Old (2000) Jeff Hartwig Article

[rainbowgirl28]

Here's a really old article by Eddie Seese that is still interesting!

http://www.runningnetwork.com/news/26321.html

ATF Feature: Jeff Hartwig, AR Pole Vault
2000-06-04
courtesy of Eddie Seese


JEFF HARTWIG, FROM THE BEGINNING
by Eddie Seese
It is May, which means to all us track fans,
it is time for the Modesto Relays. This also
means that it is time for my annual visit
from Jeff "Stew" HARTWIG. Stew has been
making this trip to California since 1994.
It is a time for training, competing, and
visiting friends. It was also a time to
interview with Stew and find out how
he got where he is today.
Stew grew up in St. Charles, MO. He did
what all the boys did in those day. He
played football in the fall and played
baseball in the spring and summer. When
he started eight-grade, he knew he was a
time for a change. His Father suggested
Track and Field. Initially Stew though the
hurdles would be cool. Then he saw the
pole vaulters practicing. He said to himself.
"I can do that." There was only one problem.
There was no eight-grade track program.
Stew was not going to be stopped by that.
He found out that he could be a manager
on the track team.
Jeff asked the coach if the team needed
another manager. The coach said he could
definitely use more help and suggested the
pole vault. Jeff walked to school in the
morning so he could spend time during
that workout with the coach and
vaulters. In the afternoon he would help
the pole vaulters by himself.
Francis Howell High School has a simple
indoor set up where the vaulters could do
drills in the gym. Soon he found himself
vaulting when the coach was not around.
He realized that he had never done anything
that was so much fun in this life. His team
mates encouraged him and helped him
improve. Soon he was clearing 9.5 feet.
By the time his ninth grade year started five
of his buddies also wanted to lean to pole
vault. His high school coach stressed learning
the rules and always vaulting safely. The vaulters
at his school jumped and lifted weights a lot.
Jeff now realizes that he should have spent
more time on running and learning how to
plant a pole. By the time his senior year was
over Jeff cleared 14' 6."
Many coaches recruited Jeff to come to their
college or university. He got really turned off
because all of the coaches just wanted to know
what he could do for them. Stew's dad
suggested that he attend Florissant Valley
Junior College in St. Louis, MO. There he met
Norris Stevenson. Coach Stevenson, in Jeff's
own words "WAS AWE SOME!" His new coach
provided a positive environment for learning
the pole vault. Jeff's weight increased from
170 to 180 pounds in two years and he
became much stronger. Additionally,
the coach was a motivator who believed
in teaching a worth ethic that combined
running, strength training, technique
and inspiration.
In December 1985 he competed in a meet
with Joe Dial. Joe cleared 19' 1 " for a new
American Indoor Record. Then next weekend
he competed against Earl Bell, Lane Lohr and
Timmy McMichael. This got him really fired up.
Jeff knew he had to work much harder.
He finished his Junior College career as a 16' 1"
vaulter. Now he had to find an environment
where he could improve. Arkansas St. asked
him to visit on a recruiting trip. Instantly he
knew he had found the place where he could
become a much better vaulter. They had everything
he needed there plus a great group of guys.
At Arkansas St. he continued to improve to 17' 8"
in spite a foot injury his senior year.
1991 was a year for adjustment. He had to get
a job and try to continue to train. He found that
having a full time job made it very difficult to
train properly. In Sept 1991 Earl Bell began
construction for his training center. On day
Jeff was standing under the frame of the
building. It looked like he was sanding in a
large rib cage. He thought to himself, "Someday
someone is really gonna jump high in here."
Little did he know it would be he. The training
center allowed him to work part time for Earl
Bell and still train properly.
In February 1992 he cleared 18' 1". Five days
later he cleared 18' 4 " and qualified for the
US Olympic Trails. He competed in the Olympic
Trials in New Orleans and placed 13th in the
final.
In 1993 Jeff had his only major injury of his
career. He suffers a high hamstring pull. His
resulted in the only year in which he did not
improve.
In 1995 he cleared 18' 5 3/4" at the Modesto
Relays and won the US Olympic Festival at 18' 4 ."
His friends and family finally realized that Jeff
had the "Right Stuff" become a very good
pole vaulter.
The rest of Jeff's recent career is very well
documented. In 1996 he cleared 19' for the
first time in the US Olympic Trails and made
the Olympic team. In 1997 he placed 4th in
the US Championships with a 19' vault and
decided it was time to get more serious. In
1998 he became the first American to clear
6.0 Meters (19' 8 1/4") in a meet in Paris, FR.
Then he followed that with a 6.01 Meter jump
in the Goodwill Games. In 1999 he cleared 19' 9"
in Eugene to break the American Record
again.
At this years Modesto Relays he left
now doubt that he was going to jump
even higher this year. During his third
attempt at 19' 9 " he had at least 18" of
hip height over the bar. He only failed to
clear it because of the placement of the
standards. I've been watching Jeff vault
for many years but that jump in Modesto
made me realize that he definitely has
the ability to break the world record. He
has worked very hard for many years to
reach that goal. From my perspective, it
could not happen to a nicer guy!

[Lax PV]

does anyone have video of the attempt at Modesto? maybe on stabhoch?

[95]

http://www.polevault.com/polevault_pict ... lery7.html

The pictures of Hartwig at Modesto are at the bottom of the page.

[Lax PV]

that sick... thats not human...

[vaulter894]

yea, that hip height is nuts

[95]

http://www.polevault.com/polevaultfilmclips/index.html

One of the clips that is in bold midway down the page is Hartwig's attempt at 19-9.5 However, for some reason i can't play the clip on my computer, so I'm not sure if its the one with 18 inches of hip height where he lands on it.

[fx]

did anyone see that clip of Hartwig? insane if that really is 19'9.

[achtungpv]

He's got good height over it but not 18". It's an optical illusion from the camera angle. You can always refer back to the pic years ago in T&F News of Bubka clearing 19'+ where his pole is about 2 feet above the bar to get an idea of how camera angle can affect things.