Ryland hoping to keep dreams of vaulting to Olympic gold

[Bruce Caldwell]

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Ryland hoping to keep dreams of vaulting to Olympic gold alive
Bob Tompkins / Staff Reporter/Columnist
Posted on July 4, 2004

Former Buckeye High School star pole-vaulter Daniel Ryland has overcame sickness, which ended his indoor season this year, and a cracked heel in May to compete in the Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif., later this week.

Pole-vaulter Daniel Ryland of Deville thought his dreams of making this year's Olympic team ended in late May, but he will compete in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Sacramento, Calif., next weekend.

Although the former Buckeye High School star qualified for the Olympic Trials at last year's U.S. Nationals with a vault of 18 feet, 2 inches, he cleared 18 feet, 81/4 inches last Sunday at a meet in Jonesboro, Ark. It was the 13th best pole vault in the world this year. He said it was an 'A' standard qualification, a notch above the 'B' standard qualification of last year.

Before reaching such a summit, though, the 24-year-old Ryland hit a few valleys.

"During the indoor season, I got really sick," he said. "In February, within a period of 16 hours, I lost 81/2 pounds. It was the closest to death I ever felt. I think it was food poisoning."

That sickness ended his indoor season, but he eventually regained his health and his vaulting finesse. Near the end of April, he cleared 18 feet in a meet at St. Louis.

But another low point came in late May. An awkward landing after a vault resulted in his cracking his heel.

"Doctors think I have maybe a floating bone chip in my heel," he said, noting he underwent X-rays and other tests after the accident that cause his heel to swell and become black and blue. "I can't put pressure on it."

He thought such an injury would end his season, but a few days later, he realized he could do the running he needed before a vault because he runs on the balls of his feet, and he can do that without pain.

Ten days after his accident, he set a personal best with a vault of 18-3. A week after that, he cleared 18-5. Then last week, he cleared 18-81/4.

Originally scheduled to come to Alexandria to visit with a doctor before heading west for the Trials, Ryland said he was bumped off three overbooked flights to Alexandria from Memphis, Tenn., Thursday and returned to Jonesboro, where the 2002 Arkansas State graduate resides and trains.

He plans to participate today in one last practice meet before flying Wednesday to Sacramento. He will have one off day before competing in the preliminaries Friday, and the finals are on Sunday.

He's upbeat about his chances to finish among the top three competitors to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team.

He said a repeat of his 18-8 vault would almost certainly earn him a spot on the Olympic team. "Last year, 18-43/4 made the Olympic team," he said. The world record in the pole vault is 20-13/4 by Sergeir Bubka of the Ukraine in 1994.

"Ever since I cracked my heel, I've gotten a personal record with each succeeding jump," he said. "I think I'm physically and mentally starting to peak at the right time."

He knows better than to get too confident, though, recalling how the favorite in the Trials in 2000, American record holder Jeff Hartwig (19-91/4), did not even make it past the preliminaries with a no-height performance. It didn't hurt the American effort in the Olympics, though, as the U.S. won gold and silver medals.

Hartwig and Toby Stevenson (top vault in the world this year at 19-81/4) are the two pole-vaulting favorites going into the Trials, Ryland said, but as was proven in 2000, being a favorite "means nothing," he said.

He said he appreciates being able to focus entirely on his training because "the people and companies of Central Louisiana came through to help me as sponsors. As a result, I haven't had any financial stress in wondering how I was going to pay for this or that.

"If I represent the U.S. in Athens," he said, "I'm really representing Alexandria and Pineville and Central Louisiana."