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Amanda Moll Becomes First U.S. Prep Female Athlete to Soar Past 15-Foot Barrier at UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit

Published by
DyeStat.com   Jan 14th 2023, 8:09am
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Capital High senior and Northwest Pole Vault Club star wins women’s elite section in Reno with American Under-20 record and high school all-time mark 15-1.50 (4.61m), with twin sister Hana Moll clearing personal-best 14-9.50 (4.51m); French athlete Thibaut Collet edges American Jacob Wooten for men’s title as they both equal world lead at 19-0.75 (5.81m)

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

RENO – Hana Moll ran to hug twin sister Amanda as she exited the pole vault pit, and as soon as they were done embracing, Hana turned around and simply said, “Wow!”

In one word, the Capital High senior representing Northwest Pole Vault Club in Washington managed to sum up one of the most memorable nights in UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit history.

Because thanks to the Moll siblings, there was no shortage of historic achievements to appreciate Friday night at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, beginning with the twins becoming the first high school girls to even compete in the women’s elite section in event history.

INTERVIEWS

Amanda Moll became the first American prep female athlete to produce a 15-foot vault, winning the women’s elite title by clearing 15-1.50 (4.61m) on her first attempt.

Her performance set American Under-20 and national high school absolute records, allowing the 17-year-old Moll to prevail against not only her sister – the reigning World Under-20 gold medalist – but also a field of professional and college athletes, including multiple past NCAA champions.

Hana Moll took third by clearing a personal-best 14-9.50 (4.51m) on her third opportunity, matching the mark achieved by 2021 U.S. Olympian Morgann LeLeux Romero, who edged the Washington signee for runner-up honors based on fewer attempts.

Amanda Moll, who was unsuccessful at three attempts at 15-3 (4.65m), elevated to No. 3 all-time among World Under-20 indoor competitors, with Hana Moll ascending to No. 11.

The sisters became the first athletes to both clear at least 14-9.50 in the same competition in World Under-20 indoor history. Amanda Moll needed a third-attempt clearance at 14-5.50 (4.41m), before successfully making both 14-9.50 and 15-1.50 on her first tries using an Altius 14-6/175 pole.

Northwest Pole Vault Club coach Tim Reilly has now coached the top three indoor performers in national high school and American Under-20 history, with former West Seattle High standout Chloe Cunliffe – the 2019 high school elite section winner at the Pole Vault Summit – clearing 14-9 (4.50m) in Tacoma two months following her senior trip to Reno.

Cunliffe is now equal to the No. 12 competitor in World Under-20 indoor history.

Romero, who set the national prep record with her 14-2.75 (4.34m) clearance in 2011, returned to competition for the first time in 511 days after recovering from a partially torn Achilles’ tendon during her run to the Tokyo Olympics.

Romero, a four-time All-American at Georgia, cleared 14-9.50 on her second attempt to gain the edge against Hana Moll after both athletes missed all three tries at 15-1.50.

Gabi Leon, a first-year professional representing PUMA following an NCAA Division 1 outdoor title at Louisville and an appearance at the World Championships last season, tied former Division 2 champion Kristen Leland for fourth place with a 14-5.50 clearance.

Thibaut Collet became the first French male competitor since Renaud Lavillenie in 2014 and 2015 to win the men’s elite title with a first-attempt clearance at 19-0.75 (5.81m), equaling the world lead.

Jacob Wooten, the 2020 elite winner in Reno, also cleared 19-0.75 on his first opportunity, but the American vaulter needed three attempts to clear 18-0.75 (5.51m), resulting in runner-up honors.

Wooten also cleared 19-0.75 to open his indoor season Dec. 31 at the Texas EXPO Explosion in Belton.

Norwegian athlete Sondre Guttormsen, the reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor champion representing Princeton, took third by clearing 18-8.75 (5.71m) on his first opportunity.

KC Lightfoot, the collegiate indoor record holder at Baylor who has competed at the Tokyo Olympics and World Indoor Championships, also cleared 18-8.75 on his first try, but the PUMA professional needed two attempts to clear 18-4.75 (5.61m) and finished fourth overall.

Four competitors in the second men’s elite section cleared 18-0.75, with American athlete Cole Walsh emerging victorious by making his opening three heights all on the first attempt.

France’s Mathieu Collet, Mexico’s Jorge Luna and American Carson Waters also cleared 18-0.75, but finished second, third and fourth, respectively, based on total attempts.

Karlee Fowler, a former Rhode Island standout who trains professionally in Arizona, won the women’s open section with a 12-9.50 (3.90m) clearance. 



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