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Sondre Guttormsen Becomes Second Prep Vaulter to Clear 18 Feet Indoors, Sets Norwegian U20 Record at UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit

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DyeStat.com   Jan 14th 2018, 6:51am
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Guttormsen shines in return to Reno after seven-year absence, Princeton's Kiles wins men's college competition in ninth career trip

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

RENO, Nev. -- Sondre Guttormsen is one of the most well-known U20 vaulters in the world, but in the United States, he might have been one of the best-kept secrets.

That was, until Saturday at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit.

The rising Norwegian talent, a senior at Davis Senior (Calif.), became only the second prep male athlete to clear 18 feet (5.49m) indoors to set a new Norwegian U20 record at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

Only Lafayette LA senior Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, who represents Sweden internationally and cleared a World U20 indoor record 19-1.50 (5.83m) to win Friday’s global elite competition, has vaulted higher indoors during his high school career.

“That’s pretty cool. Me and Mondo are good friends, it’s fun to see him jump high and it’s fun to jump high myself. It’s definitely good company to be in,” said Guttormsen, whose previous personal best was 17-9 (5.41m) in August.

“I was hoping for 18 feet during the indoor season and it’s just great to do it in the first competition, especially here in Reno with a great crowd and great competitors. It was just awesome.”

The last appearance for Guttormsen at the Summit was 2011, when he cleared 8 feet. The UCLA signee met his lofty goal of a 10-foot improvement upon his return to Reno.

Guttormsen, who recently was granted eligibility to compete for Davis in December by California Interscholastic Federation officials following his return to Davis after living in Norway, eclipsed the 1985 state indoor record of 17-6 (5.33m) set by San Marcos’ Brandon Richards.

“He can still go a lot higher. He made a lot of mistakes and still jumped 18 feet, so that’s incredibly exciting,” Davis pole vault coach Rick Harper said. “We’re only getting started.”

California’s outdoor record of 18-2 was also set in 1985 by Richards and remains one of the state’s oldest prep standards. Only 10 high school athletes have cleared 18 feet outdoors.

Zachery Bradford of Bloomington (Ill.) became one of seven prep athletes, including Duplantis and Guttormsen, to clear 17-8 (5.38m) indoors, but missed on all three attempts at 18 feet to finish second.

“I can’t hold it in, it’s insane. I didn’t ever think it was going to happen,” said Bradford, who achieved a PR in his fifth consecutive appearance in Reno.

“It must be the atmosphere and the crowd. This place is just amazing. It’s just fun. We’re all friends out there and we’re competing against the bar and not each other. Just knowing that we’re both pushing each other and the more we’re pushing each other, the higher and higher we’ll keep going.”

KC Lightfoot of Lees Summit (Mo.), last year’s high school winner, placed third by clearing 17-4 (5.28m).

Princeton senior August Kiles won the men’s elite college competition, clearing 17-8.50 (5.40m), just off his personal-best 17-9.25 (5.42m) from February at the Fastrack National Invite at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in New York. He vaulted equal to the No. 7 performer in NCAA Division 1 this year.

“I really would have liked to have jumped 5.50m today and get that 18-foot barrier out of the way, but I just couldn’t quite put it together,” said Kiles, a Tamalpais High (Calif.) graduate making his ninth appearance at the Summit.

“But I think today was a huge breakthrough because for the first time I was really on the right poles I need to be on to jump 5.50m, or even 5.55m and 5.60m.”

 



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