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In almost exactly three years from now, vaulters will be lifting off in Beijing.

What is everyone's thoughts for the olympic team and the PR's of the elite when it comes around?

Ok, ok, I will go first:

Team:
Walker
Stevenson
Miles

I think Toby will jump 6.04 and Tim Mack will break his record with 6.06 becoming the second highest vaulter of all time.

Some other PR's of note:
Pavlov @ 6.00m
Walker @ 5.95
Gibilisco @ 5.95
Skipper @ 5.80m

I like this topic.....Hmm let me see.

2008 Olympic Men:
Ryland
Walker
Stevenson

Noteable PR's
Ryland 6.06
Walker 6.00
Stevenson 6.05
Skipper 5.85
Pauli 5.90
Me 5.85

Team:Ryland, Skipper, and Walker-- though you can never count out Toby, Tim and Derek

Pr's: Skipper 6.00
Miles 5.95
Mack 6.05
Stevenson 6.05
Walker 6.00
Ryland 6.10
Norberg 5.90

That's right, I'm guessing Daniel will be the second man to jump 20 feet. Lol, but these pr's are complete guesses. Three years is a long time and a lot can happen.

So this Ryland guy is really that good huh. Well I think it is very hard to say who will make that team, but what really is interesting is how everyone is talking up this Ryland guy to be the next big thing. I saw his video on the bell athletics website, and it looked pretty good. To say he will jump 6.10, I don't know. We'll have to wait and find out.

is there any reason tim mack is not on anyone's list?

SKOT wrote:is there any reason tim mack is not on anyone's list?

I'm going to guess age. According to the stats on the 6m Club page - he was 32 in 2004 when he jumped 6.01m. That will make him 36 for the 2008 Olympics. Not to put him down in any way, but most (if not all) elite vaulters peak before 36. So my assumption is that other younger vaulters will be in better form around the olympic trials for 2008 and will be the ones who make the team. Anything can happen though...

USMC Vaulter wrote:Not to put him down in any way, but most (if not all) elite vaulters peak before 36...

I put together a spreadsheet a few years back and it showed that the average age a vaulter first jumps 5.80 was a bit less than 23 years. All 20+ 5.90 vaulters at the time other than 2 of them jumped 5.90 before age 25. The average age for a lifetime PR was 25 years old.

T&F News said one time that one average a #1 ranked athlete (across all events) spent only 3 years ranked in the top ten during their career.

World class careers are short. Plan for 4 years down the road and the deck is stacked against you.

I'd say its a tossup between about 8 guys in our country because they're all not too far apart. But I've bribed the Olympic Committee already and they've got a spot for me so there's just 2 guys left for the team.

its all makes sense now...i didnt realize how "old" he was

achtungpv wrote:

USMC Vaulter wrote:Not to put him down in any way, but most (if not all) elite vaulters peak before 36...

I put together a spreadsheet a few years back and it showed that the average age a vaulter first jumps 5.80 was a bit less than 23 years. All 20+ 5.90 vaulters at the time other than 2 of them jumped 5.90 before age 25. The average age for a lifetime PR was 25 years old.

T&F News said one time that one average a #1 ranked athlete (across all events) spent only 3 years ranked in the top ten during their career.

World class careers are short. Plan for 4 years down the road and the deck is stacked against you.

so, are you saying that you dont think hartwig will make another oly team?

How old will Jeff be in 2008?? 41??? I think if he made an olympic team at that age it would be one of the greatest athletic achievements ever.

swtvault wrote:How old will Jeff be in 2008?? 41??? I think if he made an olympic team at that age it would be one of the greatest athletic achievements ever.

There's only been 1 18' vault by a 40+ year old and it is a dubious mark.