Britni Lawrence Article!

[rainbowgirl28]

Nice article

http://www.statesman.com/sports/content ... f0002.html

A wedding, a vault, a trip to D.C. -- all in a high school weekend for Hays' Britni Lawrence

State record holder in pole vault will compete against some of the nation's best this weekend

By Rick Cantu

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Friday, March 12, 2004

Before Britni Lawrence competes in the Nike Indoor Championships on Sunday in Landover, Md., she has a family function Saturday night in Georgetown.

The senior from Hays High School will be the bridesmaid at her cousin Courtney's wedding, a ceremony she considers as significant as the national track meet the next day.

Getting to Landover on time won't be easy. The wedding starts at 6 p.m. Saturday. Her flight out of Austin to Washington, D.C., leaves at 7:50 p.m. If the Delta jet is on time, Lawrence, her mother, Rhonda and personal coach Kris Allen will reach their destination at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

They will rent a car, drive to their hotel, sleep and be ready for her pole vault competition -- which begins at 10 a.m.

"Britni's used to making time, but this is quite a stretch," Rhonda Lawrence said of her daughter, who will compete against 10 of the best pole vaulters in the nation.

The tight schedule represents her long list of track and field events in the next three months. After the Nike event are track meets in Sacramento, Calif., Buffalo, N.Y., and Raleigh, N.C. Closer to home, the Texas Relays and UIL state championships are just around the corner.

Lawrence, who has signed to vault at Texas Tech, became a familiar name in track and field last spring when she set the state record in the girls pole vault, clearing 12 feet, 6 inches at the state meet. She competed in the Nike event last year and earned All-America status for placing in the top six.

There are many more trials before she reaches her goal -- the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. "It's possible," she said, speaking about her chances of making the team.

If Lawrence doesn't reach that goal, lack of effort will not be a reason. She practices three times a week for 2 1/2 hours. Twice a week, she works with a personal trainer to gain strength, conditioning and agility.

"I don't like to lose at all," she said. "Losing is the worst thing. . . . I probably picked that up from gymnastics."

Lawrence was an elite gymnast while training with Bela Karolyi in Houston until she quit the sport at age 15, citing injury problems. Now 18, Lawrence says her gymnastics skills have helped her become a better pole vaulter. Last week in Lockhart, she cleared 12-6. None of her competitors cleared 10 feet.

"Britni's very pumped, ready, focused," her mother said. "She wants this so bad."

[rainbowgirl28]

There's a neat video on the site of the News Report. It shows her vaulting, and interviews with her and Kris (lonestar)

http://www.news8austin.com/content/spor ... 4&SecID=31

Pole vaulter aims for stars
4/6/2004 5:00 AM
By: Jeff Rhineer

Britni Lawrence
 
Britni Lawrence reached new heights at the Texas Relays.

The senior pole vaulter from Hays High School broke her own meet record and when she cleared 13'1½" to win the event for the second year in a row.

"It felt great. I've been aiming for 13 for about a year now. That's been my goal. No one else has done it outdoors this year. It feels great. I was shaking, I was so excited," Lawrence said.

Throwing yourself high in the air with a pole doesn't sound like a lot of fun for most people, but it's perfect sport for Lawrence. She's the kind of person that loves a challenge.

"Britni is an extraordinary athlete. I coach over 70 people and there is not one girl like her. Her aggressiveness, her tenacity, her dedication is unparalleled," said her coach Kris Allison.

"Being up high doesn't scare me at all. I was a gymnast for 13 years and that really carries over in this sport. Being upside down is like second nature," Lawrence said.

 WATCH THE VIDEO


Pole vaulter

Britni Lawrence broke the pole vaulting record at the Texas Relays.

She's also a cheerleader at Hays High School.

With the 13-foot barrier behind her, she now has her sights set on the national high record of 13'8 ½".

And when she finishes high school, she'll continue to pole vault at Texas Tech and beyond.

"I would like to think that I could make the 2008 Olympic team," she said.

"The Olympics are certainly possible, maybe a world record some day. If everything works out I definitely see her making it to the elite level," Allison said.

[Bruce Caldwell]

GOOD JOB BRITNI you can fly higher