ISU Freshman makes jr national team

[vaulterx]

With one more miss by Scott Houston in the pole vault Thursday at the U.S. junior track and field championships, Idaho State freshman Mike Arnold knew he'd wrap up second place and a spot on Team USA at the Pan American Games later this summer.

"Waiting for that jump, my insides were turning waiting to see what's happened," Arnold said by cell phone.
Houston missed the attempt at 16 feet, 10 3/4 inches, and Arnold glanced over at Bengals coach Dave Nielsen and flashed a knowing grin. Arnold went on to clear one more height after that and finished second in the event with a personal-best mark of 17-0 3/4 at the junior nationals held in conjunction with the U.S. championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

The top two athletes in each event at juniors will advance to the 2009 Pan American junior championships, set for July 31-Aug. 2 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The event will feature athletes 19 and under.
"It's a great honor to be on any national team. Here he gets to represent his country," Nielsen said by cell phone from the event. "I think it's a tremendous honor, and I'm sure he'll take it in stride and make the most of it. Then it's back to the grind getting ready for next year because nothing's a given."

Arnold didn't take long to start looking ahead, either.
Even though he set a personal record for the third straight meet, he has already raised his goals.

"It's pretty much that I've set it there, and it's time to set another one," said Arnold, his voice still shaking with excitement. "It's good I achieved it, and it's a good confidence-booster. Now it's time to set it higher and go after that."
He nearly did just that Thursday night.

Arnold took three strong attempts at 17-2 3/4 -- actually clearing the bar on one before the wind brought it down, he said -- before bowing out of the competition. Jack Whitt made the height to capture the championship.
The second-place effort is the latest in a series of achievements by Arnold, who Nielsen said is the most advanced freshman vaulter he's coached at Idaho State.

In May, Arnold captured the Big Sky outdoor championship with a then-personal-best mark of 16-8 3/4, beating out fellow Bengals and former champions Sam Pierson and Levi Keller along the way.
Two weeks later at the NCAA west regional meet, Arnold set another PR, clearing 16-11 at Hayward Field.

"It's awesome," Nielsen said. "It's a fun day, and he's done such a whale of a job as a freshman. He's just kept going."


By Tim Flagstad

[rainbowgirl28]

He looked good at Jr Nationals!

[polevaulter08nw]

Yes, Mike was in a very good rhythm that day and jumped very well!