Anne Marie Gordon

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Sa ... 5855935451

High ambitions

Godwin sophomore Gordon not selling herself short in the pole vault

BY FRED JETER

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER


Jan 21, 2005

Mills Godwin High pole-vaulter Anne Marie Gordon already has earned her wings.

The only question now is, "How high will she fly?"


At least locally, Gordon was first in flight a year ago as a freshman. Now, she has raised her bar to state and national aspirations.


"I've been working really hard, and my goal this year is to clear 12 feet," the 5-4, 122-pound bundle of muscular energy said.


Gordon already holds Virginia's tallest vault this winter - a school record 11-1 she recorded at Christopher Newport.


That's no surprise. She won the Colonial District and Central Region indoor and outdoor titles last year and was second at the state meets (indoors and outdoors).


At both state meets, she cleared the same height (10 feet indoors; 10-6 outdoors) as the winner, only to finish runner-up based on previous misses.


"Anne Marie has so much desire and determination," Godwin vault coach Bob Disse said. "She's got the potential to go a lot higher, and the meet we're aiming for is states."


Gordon's hopes to improve on her personal best this evening when she vaults in the East Coast Invitational at the Ashe Center.


The state indoor meet will be at George Mason University in early March. Gordon also plans on competing in at least one of the year-end national meets (Maryland and New York City).


Gordon also trains privately with Russian born Val Osipenko at Xtreme Heights/Gymquest.


Osipenko's daughter, Viktoria, starred in the vault for Atlee High and now is the University of Virginia record holder.


Both physically and mentally, Gordon was a natural for the event.


"She's fast and strong . . . very athletic; she's got everything," Godwin coach Dan Rolfe said.


Gordon has done as many as 27 pull-ups in the President's Physical Fitness test - the most by any student at Godwin.


"I'm hoping to do 30 this year," she said.


For a warm-up, Gordon shows off her strength and balance by walking across the gym floor . . . on her hands.


It helps she has had six years of competitive gymnastics training at Richmond Olympiad and All-America Gym in Hanover, where one of her coaches was Nadia Osipenko, Val's wife.


She was a Level 7 gymnast when she shifted gears and went out for middle school track in the eighth grade.


"I was long jumping and running sprints when Coach Disse asked me about the pole vault," Gordon said. "My gymnastics training gave me an advantage. A lot of the drills we did in gymnastics were similar to the ones for the pole vault. I do some of the same acrobatic warm-ups."


Her gymnastics background also prepared her for turning upside down in mid-air.


The honor-roll student has taken the sport seriously, turning the activity into a year-round pursuit. Steadily, she's graduating to longer poles that supply greater upward-bound potential.


"Anne Marie is the only girl I know who gets new poles for Christmas presents," Rolfe said with a laugh.


The state vaulting record is 12-0, held by former Atlee athlete Kira Barcus. The world record is in the 16-0 vicinity.


"I just hope to continue to improve," Gordon said. "I'd definitely like to continue vaulting in college."


And what about beyond college?


"That would be a long shot, to vault in the Olympics, but I won't say never," she said.

[Vault&Flip]

nice kid, good athlete, she should jump high , and she is only a sophomore. She still has plenty of time to get the record from kira.