Soldier vaults to US Olympic team, breaks trial record

Photo By David Vergun | 2nd Lt. Sam Kendricks competes in the men's pole vault at the Olympic T&F trials in Eugene, Oregon, July 2, 2016 in Eugene, Oregon. He secured a spot on the Olympic team.  

EUGENE, OR, UNITED STATES

07.02.2016

Story by David Vergun       

Defense Media Activity - Army   

EUGENE, Ore. (Army News Service) -- Army 2nd Lt. Sam Kendricks won the men's pole vault and secured a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, July 4, at the Olympic track and field trials.

Kendricks cleared the bar at 5.91 meters, which is 19 feet, 4.75 inches. That's an Olympic trials record. Just behind him in second place was Air Force 1st Lt. Cale Simmons, who cleared the bar at 5.65 meters.

Kendricks said he wasn't completely surprised by the outcome, as he knew he could do it and "felt his best" in terms of mental and physical preparedness. Add to that, he had already jumped a centimeter higher than that at the Olympic trials earlier in the year at the World Challenge in Beijing.

Conditions during the preliminary and final rounds, July 2 and 4 respectively, were hot and windy. Asked about dealing with those elements, Kendricks replied that in his home town of Oxford, Mississippi, where he lives and trains, it is even hotter and much more humid.

As for the wind, he said it was a "favorable wind," pushing him along. "I have been to meets where it has rained; the wind has been directly in your face or to the side and that makes it very difficult."

He added: "I'd say that the pole vault is favored by the man who is the most hardy jumper because he can jump in all conditions."

VAULTING TO RIO

Kendricks said he's participated at pole vault competitions all around the world and knows how he stacks up against competitors from this country and other countries, so at the Olympics in August, he will know who he's up against.

In competitions over the last 13 months, Kendricks has achieved the second highest vault aggregate average among his top-level competitors, just behind a Frenchman. That means he's rated as number two overall in the world. That bodes well for a medal, he said.

Asked about the stress of competing, Kendricks maintained that, the more pressure there is, the better he performs. "I thrive on that."

RIGOROUS TRAINING

Kendricks made the pole vault seem effortless at Eugene, especially compared to the long-distance runners at the trials who were dealing with the heat. Asked about the ease of effort, Kendricks said the pain factor comes into play during the many hours of arduous training.

That said, there is pain in competing, he admits. Just look closely at the faces of pole vaulters, he said, "you'd see scowls on our faces as we swing on our poles trying to fight the forces of gravity."

Since pole vaulting requires running speed as well as strength and nimbleness, the training regimen can be more involved than some other sports. To compete in pole vaulting, he also trains as a long sprinter "so I can have that strength and stability on my runs, which is the most important part of being a vaulter -- having a strong run."

The other major component of pole vault training is developing the strength of a gymnastics competitor, said Kendricks. Striking the right balance between speed and strength is the goal.

THE EARLY YEARS

Kendricks competed as a track and field athlete throughout his high school years in Oxford. He loved to run the relays, for instance, but pole vaulting was his strength, so he settled on excelling at that.

Later, at the University of Mississippi, Kendricks joined what he today calls a "really great" Army ROTC unit. "I loved the Army unit and the level of excellence that they pursued."

So he stayed with ROTC for four years, and last year he graduated as a second lieutenant.

LOOKING AHEAD

Kendricks is scheduled to attend the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Lee, Virginia, in October, following his Olympic competition. He's currently in the Army Reserve with the 655th Transportation Company in Millington, Tennessee, a 90-minute drive from Oxford.

He plans to continue with full-time pole vault training. He's currently sponsored by Nike, but hopes to get a position with the Army's World Class Athlete Program.

• Date Taken: 07.02.2016
• Date Posted: 07.20.2016 10:39
• Story ID: 204462
• Location: EUGENE, OR, US