Re: USA Senior Men - Saturday 6/27 2:55pm
Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:53 pm
Thanks Becca! Awesome coverage and competition!
The Pole Vault Community Online
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18091
The pole vault is the wild, wild west of track & field. Athleticism plus the strategy of chess, or perhaps, today, five card stud. Walker, Scott, Miles and Stevenson all cleared 5.75m or 18-10.25. It was their attempts and failures up to that put three of the four on the Olympic team.
In the end, Brad Walker, won, as it took him two clearances and no misses to get to 5.75m. Jeremy Scott had more clearances on less attempts than Derek Miles. Toby Stevenson, the helmeted one, just had some back luck, with more attempts than Miles and Scott.
Brad Walker, the American record holder, Hayward record holder, defending World champion, won on Saturday. Here is how he put the event i perspective:
“I came in knowing I had the bye to the Worlds being the defending World Champion so I wasn’t pressed, I wasn’t stressed. I thought everyone would clear 5.70 but I thought I had a good chance to win at 5.75.”
“I was coming off a short approach so I wasn’t close to being at 100-percent of what I can actually jump. I know I can jump significantly higher but I didn’t want to push the approach.”
"I think my next meet will probably be in London, then possible Monaco and one or two other meets to get ready for the World Championships.