Stuczynski’s Vault is Best in the World this Year
(HOUGHTON,
N.Y.)
— Five-time American champion pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski cleared 15-3 (4.65 meters)
at the Houghton College Invitational track meet Saturday, the best
height in the world so far this year. Stuczynski set the American record
of 16-0 (4.88M) last summer. Stuczynski attempted a jump at 4.81M, but
missed.
Despite posting the best jump of the season, Stuczynski was a bit
disappointed. “I’m at a really good place [in my training right now] and
that’s what’s unfortunate,” she said, “because I don’t think the results
showed that.”
“In these conditions, with the crosswind changing like that;
that’s a good jump,” said Rick Suhr, Stuczynski’s coach. “To do better
would take the right pole, when the wind is right and everything comes
together—and that’s what we missed at 4.81 [meters].”
Stuczynski agreed: “There was a headwind and so there were some
conditions to deal with, but, you know what? That’s outdoor track, so I
might as well start dealing with it early.”
“It’s the first meet of the year,” Stuczynski said, “so I guess
I’m ironing some things
out. It’s very fixable. It’s a good way to start, but I always want to
jump higher than before, so I’m a little disappointed.”
“Her training is going absolutely perfect right now,” said Suhr,
“and this is a nice opener…It’s a low-key meet; not too much pressure,
not too much hoopla. You can relax and compete. It’s nice.”
Suhr said Stuczynski was at Houghton to tune up for two
meets
in California that she’ll compete at in May. “We always like to get a
warm-up meet going into the big meets,” he said.
“We saw it on the schedule and it’s not far away at all,”
Stuczynski said, “We saw some of the results from the pole vault from
other athletes and we knew it was a decent runway, too.” Stuczynski also
remembered the venue from when she had competed at Houghton as a
collegian for Roberts Wesleyan College.
Suhr noted that the Olympic hopeful was training well. “It
couldn’t be much better,” he said, “She’s right where I would have
planned to have her for a
perfect season, a dream
season. And she’s healthy, that’s a big thing, too.”
After the meets in California, Stuczynski will start cycling up
to peak for the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Or.—the pole vault competition
will be held in early July.
