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Elite Vaulters Soar At Dome
Hartwig Takes World Lead With Vault Of 19-2 1/4 Saturday
By: BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK
james.cimburek@yankton.net
VERMILLION -- U.S. pole vault record holder Jeff Hartwig came into South Dakota with the best mark in the country this season. He left with the best in the world.
Hartwig, competing in the "Derek Miles and Friends" pole vault competition at the DakotaDome, cleared 5.85 meters (19-2 1/4) to take over the world lead from Germany's Tim Lobinger (5.82 meters). The event also marked the 100th time in his career that Hartwig had cleared 19 feet, joining world record holder Sergey Bubka as the only men to accomplish that feat.
For Hartwig, the milestone vault came when he was not focused on it.
"Any time you get to a milestone, you tend to play it cautious," he said. "That particular jump, I had to go for the highest possible jump. Probably the biggest thing is throwing that feeling of crossing the bar out of your mind."
That philosophy came from seeing a competitor who had dominated the competition to a point suddenly freeze at a height.
"The guy who didn't win cleared three personal bests on the day and honestly looked like the best vaulter there that day," Hartwig said. "But when he was going for his fourth Å’PR' he was too worried about how high the bar was.
"You have to rely on your training and your technique to jump high."
Hartwig came into the competition on a roll, having won at both the Millrose Games in New York and the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas. He would like to see that continue into this coming weekend, with the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships in Boston.
Hartwig give a high-five to University of South Dakota women's track coach Lucky Huber after clearing 5.85 meters. (James D. Cimburek/P&D)
Another vaulter who had a good day Saturday was University of South Dakota senior Sam Pribyl. Competing alongside three former Olympians -- Hartwig, 2004 silver medalist Toby Stevenson and USD grad Derek Miles -- and Jeremy Scott, one of the top young vaulters in the country, Pribyl set a school record with a vault of 5.21 meters (17-1) and tied Missouri Southern's Matt Campbell for the top vault in NCAA Division II this season.
"That was the goal," he said of breaking the USD school record, which had been held by Miles (16-9). Hartwig also broke a record of Miles', his mark for the best vault in the DakotaDome (19-1 1/4). "I have a process, goals set up, step by step to what I want to do."
While Pribyl may have put himself atop the national leader board, he feels he has work to do in order to accomplish his ultimate goal for the season, a national championship.
"I need to be more consistent on bigger poles," he said. "I feel I am doing well. This sets me up to win a national championship. I just need to be more consistent on my other poles."
While Pribyl had met the other four competitors a year ago, and had trained with Hartwig, Miles and Scott in Arkansas last summer, he had to focus on his own efforts during the competition.
"I've known them, but it's still Å’wow' every time I see them," Pribyl said. "I tried to calm myself down, get myself ready."
The thrill of being introduced with, then competing alongside such a star-studded field was unbelievable, Pribyl noted.
"This was probably one of the most amazing experiences I've had," he said.
Seeing Pribyl go over 17 feet indoors for the first time brought back memories for Hartwig.
"When (Sam) made that mark, I remember the first time that I jumped 17 feet," he said. "There's not a better feeling in the world than going out and jump as well as you want to jump.
"That's the motivation that keeps you going, when you see a guy knocking out those centimeters. That's what keeps you going."
Pribyl has some big meets of his own coming up, the North Central Conference championships this coming weekend and the NCAA Division II championships a week later.
"I think this was good for me," he said of the high-profile competition. "I usually get up for big meets, and this gets me into that atmosphere right now."
While Scott, a Norfolk, Neb., native, finished second with a mark of 5.31 meters (17-5), he had hoped to do better.
"I was a little disappointed," he said. "I was hoping to jump something over 18 today."
Scott, a 6-10 competitor who is considered the future of pole vaulting, is starting to see a revamped approach pay off.
"A lot of the things I've been working on in practice I did well today," he said. "I came up here to have fun and I did that."
For Scott, the goal is a return trip to the world championships.
"Last time I was able to make the team," he said. "Hopefully it will work out like last time."
Stevenson showed the wear and tear of a hectic month, failing to clear a height for the second straight trip to the DakotaDome. Still, he feels he is getting closer to the form he'll need in Boston.
"Today was OK," he said. "It's frustrating to be saying that I'm one step closer, but it only takes one day in the pole vault. I'm just waiting for that day."
The 2004 Olympic silver medalist has bounced around the globe in recent weeks, with stops in Moscow, Sweden and New York among others.
"I don't think I've been in the same time zone for more than three or four days in a row in the last month, and I haven't been going from Eastern to Central," he said. "As much as I hate to admit it, it's definitely affected how I feel physically."
Stevenson's lack of success in the DakotaDome won't keep him from coming back next year.
"This is fun," he said. "Derek's a great friend, and I wanted to support him and his meet."
South Dakota's Sam Pribyl attempts to clear the bar as his teammates, seated, look on. Pribyl posted a school-record vault of 17-1. (James D. Cimburek/P&D)
Miles tried to compete but had to pull out due to a stiff back. While the injury may keep him out of indoor nationals, he was more disappointed about not being able to give the fans in his adopted hometown a show.
"I might have to pass on Boston and try to get healthy for outdoor season," he said. "The most depressing thing for me is, of all the meets I go to, this is the best one."
Another competitor, Ty Harvey, withdrew before coming to South Dakota, also due to injury. Miles expects Harvey to make the effort to compete here next year, along with other top vaulters.
"We've got quite a few interested in this meet," he said. "They just couldn't make it to this one."
