Tim Mack Interview

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http://www.usolympicteam.com/11611_34669.htm

Q&A: Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack talks about his medal-winning performance

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2004 Olympic pole vault gold medalist Tim Mack will compete Monday at the Payton Jordan U.S. Open, the third stop on USA Track & Field's Outdoor Visa Championship Series.

Q1: Since winning the gold medal, you've come back to your hometown of Cleveland. How do you feel about the warm reception?
TIM MACK: I think that's been unbelievable, especially from my high school. They had a big rally for me. Also being Cleveland's most outstanding amateur athlete. It's been great to see that people actually can recognize me and recognize what I achieved, and I know that it's not just me that sees it or my family.

Q2: What's the key element that pushed you to the Olympic gold medal?

TIM MACK: Some of the things that got me to that point were so easy that they're difficult. Just consistency and staying focused and regimented, and not letting go of what you want to do. It's a real difficult thing to go to the Olympic Games not thinking of the outcome. I even wonder how I was able to do that. But it's pretty simple. It's just time, trying to get better in different things - not just vaulting. Getting a little stronger, a little quicker, how to be more aware in the air. Eating a little bit better. Keeping all those things in mind yet being balanced and having fun. Last year I got to the point where I was trying to be balanced. It was like a snowball rolling down the hill. It's just getting bigger and bigger and I'm sorry if you're in the way, but I'm going to just keep rolling down the hill. I felt so good at that point that it was easy. It's easy in theory, but it's really hard to do.

Q3: Being at your first Olympics, you have to focus. How hard was that to do the first time you walked onto the field?

TIM MACK: When you walk onto that field, I was thinking, which way is the wind blowing, I've got to warm up. Nothing else came into play. It was my coach and me. The crowd was there for energy, but nobody else existed. It's over time that you come to master that. I can thank my sports psychologist for that. Four years ago, he was talking to me about what it was going to be like on the field in Athens. I thought he was crazy for talking about it.

Q4: Do you think this is the year someone will make a dramatic advance toward 20 feet in the pole vault?

TIM MACK: I think so definitely. I was thinking about that the other day. Toby and I are getting a lot closer. We've never been great friends, but we've been spending more time with each other and we've been talking about that and how high we can jump. We've been talking about how awesome it would be to get back to the world championships. Barring any injuries from anybody, I think it's going to be a race. I'm just hoping we have good conditions and we can have a lot of guys jumping at 6 meters or 6.10. There are always younger guys that are going to pop up anywhere. We can all push each other. That's what was different with Sergey [Bubka] - he was always the guy on top. But if three or four guys can separate themselves, I think 6.10 or 6.16 is going to be in the near future.

Q5: To go from being ranked 10th in the world in 2003 to #1 last year was amazing ... what were your expectations in 2004?

TIM MACK: I've gone over that in my head to try to figure out what exactly it was, but I think the key for me, of course getting a gold medal in Athens was always in the back of my mind as the main goal, but at the same time, I was training against the event itself, just trying to get technically better because I knew that would allow me to attain that medal. That outcome would come into my mind sometimes when I was training, but I tried my best to keep that outcome away as far as if I was gonna win or lose. There was always a possibility that might not make the final. But I kept that out of my mind as much as the thought of winning.

Q6: You struggled with an injury earlier this year. What is the status of your health?

TIM MACK: It's been kind of a tightrope walk. I'm coming off of a calf injury. It's getting better and getting manageable and hasn't given me any problems the last couple of competitions. I had a little groin injury, but that's nothing major. These little injuries are going to come and go, especially being 32 now. I have to take care of myself. I go out and get help as much as I can. My jumps last weekend were kind of a surprise to me, that I was able to jump 19-2 with a limited amount of training. I'm actually more ahead than I think I am.

Q7: Does Jumping 19-2 so early bode well for the rest of the season?

TIM MACK: That's exactly what I was thinking. I've had less training than I did last year, and I didn't jump 19-2 until a week and a half before the Olympic Trials last year. I'm definitely confident, and actually way ahead of the game, I think. Although, sometimes I put my back up against the wall to make it seem like I'm way behind.

Q8: Anything you're working on with your technique?

TIM MACK: I might try to go with a longer running approach. I might pull that out at Palo Alto. That's going to help me keep my posture a little bit more. A lot of times, I have to really work hard to get my speed going. So I might back it up a little bit and run a bit longer so I don't have to feel so rushed to get my speed going. I'm also working on a lot of things technically so I don't feel the

Q9: For you, Toby and Derek to be ranked in three of the four top places in the world last year, that's got to serve as motivation.

TIM MACK: No doubt. I've got to think about, hey, I've got to make the World team. That's what keeps Toby and I on edge. There is always going to be somebody that wants to take our spot and knock us off. They want to knock us off more than we want to jump 6.05, 6.10. There's always going to be somebody there to take over. That's a good thing, otherwise you're going to be going to competitions all over the place.

Q10: How do you feel about this weekend's competition?

TIM MACK: I've been able to stay out here and train for a little while. I think I've figured out a few things about this place. I can't give that secret out, though.