Yoo Kim 22-3.50 LJ

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-tra ... &cset=true

Leach and Kim Leave No Doubts

By Lonnie White, Times Staff Writer


For UCLA-bound Nicole Leach, it was the older competition. For Bruin pole vaulter Yoo Kim, it was a hand injury and a different event.

In both cases, Leach and Kim overcame uncertainty Friday afternoon in the second day of the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational at Drake Stadium.

Kim, the Korean national pole vault record holder who was second in last year's NCAA championships, didn't even compete in his specialty Friday. A hand injury he suffered last week when his pole shattered during practice cut his thumb badly enough to require nearly 30 stitches.

So UCLA Coach Art Venegas had Kim compete in the long jump. The versatile senior responded with a leap of 22 feet 3½ inches, second to Maurice Ennis' jump of 23-8.

"I had messed around with the long jump in practice only once or twice before," Kim said. "But I never had really jumped before. Then Coach Venegas comes over and tells me to start working on the long jump and the approach is very similar to the pole vault."

Kim, who is not expected to return to the pole vault for at least two weeks, said that he has had plenty of poles shatter on him before but never with the force of last week's break.

"When it happened, I didn't think anything was unusual but when I hit the pit, I felt this sharp pain in my hand," Kim said. "The vibration just ripped the skin apart.

[PVPirate26]

that's brutal about breaking the pole and injuring his hand, but awesome that he transitioned to long jump so well!! GO YOO KIM!!

[MightyMouse]

Pole Vaulters really are the best athletes!

[TreyDECA]

Pole Vaulters really are the best athletes!

ummm.....

[VTechVaulter]

man that really sux about the hand. i took 21 stitches a few years ago same way. Haven't bent a pole past 90 degrees since.. im such a baby

[rainbowgirl28]

Pole Vaulters really are the best athletes!

ummm.....

Aww c'mon Trey, you're a pole vaulter at heart!

[theflyingkorean]

Yoo is Korean and pole vaults and long jumps!
I am Korean and pole vault and long jump!

[jryland]

yoo kim can do anything if he sets his mind to it
he really knows how to light up a room

ya'll should hear him play john mayer on the guitar (when his hand heals up)

[TreyDECA]

Pole Vaulters really are the best athletes!

ummm.....

Aww c'mon Trey, you're a pole vaulter at heart!

exactly... so i should know the difference between decs and pole vaulters... in that order... then maybe high jumpers...