PoleVaultPower.com

From this months Track and Field News:

Vaulter Mary Sauer, engaged to a Briton, hopes to switch her allegiance from the U.S. to Britain perhaps as soon as next year

NO WAY. What a sell out. Couldn't hack US competition anymore I guess. Not making the Olympic team must have really hit her hard.

I don't know about that; I'm just glad for her that she could find someone that she loves and thinks is the right guy to marry.

If I was an elite in the US, and wasn't quite cracking the top 3 consistently, I would jump at the chance to go jump for another country. She'll get so many more opportunities to compete at major international meets and whatnot.

What a competitive spirit.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:If I was an elite in the US, and wasn't quite cracking the top 3 consistently, I would jump at the chance to go jump for another country. She'll get so many more opportunities to compete at major international meets and whatnot.

and i heard that A standard canadians make bank.

I'm not sure, but it sounded like she was in love and wanted to get married. Don't mean to sound like a sissy here, but maybe she found something other than vaultin that sparked her heart. Jeesh, I cant believe I just wrote that. People don't live on pole vaulting alone. y'all forgive me for saying that

belmore wrote:I'm not sure, but it sounded like she was in love and wanted to get married. Don't mean to sound like a sissy here, but maybe she found something other than vaultin that sparked her heart. Jeesh, I cant believe I just wrote that. People don't live on pole vaulting alone. y'all forgive me for saying that

sissy.....go turn in your nuts......

I married a brit, but no one started rumors of me switching citizenship. Maybe that's not such a bad idea......what's the state of british vaulting these days? Maybe its time for that comeback I've been planning.....

Too late to turn 'em in, I got married instead.

belmore wrote:Too late to turn 'em in, I got married instead.

Now he has to ask permission to turn them in!

Hmmm... I wanna be a national record holder. I think I am going to change citizenship to Qatar. Then I will be good... relatively.

Guys-

Lets not be too harsh on Mary. I look at her decision not as running from competition, but trying to gain more competitive opportunities.

1) Let's face it; the international community is not crazy about the USA. It is very difficult as an American to get accepted into European meets. If promoters have the choice between an American vaulter ranked #15 in the world and a French/British/Slovakian vaulter ranked #20 guess who gets the nod...not the American.

2) The IAAF discriminates against the USA in a variety of ways. One way is the world ranking system which rewards participation in European meets that Americans have a difficult time gaining entry into (see above). Another way is not sponsoring any appreciable number of Grand Prix, Grand Prix II meets in North America. Yet another way is limiting the number of entries each country can enter in the World Championships/Olympic games. It is very easy to be among the best athletes in the world and yet not ever get the opportunity to compete against the best in the world because you are the #4 kenyan 1500m runner or the #4 US 100m/200m/400m/110HH runner/shot putter/long jumper/pole vaulter.

3) USATF does almost nothing to support/develop US athletes. Most of our athletes have benefited very little from the support USATF offers (Dave Neilson does a great job helping the women's vaulters, but what he can offer boils down to just good advise). Other countries offer so much more with regard to training stipends, sports medicine, travel arrangements, ect. that I do not feel cheated when I see an American athlete change countries. We (the USA) have not done anything to deserve many of the athletes we have representing us. Until that changes, Mary may not be the only one you see switching sides.

Mike B.