Stuczynski improves to 4.70, fifth win for Hartwig at Reno’s Pole Vault Summit
Saturday 20 January 2007
Reno, Nevada, USA - Jenn Stuczynski and Jeff Hartwig returned to the winner’s circle on Friday night (19) at the USA Track & Field National Pole Vault Summit at the Grand Sierra Resort.
Stuczynski defended her title with a career-best 4.70m and then took three attempts at an American record of 4.82m.
Reno win #5 for Jeff Hartwig
(Kirby Lee)
The 39-year old Hartwig, who began competing in the 17th annual meet in 1994, knocked off defending world champion Brad Walker with a 5.70m effort for his first Reno win since 2000.
Stuczynski - Closing in on Dragila’s U.S. record
Rhythmic clapping and boisterous crowd support from a packed hotel theatre weren’t enough for Stuczynski in her record attempt.
Stuczynski, 24, hit the bar on the way up on her first and third attempts at 4.82m and stalled out and ducked under the crossbar on the second. Her 4.70 nonetheless tied her with Carolin Hingst of Germany as the early season world leader.
She was visibly upset at her failed record attempt to break Stacy Dragila’s national indoor standard of 4.81m set at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest.
“We had a goal and it was 4.82m coming in and we’re a little upset that we didn’t get it,” Stuczynski said about her aspirations with coach Brian Suhr. “We look at 4.70m and this should not be my PR. We know that we can jump higher."
Stuczynski, who cleared 4.58m and 4.61m in her first two competitions of the season, said that she has cleared 4.77m in workouts leaving her optimistic about challenging for the U.S. record before the indoor campaign is through.
She is scheduled to face world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia in the Millrose Games on 2 February and also plans to compete in the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on 27 January and the USATF Championships on 24-25 February.
“It’s putting things together. We did in a lot in the off season and that has helped,” Stuczynski said. “We’re plugging away at it. But it’s just that in practice that I get 15 jumps and in a meet I get three. All you need is a faster runway."
Stuczynski Wins Duel over ‘fearless’ Steiner’s double PB performance
Stuczynski needed a clutch performance to fend off a spirited challenge from April Steiner in the competition held on a theatre stage with simultaneous men’s and women’s competition on intersecting runways and blaring rock music.
Steiner, 26, who gained notoriety as a winner on the reality T.V. show “Fear Factor” after eating worm green beans, maggoty mashed potatoes and roach stuffing to win US $50,000, set two personal bests on her way to raising her career-best from 4.45m to 4.60m.
Steiner cleared PBs of 4.50m and 4.60m on her first attempt and briefly took the lead at 4.60m after Stuczynski scaled it on her second try. Stuczynski, though, was well over on her first attempt at 4.70m to secure the victory after Steiner’s three misses.
“(Steiner) jumped really good,” Stuczynski said. “In the U.S., you don’t expect people to be jumping that."
Hartwig Surprise Winner
Hartwig didn’t know quite what to expect in his first competition of the season. The veteran took the lead after a second attempt clearance at 5.70m. Walker, who passed the height, had appeared to win the competition on his third attempt at 5.80m in the final vault of the competition. But as Walker cleared the height and jumped onto his feet raised both arms and pumped his fist to celebrate, the crossbar came crashing down. The 2006 winner walked off the pit with his hands on his head in disbelief.
“Tonight I was lucky. The bars should have stayed up for Brad,” Hartwig said with a smile.
Retirement on the Horizon
It was the fifth Summit victory for Hartwig, who also won from 1997-2000, but perhaps this was the most satisfying in a field that included Toby Stevenson, Nick Hysong and 2006 Summit winner Russ Buller.
“The other American guys are so good,” Hartwig said. “I always try to come into each competition and focus on my own performance. That’s what I need to continue at my level.’’
The American record-holder, who will turn 40 in September, has taken a low-key approach to the 2007 season, which he anticipates will be his last. When pressed on his future in recent years, Hartwig has often sideswiped the question, joking that the London Olympics in 2012 will be his farewell.
“I don’t ever want to say ‘never’ but this year, I am really leaning toward this year being it,” Hartwig said. “I still do feel that I can still jump high but boy it gets harder all the time. Every year, somebody will come up and up to me and say ‘Are you still jumping? I’ve heard that you retired.’"
Victory dedicated to meet director Fraley
After his victory, Hartwig took the microphone to make an emotional dedication to meet director and founder Bob Fraley, who is stepping down to spend more time with his family.
Fraley has turned the annual event, with less than 100 athletes in its beginning years, into a two-day affair which includes clinics and competitions with more than 2,200 athletes and coaches from high school, college to national class.
Hartwig has competed in the meet in 13 of the last 14 years with the exception of 2001, smarting from the disappointment of not making the U.S. Olympic team in 2000.
“I really missed it. It was the hardest thing because I really wanted to be out there,” Hartwig said. “I said after that ‘As long as I am a pole vaulter and good enough to jump on this stage, I am going to be here every year.’"
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
Results -
Men -
- Jeff Hartwig (USA) 5.70m
- Brad Walker (USA) 5.60m
- Jacob Pauli (USA) 5.60m
- Toby Stevenson (USA) 5.50m
=4. Tommy Skipper (USA) 5.50m - Russ Buller (USA) 5.40m
- Jon Takahashi (USA) 5.40m
=8. Jeremy Scott (USA) 5.30m
=8. Nick Hysong (USA) 5.30m
NH - Daniel Ryland
Women -
- Jenn Stuczynski (USA) 4.70m
- April Steiner (USA) 4.60m
- Becky Holiday (USA) 4.40m
- Mary Sauer (USA) 4.40m
- Lacy Janson (USA) 4.30m
- NikkiMcEwen (USA)4.30m
=7. Jillian Schwartz (USA) 4.20
=7. and Tracy O’Hara (USA) 4.20 - Erica Bartolina (USA) 4.20m
- Chelsea Johnson(USA) 4.10m