vaulting into history: Ryland sets state mark

[gogo]

Daniel Ryland knew the vault was good before he left the ground.

Knew it before he took off down the runway, before he started warming up, before he even got to the meet.

Ryland woke up on the morning of July 24 and knew this was his day. And he was right.

The Buckeye High alum would pole vault higher than any Louisianan ever had on this day -- easily clearing the bar at 19 feet, 2 1/4 inches at the Bell Athletics Summer Series event in Jonesboro, Ark.

"I'm in a groove right now," Ryland said. "Everything seems like it's in slow motion, everything is effortless."

The vault last week -- though Ryland's career best -- was just one in a string of fine results this summer.

Ryland had never before jumped better than 18-10, but he's been over 19 feet in his last three meets, and has consistently been at or above 19 feet in workouts.

Just the week before his record-setting vault, he had tied the top mark put up by a Louisianan at 19-3/4.

It's hard to believe that just a few weeks prior to that, Ryland hit possibly the low point of his athletic career.

Two months ago, Ryland says, "I couldn't clear 17 feet."

He had been in something of a funk since finishing 12th at the Olympic Trials last summer. He struggled with an injury during the indoor season. At his first outdoor meet, he only managed to vault 16 feet.

"That was a serious low point," Ryland said. "I was really having doubts. I started wondering, 'Do I really want to do this anymore? Maybe I should hang it up.'"

A heart-to-heart with his coach, Earl Bell, lifted Ryland's spirits. He decided part of the problem was he wasn't totally committed to the sport and his dream of making the Olympics, and resolved to change that. It didn't take long for Ryland to break through.

He tied for seventh at the U.S. Nationals four weeks ago with a vault of 17-8 1/2. From there, he just kept getting better.

For the first time in his life, Ryland became "a legit 19-foot pole vaulter," breaking the barrier in workouts and meets.

On the morning of his record-breaking vault, he felt better than he ever had before. He swears on that vault he could have surpassed six meters -- or 19-8 1/4, the Holy Grail of pole vaulting -- and may have been closer to 20 feet.

"I'm pretty fired up right now," he said.

The recent success is likely to pay off financially for Ryland, who lives and trains with Bell Athletics in Jonesboro, where he attended Arkansas State.

Rather than having to beg and scrap his way into big meets, he's starting to be in demand. He leaves next week for meets in Italy and Sweden, and possibly Switzerland and Japan after that.

At 25, it appears Ryland is just getting started.

Pole vaulting, unlike many track & field events, is not a young man's sport -- Ryland's Bell Athletics teammate and U.S. record holder Jeff Hartwig is still competing at a high level, and he turns 38 in September.

That means Ryland could have a shot at the next three Olympics, a goal that suddenly seems much more attainable.

"Pole vaulters usually pay their dues and pay their dues, then make a big breakthrough," Ryland said. "Hopefully, this is my big breakthrough and I can keep getting better from here."

Originally published August 6, 2005

[RidinHigh]

There is no doubt in my mind that Daniel can clear the 6M mark. I have watched him jump on a few different occasions and everytime I am amazed by his speed, power, and improvement. Good luck to him in all of his upcoming meets!

[rainbowgirl28]

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