Articles About Nationals

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cct ... 986804.htm

One old-timer came through.

Stacy Dragila won her 17th U.S. pole vault championship, ninth outdoors, clearing 14 feet, 7 1/4 inches. The 34-year-old Dragila, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist, was more than a foot below her career best of 15-10 set last year. Recovering from an ankle injury, Dragila missed two tries at her first height of 13-9 1/4.

"I was just happy I got off the ground and made some bars," she said. "I relied on my past experience."

[rainbowgirl28]

http://gohuskies.collegesports.com/spor ... 05aae.html

Soma Eighth at USA Track Championships
Husky signee Zack Midles takes fourth in hammer, Ashley Lodree advances in hurdles.


June 25, 2005

CARSON, Calif. - Husky senior Kate Soma placed eighth Saturday in the pole vault at the 2005 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Carson, Calif., her best-ever finish in USA Championships competition. Soma's top-10 finish was one of five such placings by current, former or future UW track and field athletes at the four-day meet, which concludes Sunday at the Home Depot Center.

Competing for just the second time as a professional since concluding her collegiate career with an NCAA title two weeks ago, Soma struggled at each of the first two heights, notching third-attempt clearances at 13-5 ¼ and 13-9 ¼, before failing to clear 14-1 ¼ -- her winning height at this month's NCAA Championship meet.

Though she failed to earn a bid to August's IAAF World Championships -- awarded to just the top-three finishers in each event -- she did improve upon her tie for 15th at last year's U.S. Olympic Trials, and earned valuable experience competing against a field that included eight of the top-10 women's vaulters in U.S. history. Soma leaves UW as the most decorated female track athlete in program history, with one NCAA title, two school records and an all-time UW-best five-career All-America honors.

"The conditions were a little tricky today, as they always are here, but I thought Kate made some good attempts," said UW assistant coach Pat Licari, who continues to train both Soma and men's U.S. champion Brad Walker, also a former Husky. "To get eighth in this field says a lot about how far she can go in this sport. She's got a lot ahead of her."

[rainbowgirl28]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8358325/

Dragila’s 17th pole vault title tall task
Star misses twice at opening height, but rallies at T&F Championships

Updated: 8:59 p.m. ET June 25, 2005
CARSON, Calif. - The wind was blowing, forcing Stacy Dragila to shorten her approach in the pole vault. Her rhythm in warmups was off, too. Then she missed twice on her opening height Saturday at the U.S. track and field championships.

Not a good start for the 34-year-old former Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh,â€Â

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUi ... 5_19_38_20

Open Women's Pole Vault, Stacy Dragila, winner, 14-07.25, Nike

"I was happy just to get off the ground and to make bars. I was happy to win. I thought that Tracy (O'Hara) would win. She has been jumping very well and very smoothly. I have been running from a new run (distance) and I am trying to find my rhythm. I relied on my past experiences."

Open Women's Pole Vault, Tracy O'Hara, adidas, 2nd 4.40 (14-05.25)

"My performance was OK ... The wind was crazy. There was a strong cross and head wind. As a result every jump was inconsistent. I'm really excited about my finish, which is my highest at a national championship. My goal was to make the team, as well as win, especially with all the injuries everyone is having."

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01202.html

Dragila Overcomes Injury

Despite tearing her right Achilles' tendon during a training run in early April that forced her to alter the number of strides she takes on the pole vault runway, Stacy Dragila still managed to win her ninth outdoor title and 17th overall. It was a struggle for Dragila, however, and the winning height -- 14 feet 7 1/4 inches -- matched only the 21st best effort in the world this year. Dragila, who exited the Olympics with disappointment last year when she failed to qualify for the final, was competing for just the third time this season.

"I was just happy I got off the ground and made some bars," she said. "My rhythm wasn't really there in the warmups and I thought 'Oh my gosh what's going to happen?' . . . This one will probably be one I remember coming off an injury and obviously a not-so-stellar Olympic Games." . . .

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20 ... cknot.html

There's something to be said for experience, too. Stacy Dragila used it to overcome a near-disastrous start to win her eighth national pole vault title at 14-7¼, two inches ahead of Tracy O'Hara, the Rancho Bernardo High and UCLA grad. O'Hara led for much of the event but went out at 14-5¼, sure of her spot on the U.S. team.
"I knew I was in first, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself," said O'Hara, who got a personal best 15-1¼ earlier this season.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregon ... xml&coll=7

Soaring high: Becky Holliday found herself playing a game within the game of the pole vault.

The former University of Oregon athlete, like all the women competing in the pole vault, had to contend with swirling winds at the Home Depot Center.

"It was a matter of who got lucky with the wind," Holliday said. "The wind comes at you on the side and you have to figure out when to back off."

Holliday, competing in only her third meet this season, easily cleared her first two heights, but had to settle at 14-11/4 and fourth. She will be an alternate on the U.S. world championships team.

Holliday said she hoped to leave for Europe for more meets. "In pole vault, you have to compete a lot to get on a roll."

Portland's Kate Soma, fresh from winning the NCAA championship for Washington, finished 8th at 13-91/4.