AMERICANS TOP IN POLE VAULT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18467, 19 May 1928, Page 7

AMERICANS TOP IN POLE VAULT.

YOUNG COLLEGE ATHLETE BEATS EXISTING RECORD. By TED MEREDITH. (Famous Runner, World and Olympic Champion) The pole-vault is an American event. The record has been out of the United States only once, and then for but five

Charles Hoff (Norway), in 1922 vaulted 13ft Gin. Two years later he did 13ft llfin. That mark stood until last May, when Sabin Carr (Yale) cleared 14ft in the inter-collegiate meeting, and gave back to the United States its coveted world’s record. This last winter Carr bettered his mark by an indoor vault of 14ft lin. He is still in college, and promises to maintain the standard he has set during the last two years. One of the most conclusive proofs that the United States is well equipped with pole-vaulters for the coming Olympics in Amsterdam was the competition which went on during the contest in which Carr cleared 14ft. Lee S. Barnes (Southern California) was right on Carr's heels all during that afternoon, and was eliminated only after he had vaulted 13ft 94in. The third place-winner was eliminated ‘after clearing 13ft 6iin, which was 4iin above the former inter-collegiate record. Fifth place went with a vault of 13ft. Nebraskan Good Vaulter. This was by far the best vaulting of the season, and the best mark, other than in the Eastern meet, was made by Wirsig (Nebraska) in the Missouri Valley Conference. He vaulted 13ft 4 27-G4in. T.n 1924, when the United States Olympic team for that j'ear was picked. Sabin Carr could not make the grade He was then at Hill School, Pottstown. Pa., and doing 13ft. Two other schoolboys made the team, however. One was the same Barnes beaten byCarr when the present record was made. The other was Glenn Graham, another California lad. In Paris, these two schoolboys were, destined to battle it out for first place. The result was a tie at 12ft 11 Ain. Graham did not continue in college ath letics, but he is still vaulting. In competition he continues to do more than 13ft, and he is in the running for another Olympic try. ITarry Smith (Los Angeles A.C.), a former national champion, is another from the Far West who is doing aroxind 13ft. E. E. Meyers (Chicago A.A.), and a former Dartmouth star, was a mem ber of the 1920-24 Olympic teams, and is a keen competitor for. this year’s trip. “Laddie” is consistent at 13ft. and has more experience than any of the other vaulters.

Little Foreign Competition. Abroad, vaulting is far from being of this calibre. Hoff (Norway) visited the United States two years ago, and got into difficulties with the A.AU. That body did not find his amateur standing bad, but on his return to his home country the amateur body there refused to allow him to compete. With Hoff out. there seems to be n competition for the men from the United States. The best vault recorded last year in national championship meets abroad was 3.80 metres (12ft 54in) by Petersen (Denmark). There are fully forty vaulters in the United States capable of clearing 12ft 6in. and a dozen with records of 13ft. Olympic meets seldom bring out the best heights in the vault. This is because it is a two-day affair, drawn out most of an afternoon. A height is set for qualifying, and no matter how many clear that, they go no higher. The next day they vault xmtil the required number are eliminated for the final, and then the finalists fight it out. This puts a long strain on the arms of the vaulters. and the winning height is not what might be expected from performers of such calibre. (Copyright, 1928, by the “ Star ” and the N.A.N.A). (Next —200 Metres).