Life is looking up for Derek Miles

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http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/30/278679 ... miles.html

Life is looking up for Miles

By John Schumacher
jschumacher@sacbee.com
Published: Sunday, May. 30, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1C
Last Modified: Sunday, May. 30, 2010 - 12:17 am
At 37, Derek Miles sees higher bars, not retirement. Why quit when you're still good at something you love?

The Bella Vista High School graduate kept a tradition of good pole-vaulting going Saturday at the California Invitational Relays at Hughes Stadium, winning his event with a 19-foot, 01/4-inch clearance, the second-best mark in the world this year.

On a warm, breezy day that included Cory Martin winning the hammer throw and shot put, and Wallace Spearmon closing the festivities by tying Carl Lewis' meet record in the 200 meters, Miles injected some local spice into the proceedings.

The two-time Olympian easily cleared the winning height to add another chapter to the Relays' pole vault lore.

Dutch Warmerdam (1942), Brian Sternberg (1963) and Stacy Dragila (2000) set world records in the meet when it was known as the Modesto Relays. Toby Stevenson (2004) became the second man in history to clear six meters (19-8 1/4).

Miles followed up those acts by vaulting higher than anyone in the world this year except Australia's Steven Hooker, who has cleared 19-4 3/4. Not bad for a guy who turns 38 in September.

"For me, I'm always really concentrating on the bar I want to jump," said Miles, who missed three attempts at 19-4 1/4, which would have surpassed his personal best of 19-2 1/2, and beat Giovanni Lanaro's 18-4 1/2 effort.

"I'd really like before I get out of the sport to jump 19-4. That's what fuels me this year. I want to jump higher."

After finishing seventh in the 2004 Olympics and fourth in the 2008 Games, Miles also wouldn't mind earning a spot on the podium.

"I still have a goal to exit the sport with a medal of some sort," he said. "I feel like I'm running great. To me, I'm kind of optimistic."

Miles' effort Saturday was the latest in a series of good performances when he returns home, although it was the first time he has jumped at Hughes. He finished third and made his first Olympic team with a 19-01/4 clearance in the 2004 Trials at Hornet Stadium, then won the 2008 Trials at the same site with the same height.

"I always enjoy coming back," said Miles, who lives in Tea, S.D.

And he still loves to vault.

"As long as I'm competitive," he said, "I'm going to do it until I can't do it."



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