Men's Pole Vault Analysis
1. Nick Hysong
2. Lawrence Johnson
4. Russ Buller
4. Tim Mack
5. Chad Harting
6. Toby Stevenson
7. Pat Manson
8. Tye Harvey
9. Scott Slover
10. Jim Davis
11. Brent Burns
12. Jake Pauli
13. Bill Payne
14. Derek MilesThe shocking failure of American Record holder Jeff Hartwig to advance from Friday's the qualifying round means there will be huge changes in the mental outlook taken by the rest of the field. No longer will most of them think they're fighting for one of just two remaining spots, they'll be thinking there are three available. That can make a world of difference.
Hartwig's good buddy, Hysong, seemed almost as stunned by the favorite's demise as did Hartwig himself, but he'll surely set that aside when the final rolls around. The top spot should be his to lose. The only other vaulter in the field with as much 19-foot experience as Hysong is indoor champion Johnson ("Lojo"). Johnson is a former holder of the American Record but has since had bad injury problems (motorcycle accident) and has also been somewhat compromised by the implementation of the "Volzing" rule, which prohibits steadying the bar with one's hands. Pianist Johnson has some of the best hands in the business and his success might well depend on how strictly the officials apply the hands-off rule.
The third spot is wide-wide open, with just about everybody in the 14-man field having a legitimate shot at making the team if things break right. The pick in this corner is LSU's Buller, the NCAA champ indoor and out, for proving his mettle in major championships this year, even if not against this level of competition.
As this is written, from a perspective of 2 hours before the start of the event, it's highly possible that things aren't going to break right in general, as it looks as if the vaulters are going to have to contend with their worst enemy: wind.
Winds will be out of the south/southwest. That's the conditions that provided headwinds for the sprinters yesterday. It's worse for the men of glass, because they'll have to contend with a nasty cross-breeze. Did I say breeze? It's currently blowing at 12mph, and the forecast is for 10-20 all day. Under such conditions, we may see a lot of people starting lower than they might usually. On the other hand, somebody might well engage a go-for-broke strategy, and if he can open high and stay relatively clean, that could make the difference in a countback procedure. It should be interesting!
/garry hill/Seasonal records for our top 10 (doesn't include qualifying round):
-Russ Buller (LSU) 18-1/2 1)Baton Rouge..........01/15 17-4 1/2 =10)PV Summit..........01/21 18-1/2 1)Baton Rouge..........01/29 0)Gainesville..........02/06 18-2 1/2 1)Lincoln..............02/12 18-4 1/2 1)SEC..................02/26 18-8 1/4 1)NCAA Ind.............03/11 18-4 3/4 1)Los Angeles..........04/01 18-4 3/4 1)Los Angeles..........04/01 18-8 3/4 1)Texas R Uni..........04/08 18-6 3/4 1)LSU Alumni...........04/15 18-6 1/2 1)USTCA Team Ch........04/22 18-6 1/2 1)Penn R...............04/29 17-11 1)SEC..................05/14 18-4 1/2 1)NCAA.................06/01 18-4 1/2 1)Wesel................06/12 18-1/2 4)V-d'Ascq.............06/17 18-4 1/2 6)Ingolstadt...........06/18 17-10 1/2 3)Nuremberg............06/25Brent Burns (Reeb) 17-6 1/2 =3)Los Angeles.........02/19 17-4 1/2 1)Wright Inv...........03/18 17-5 3/4 2)Drummond Inv.........04/22 17-6 1/2 =4)Modesto R...........05/13 18-4 1/2 =1)PAUSATF.............05/21
Jim Davis (Fres) 17-4 1/2 5-f3)PV Summit.........01/22 17-11 1)Reno.................02/05 17-3/4 2)WAC..................02/25 0)NCAA Ind.............03/11 17-5 3/4 7)Mt. SAC..............04/16 17-8 1/2 1-f2)Modesto R.........05/13 19-1/4 1)WAC..................05/20 17-8 1/2 =6)NCAA................06/01 18-4 1/2 5)Beach Vault..........06/11
Chad Harting (Bell) 17-10 1/2 =1)Jonesboro...........12/05 19-1/4 2)PV Summit............01/21 0)Millrose.............02/04 18-2 1/2 =4)Fayetteville........02/12 17-7 =6)Cedar Falls.........02/27 18-4 3/4 7)USATF Ind............03/04 18-1/2 3)Modesto R............05/13 0)Bell PV..............05/19 18-2 1/2 3)Essx Bell Inv........05/28 18-4 1/2 4)Jonesboro............06/06 19-1/4 1)Beach Vault..........06/11 18-6 1/2 3)Eugene GP............06/24 0)Indianapolis.........07/01
Tye Harvey (Bell) 17-10 1/2 =1)Jonesboro...........12/05 18-8 1/4 4)PV Summit............01/21 18-4 1/2 4)Millrose.............02/04 18-2 1/2 =4)Fayetteville........02/12 18-4 3/4 =1)Jonesboro...........02/20 17-7 =6)Cedar Falls.........02/27 18-8 3/4 2)USATF Ind............03/04 18-2 1/2 2)Essx Bell Inv........05/28 18-4 1/2 3)Jonesboro............06/06 18-8 1/4 =3)Beach Vault.........06/11 0)Jonesboro............06/14 18-8 1/4 2)Indianapolis.........07/01
Nick Hysong (Nik) 18-8 1/4 3)PV Summit............01/21 18-4 1/2 3)Millrose.............02/04 18-6 1/2 3)Fayetteville.........02/12 19-3/4 1)Cedar Falls..........02/27 18-4 3/4 5)USATF Ind............03/04 19-1 1/2 1)Fresno R.............04/01 18-1/2 1)Sun Angel Inv........04/15 0)Modesto R............05/13 18-4 1/2 =1)PAUSATF.............05/21 18-8 1/4 1)Phoenix..............05/27 18-8 1/4 2)Beach Vault..........06/11 18-10 1/4 1)Eugene GP............06/24 18-10 1/4 2)Athens GP............06/28 18-8 1/4 2)Rome GP..............06/30 18-10 1/4 4)Lausanne GP..........07/05 19-3/4 1)Can High-Alt IV......07/08
Lawrence Johnson (adi) 18-1/2 1)Blacksburg...........01/15 17-8 1/2 1)San Diego Ind........01/22 18-2 1/2 2)Johnson City........0 1/29 18-1/2 2!)Millrose............02/04 18-4 1/2 2!)Millrose............02/04 18-8 1/4 2)Millrose.............02/04 19-1/4 2)Fayetteville.........02/12 18-6 1/2 1)Los Angeles..........02/19 18-10 1/4 1)Blacksburg...........02/26 18-1 1!)USATF Ind...........03/04 18-4 3/4 1!)USATF Ind...........03/04 18-8 3/4 1!)USATF Ind...........03/04 19-3/4 1)USATF Ind............03/04 18-4 1/2 =3)Pietersburg.........03/18 19-4 1/4 1)Pretoria.............03/24 18-8 1/4 2)Cape Town............03/31 18-8 3/4 1)Sea Ray R............04/15 0)Knoxville Inv........04/30 17-8 1/2 =2)Rio GP..............05/14 18-10 1/4 1-f2)Knoxville.........05/18 18-4 1/2 2)Chapel Hill OT Qual..06/18 18-6 1/2 2!)Eugene GP...........06/24 18-10 1/4 2)Eugene GP............06/24 18-4 1/2 6)Athens GP............06/28 18-4 1/2 =5)Rome GP.............06/30 18-10 1/4 5)Lausanne GP..........07/05
Tim Mack (Ult) 17-8 1/2 2)Blacksburg...........01/15 18-4 1/2 7)PV Summit............01/21 18-2 1/2 1)Johnson City........0 1/29 18-4 1/2 1)Blacksburg...........02/12 17-8 1/2 1)Knoxville............02/18 18-6 1/2 2)Blacksburg...........02/26 18-8 3/4 4)USATF Ind............03/04 18-4 1/2 2)Sea Ray R............04/15 18-1 1)Knoxville Inv........04/30 0)Rio GP...............05/14 18-4 1/2 2-f2)Knoxville.........05/18 18-6 1/2 1)Ga Tech Inv..........05/20 19-3/4 1)Chapel Hill OT Qual..06/18 18-2 1/2 4)Eugene GP............06/24 18-10 1/4 1)Indianapolis.........07/01
Pat Manson (TQ) 18-1 =1)Scott Inv...........05/07 16-2 3/4 6)Phoenix..............05/27 18-4 1/2 7)Beach Vault..........06/11 18-2 1/2 5)Eugene GP............06/24
Derek Miles (Ult) 18-2 1/2 1)Ames.................01/22 17-7 =6)Cedar Falls.........02/27 0)USATF Ind............03/04 17-6 1/2 2)Husker Open..........04/08 18-6 1/2 2)Bell PV..............05/19 18-1/2 5)Jonesboro............06/06 17-6 1/2 2)Jonesboro............06/14 18-4 1/2 1)Norwalk..............07/08
Jake Pauli (NnIa) 17-4 1/2 1)Madison..............01/15 17-8 1/2 3-f3)PV Summit.........01/22 17-4 1/2 1)Cedar Falls..........02/05 18-4 1/2 1)Ames.................02/12 17-8 1/2 1)Cedar Falls..........02/18 18-1/2 1)Missouri Vly.........02/25 18-1/2 1)Mo Vly...............02/25 18-2 3/4 =4)Cedar Falls.........02/27 18-1/2 =5)NCAA Ind............03/11 17-6 1/2 1)Husker Open..........04/08 17-7 =4)Sea Ray R...........04/15 17-8 1/2 1)Kansas R.............04/21 17-8 1/4 1-f2)Kansas R..........04/22 17-4 1/2 2)Drake R..............04/29 18-6 1/2 1)NnIa Open............05/06 18-2 1)Mo Vly...............05/19 17-8 1/2 =6)NCAA................06/01 18-1/2 8)Ingolstadt...........06/18 18-1/2 1)Ames.................12/10
Bill Payne (unat) 18-1/2 1)Lubbock..............03/24 18-4 1/2 3)Texas Inv............05/06
Scott Slover (ReebB) 18-4 1/2 5)PV Summit............01/21 18-1/2 1)Reno................0 1/29 18-1/2 5)Millrose.............02/04 18-2 1/2 6)Fayetteville.........02/12 18-1/2 2)Los Angeles..........02/19 18-2 3/4 =4)Cedar Falls.........02/27 18-4 3/4 5)USATF Ind............03/04 18-2 1/2 2)Stanford.............03/26 18-4 2)Fresno R.............04/01 18-4 2)Fresno R.............04/01 18-5 1/2 1)Mt. SAC..............04/16 18-6 1/2 2)Texas Inv............05/06 0)Modesto R............05/13 17-8 1/4 3)Phoenix..............05/27 18-4 1/2 6)Beach Vault..........06/11 17-6 1/2 2)Stanford OT Qual.....06/17 18-4 1/2 1)Los Gatos............06/29 18-1/2 1)GMC Open.............07/01
Toby Stevenson (Stan) 17-4 1/2 =10)PV Summit..........01/21 17-3/4 4)Reno................0 1/29 17-8 1/2 7)Fayetteville.........02/12 18-2 1/2 1)Mtn Pac..............02/26 18-4 1/2 2)NCAA Ind.............03/11 18-2 1/2 1)Stanford.............03/26 17-3/4 2)Hayward R............04/08 17-11 3/4 3)Mt. SAC..............04/16 18-1 1)Drummond Inv.........04/22 17-10 1/2 2)Cal/Nev..............04/30 17-4 1/2 1)Cal-Stan.............05/06 18-1/2 2)Modesto R............05/13 18-9 1/4 1)Pac-10...............05/21 18-4 1/2 2)NCAA.................06/01 18-1/2 1)Stanford OT Qual.....06/17 17-8 1/2 =7)Eugene GP...........06/24 17-6 1/2 2)GMC Open.............07/01 18-9 1/2 2)Can High-Alt IV......07/08