The fan who was supposed to watch a duel between the best two
collegiate pole vaulters in the nation will now have to settle for
a match between the second best.
Tough, huh?
The top vaulter in the nation, Washington senior Brad Walker,
will not compete in this weekend’s NCAA West Regionals at
Stanford or next month’s NCAA meet in Sacramento, after being
diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his hand. Now Bruin sophomore
Yoo Kim, who is ranked second behind Walker, will have to compete
with third-ranked BYU freshman Robinson Pratt for the title of best
pole vaulter in the West.
Despite Walker’s injury, the regionals will still offer
six of the top 10 vaulters in the nation, including USC’s
Jeff Ryan and Cal State Fullerton’s Giovanni Lanaro. But
though there will be a storm of talent, the husky will be missed in
the circle of vaulters.
“Brad Walker has been someone that we’ve been
looking up to,” pole vaulting coach Anthony Curran said.
“Yoo Kim has looked up to him as a friend and a role
model.”
But with the absence of Walker, Kim is now the top vaulter in
the nation and the potential points that he could add to the
men’s track and field team will be vital.
“Yoo should be at the highest level and should jump
well,” men’s head coach Art Venegas said. “But
it’s going to be highly technical this weekend and
he’ll have to be at the top of his game.”
Besides Kim’s points, the Bruins will be looking to score
big in the throwing events where the tandem of junior Dan Ames and
senior Scott Wiegand will be competing. The two have become the
best one-two punch in the nation.
“The team will have a chance to do as well as or better
than Pac-10s,” Venegas said. “Since there will be more
schools there and more points spread around, the team scores will
be lower and give us a better chance to compete.”
Other field contributors will be freshman high jumper Ryan
Hollins. Originally scheduled to compete in both the triple and
high jump, Hollins will have to focus on his main event ““ the
high jump ““ because of complications with the invitation to
USA national team trials. Hollins will go directly from
Friday’s competition to Colorado where the trials are
held.
This weekend’s newly enacted competition will be of
paramount importance for Bruin athletes looking to compete in the
NCAA Nationals in two weeks. Only the top five finishers in each
event will be guaranteed an invitation.
“It’s good because it gives the athletes more
chances to compete before the finals,” Venegas said.
“Before if you weren’t ready after Pac-10s, you were
all but done. Now there’s life after Pac-10s.”