathan Alexander topped his own school record in the pole vault with a winning height of 15-6, while Zack Alexander tied the school mark by claiming the 800 in 2:00.02.
Rodriguez sets pole vault meet record at Northwestern State
NATCHITOCHES, La. – Junior pole vaulter Jeff Rodriguez broke a 34-year-old meet record to highlight the day for UT Arlington at the Leon Johnson Northwestern State Invitational Friday.Rodriguez cleared the bar at 17-feet, 6 ½ inches to eclipse a mark that was established in 1978. His clearance was just 1 ½ inches shy of his school record in the event. That proved to be one of four wins for the UTA men, while the women added one individual victory as well.
Men Pole Vault
1 Rodriguez, Jeff Texas-Arling 5.40m 5.35m 17-06.50
2 Simmons, Kovey SE Louisiana 5.29m 5.20m 17-00.75
3 Dorhauer, Kevin SE Louisiana 4.45m 4.60m 15-01.00
4 Reese, Daniel Central Arka 4.87m J4.60m 15-01.00
5 Law, Vance SE Louisiana 4.75m J4.60m 15-01.00
Taylor Wins Pole Vault
Taylor’s win accented six top-five finishes for FSU. Taylor took the pole vault title in 3.05 meters, 0.45 meters higher than second place
Women Pole Vault
1 Taylor, Samantha Frostburg St 3.05m 10-00.00
2 Taylor, Lauren Juniata 2.60m 8-06.25
3 Reilly, Ashley Salisbury J2.60m 8-06.25
3 Razzano, Ashley York (Pa.) J2.60m 8-06.25
5 Buck, Emily Salisbury J2.60m 8-06.25
7 Gerhold, Erika Salisbury J2.45m 8-00.50
7 Deckert, Megan Towson J2.45m 8-00.50
8 Fox, Nikki York (Pa.) 2.30m 7-06.50
9 Ebersole, Samantha Frostburg St J2.30m 7-06.50
Clairemont pole vaulter leads locals at Arcadia meet
ARCADIA — Mackenzie Johnson won the San Diego Section pole vault title last year, but it was a victory at the Arcadia Invitational on Saturday night that had the Clairemont High athlete smiling. Although four vaulters cleared 12 feet, 7¼ inches, the senior bound for Rice University in the fall captured the gold medal because she skied over that height on her first try while the others needed all three of their attempts.
Idaho men battle through at War V
The University of Idaho men led area teams at the War V track and field meet Saturday at Spokane Falls Community College.The Vandals had four individual champions and finished tied for second place out of 15 teams.Idaho’s Mat Sullivan took first place in the pole vault, reaching a height of 15 feet, 11 inches
Layng Breaks School Record in Pole Vault at Sam Howell Invitational
PRINCETON, N.J. — Senior Timothy Layng of the Moravian College outdoor track & field team set the school record and won the pole vault at the non-scoring Sam Howell Invitational hosted by Princeton University Saturday.Layng cleared an ECAC qualifying height of 4.95 meters (16 feet, 2 3/4 inches), surpassing the school record he set two weeks ago by an inch and a half. Layng’s height ranks third on the 2012 Track & Field Results Reporting System list to qualify for the NCAA Division III National Championships in the pole vault, a spot he already had. Those men ranked in the top 20 for individuals and top 16 for relays at the end of the season will compete at the national meet.
Freeman Sets School Record as Crusader Women Compete at DePauw
Sophomore Kelley Freeman (Valparaiso, Ind./Chesterton) smashed the Valparaiso women’s track and field outdoor record in the pole vault by six inches on Saturday, highlighting a day which saw the Crusaders win six events en route to a fourth-place finish at the DePauw Invitational in Greencastle, Ind.The Crusaders tallied 94.5 points on the day, good for fourth place out of the eight competing schools. Saint Joseph’s took home top team honors with 173.5 points.Freeman passed on her attempts on the pole vault up to 10’4”, which she cleared on her first effort. She also successfully cleared 10’10” on her first attempt, matching her outdoor PR from her freshman year. Faced next with a height of 11’3 3/4”, the sophomore needed two tries before successfully clearing the bar, matching Amanda Meyer’s program outdoor record in the event. Freeman then guaranteed the record would be hers alone, clearing 11’9 3/4” on her first effort as well before finally failing to surpass 12’3 1/2”.
Murrieta Valley’s Chapman wins pole vault
ARCADIA —- As the proud owner of the No. 3 pole vault mark in the nation this season, Peter Chapman of Murrieta Valley High knows he has earned himself a new designation as the man to beat.
Chapman won the pole vault at the Arcadia Invitational on Saturday night, clearing 16 feet, 6 1/2 inches, the top mark in the state this season, essentially affixing a bull’s-eye to his back.
“It does a bit,” Chapman said. “But I concentrate mainly on competing against the bar, more than the competition.”
The pole vault at Arcadia —- the premier midseason high school track and field showcase on the West Coast —- is conducted in the middle of the infield, on a raised runway platform.
“It’s always great when there are large crowds,” Chapman said. “It gets the adrenaline pumping. And you can get on these big poles.”
Chapman just received shipment on a new Essx pole this past week and said it contributed to a 7-inch increase in his PR. The mark beat both the Valley and Riverside County records in the event by more than a half-foot.
Rio Rancho High School Invitational
UNM Track & Field Complex
Albuquerque, NM
| Boys Pole Vault |
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| Place | Overall | Name | Year | Team | Height | Score | |||||
| 1 | 1 | Ritter, James | SR | Aztec | 14′ 6″ | 7 | |||||
| 2 | 2 | Ritter, Mark | SR | Aztec | 12′ 6″ | 5 | |||||
| 3 | 3 | Berger, Kyle | JR | Del Norte | 12′ 6″ | 4 | |||||
| 4 | 4 | Sinclair, Ben | SR | Hope Christian | 12′ 0″ | 3 | |||||
| 5 | 5 | Martinez, Josh | SR | Aztec | 11′ 6″ | 2 | |||||
| 6 | 6 | Skartwed, Daniel | SR | Hope Christian | 11′ 0″ | 1 | |||||
| 7 | 7 | Walker, Hayden | SO | Manzano | 11′ 0″ | 2 | |||||
| 8 | 8 | Burnett, Parker | SR | Del Norte | 10′ 6″ | - | |||||
| 9 | 9 | Schall, Brennan | FR | Rio Rancho | 10′ 6″ | - | |||||
| 10 | 10 | Getchell, Richard | SO | Rio Rancho | 10′ 6″ | - | |||||
| 11 | 11 | Atencio, Jason | FR | Hope Christian | 9′ 0″ | ||||||
| Men Pole Vault Continue reading |
Pepsi Team Invitational
Hayward Field, Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, Ore
Women Pole Vault
1 Logan Miller Washington 4.27m 14-00.00 9
2 Allison Koressel UCLA 4.00m 13-01.50 7
3 Natasha Kolbo UCLA 4.00m 13-01.50
3 Courtney Reginato UCLA 4.00m 13-01.50 6
5 Laura Asimakis Texas A&M 4.00m 13-01.50 5
6 Aly Daily Texas A&M 4.00m 13-01.50 4
7 Sammie Clark Oregon 4.00m 13-01.50 3
8 Kortney Ross Oregon 3.85m 12-07.50 2
9 Georgia Reynolds Washington 3.55m 11-07.75 1
Men Pole Vault
1 JJ Juilfs Washington 5.30m 17-04.50 9
2 Austin Ouderkirk Oregon 5.10m 16-08.75 7
3 Jordan Alviso Oregon 4.95m 16-02.75 6
4 Robby Fegles Washington 4.95m 16-02.75 5
5 Scott Cook UCLA 4.80m 15-09.00 4
6 Bruce Burbank Oregon 4.50m 14-09.00
