Quest for first prep girls 15-foot clearance continues in Reno for Washington-bound twins representing Northwest Pole Vault Club in women’s elite section; Princeton’s Guttormsen brothers from Norway highlight strong international men’s elite event, with several American professionals in both fields

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Amanda Moll and Hana Moll are already the most accomplished sister act in the U.S. high school pole vaulting history.

The Washington-bound seniors from Capital High in Olympia, representing Northwest Pole Vault Club, will enjoy another remarkable achievement at 7:30 p.m. PST Friday when they become the first prep female athletes to compete in the women’s elite section at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

And they hope to celebrate another historical accomplishment, as the Moll twins continue to pursue the first 15-foot clearance (4.57m) ever by an American prep female vaulter.

“It could happen any day for either of them and we hope it happens often,” Northwest Pole Vault coach Tim Reilly said. “If it takes a while, it won’t dent our confidence that it will happen. I would be shocked if they don’t both surpass 15 (feet) this season.”

Hana Moll cleared 14 feet, 8 inches (4.47m) and Amanda Moll achieved a 14-2 (4.32m) clearance for the top two prep performances in event history at last year’s Pole Vault Summit.

Hana Moll, the reigning World Under-20 gold medalist, opened her indoor season Saturday with a 14-6 (4.42m) clearance at the Willamette Striders Track Club New Year’s Vault, with World Under-18 record holder Amanda Moll clearing 13-6 (4.11m).

But they are excited for stronger competition this year, especially as the siblings prepare to vault Feb. 18 at the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., and the Moll sisters will find plenty of it in Reno in a field that includes American professionals Olivia Gruver, Kristen Leland, Gabriela Leon and Morgann Romero.

“The plateaus are always a mystery and we will endure them patiently if that’s what’s in store for us,” Reilly said. “Giving them any opportunities to jump high is the main strategy for the winter and no more than five winter meets, so we don’t burn them out. In the spring, no dual meets for the vault and only special invitationals.”

Sydney Clute-Walter, Marissa Kalsey, Jill Marois, Miranda Miller and Kortney Oates are additional American athletes also scheduled to compete in the women’s elite section.

The men’s elite section, which will run simultaneously on another pit as the women’s competition, will be highlighted by a strong international field that includes Princeton brothers Sondre Guttormsen and Simen Guttormsen, both World Championships qualifiers representing Norway.

Clayton Fritsch, KC Lightfoot, Matthew Ludwig, Tray Oates, Luke Winder and Jacob Wooten are American entries expected to vault in the elite section, which also features French competitors Thibaut Collet and Ethan Cormont.

Lightfoot won last year’s elite competition by clearing 19-4.75 (5.91m). Simen Guttormsen and Oates both cleared 18-4.75 (5.61m) to prevail in the second men’s section. 

Katie Moon, the former Katie Nageotte and reigning World Championships gold medalist, won last year’s women’s elite competition with a 15-1 (4.60m) clearance. Moon won’t be competing Friday as she is celebrating her honeymoon with husband Hugo.

A second men’s competition will open Friday’s schedule at 5:45 p.m. PST, with the field including Americans Andrew Barlow, Scott Marshall, Austin Miller, Garrett Starkey, Cole Walsh, Carson Waters and Noah Zastrow.

French athletes Mathieu Collet and Alioune Sene are also entered, along with Japan’s Shingo Sawa and Mexico’s Jorge Luna.

There are also Masters and open sections scheduled for Friday night as well, with all the high school and college sections being held on 13 pits throughout Saturday.