Victor Olesen Brings Pursuit Of 18 Feet To AAU Indoor Nationals At Virginia Beach

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photo by Robert Kleinke

Victor Olesen, a junior for Xtreme Heights LCC track club (St. Christopher's VA), jumped an indoor best at US#1 17-7.50 last Saturday at the Ocean Breeze Elite meet in New York. 

This weekend, Olesen will continue to try to improve at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. Only Mondo Duplantis and Maddox Hamm have surpassed 18 feet indoors as juniors. 

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Olesen swept the Nike Indoor and Outdoor titles in the pole vault last year as a sophomore. 

History reveals that the AAU Indoor Nationals is a meet where future legends are born. The age divisions start at 5-6 years old and go up to 17-18. 

Consider that three years ago, this meet had an eighth grade Quincy Wilson, a freshman Jayden Horton-Mims and a senior Judson Lincoln IV all winning separate divisions of the 400 meters. Wilson and Horton-Mims are two of the biggest names in high school track and field and Lincoln, now of Virginia Tech, swept the 200 and 400 at the ACC Indoor Championships on Monday. 

Four years ago, Kaila Jackson, Akala Garrett and Mia Brahe-Pedersen were all in the meet together. 

This weekend, in addition to Olesen, much of the focus will be on the rising talent in the sprints. 

Cole Strother from Blue Lightning Track Club (Newton County) is the top entry in the boys 17-18 division in the 200 meters and 400 meters and will face Canadian Kula Nembhard in both events. 

JaNaisa Dearry, who was the runner-up in the 400 meters at last weekend's Pennsylvania state indoor meet for Chester PA, is the top entry in the girls 17-18 200 meters and second in the list in the 400 behind Sophie Rambo. 

Rambo, of Grassfield VA, won the Class 6 indoor state titles in the 300 meters and 500 meters on Tuesday. This weekend will be Rambo's first chance to race in the 400 this winter after a season full of 300s and 500s. She is US#1 in the 500 meters and among the top 20 all-time in that event. 

 Samuel Stribling Jr of Maryland's 301 Panthers Club is the favorite in the boys 13-14 200 and 400 meters.