Never Satisfied, American Vaulter Edges Upward

[patchdoggydogg]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/sport ... ref=sports

Sixteen years ago, when track and field authorities concluded that women could pole-vault without breaking their necks, Jenn Stuczynski was a 10-year-old in Fredonia, N.Y., participating in softball, volleyball, basketball and golf.

Now, assuming she makes the United States team, and she should, she will be a medal contender this summer in the pole vault in the Beijing Olympics. In the last 12 months, she has raised the American record to 15 feet 10 ½ inches, then to 16 feet, then, two weeks ago in Carson, Calif., to 16- ¾. The only woman who has jumped higher is Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, who set the world record of 16-5 1/4 three years ago.

On Saturday, at the Reebok Grand Prix track meet at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island, Stuczynski won at 15-9 and missed three times at a world record attempt of 16-5 ½. Her second try at the record came close