Nageotte not worried about Husky Classic result in final tuneup for nationals

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It wasn’t exactly the ideal outcome Katie Nageotte had hoped for in her final tuneup for the USATF Indoor Championships, but last year’s runner-up in the women’s pole vault wasn’t pressing the panic button following a no height Saturday at the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Indoor facility in Seattle.

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It marked the first time in 15 meets that Nageotte recorded a no height in competition. She hadn’t endured that result since the Drake Relays in Iowa in April and the last time it happened to her at an indoor meet was 2015.

“It was just a flukey thing,” said Nageotte, a former NCAA Division 2 indoor and outdoor pole vault champion at Ashland University in Ohio.

“I felt fantastic on the runway, we just didn’t get to the right pole in time.”

After Eastlake WA junior Ellie Talius and Cal junior Lauren Martinez both cleared 13 feet, 7 inches (4.14m) and each missed three attempts at 14-0.75 (4.29m), Nageotte decided her opening height would be 14-6.75 (4.44m), a clearance she had made at all 14 meets since Drake.

But an issue with the box collar resulted in Nageotte missing all three attempts after finishing second Feb. 3 to reigning Olympic and World champion Katerina Stefanidi of Greece at the NYRR Millrose Games at The Armory in New York.

“I was excited about winning and didn’t expect it at all,” Talius said. “But it was really unfortunate what happened to Katie.”

It was a valuable learning experience for Nageotte in preparation for competition Sunday at Albuquerque Convention Center, as she is looking to place again in the top two in order to represent the U.S. on March 3 at the IAAF World Championships in Birmingham, U.K.

“I’ve actually never had an issue with a box collar before. I know other elites have and now I understand,” Nageotte said. “Almost every jump I took with it in on Saturday, all warmups and my first two jumps in competition, I was landing really far right and/or helicoptering off the pole, something I never do. I didn’t climb up poles in warmups the way I would have in a normal situation due to figuring out the reason I was drifting to the side.

“We were able to take practice jumps immediately afterwards without the collar in, and I went straight every time. It is what it is. I understand that it’s a safety thing, and I’m not trying to blame anyone or anything, it was just clear that was the reason I had some issues.”

Nageotte had finished first or second in her four previous competitions before Saturday, with a lifetime-best 15-7.25 (4.76m) clearance Jan. 19 at Washington State, which ranks her fifth in the world this year.

Although she only cleared 15-5.50 (4.71m) at Millrose Games, Nageotte matched the same height as Stefanidi, who prevailed based on one fewer attempt at 15-1.50 (4.61m).

The experiences of vaulting Jan. 12 against Morris at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit in Reno and Stefanidi in New York have been significant for Nageotte, who continues to train with Washington State assistant coach and American men’s record holder Brad Walker in Pullman.

“Millrose was a big confidence boost for me. It was cool that without Brad there, I was able to jump the bar that I did, and had shots at a PR,” Nageotte said. “There were some technical things in my jump that I reverted on, but it gave us a good indicator of what to focus on the weeks leading up to USAs.”

Nageotte expects she will need to match her PR or establish a new one in order to make the American roster, competing against world leader and defending champion Sandi Morris, along with indoor world record holder Jenn Suhr. Although Saturday’s result tested her resolve, it hasn’t affected her optimism to reach new heights in New Mexico.

“I’m incredibly excited going into this weekend. There are several girls capable of jumping very high, so it’s kept me motivated in practice sessions to be as ready and as consistent as possible,” said Nageotte, who ranks fifth all-time indoors among American female vaulters.

“I’m definitely feeling more confident than I have in previous years, but with how talented the field is, I have to make sure I keep my focus and execute the things we’ve been working on to have a shot at making the team.”