News20 Jan 2003


Miles and Dragila reach summit in Reno

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Derek Miles (USA) (© Kirby Lee)

Reno (USA)Though recognition doesn’t come easily for Derek Miles with such illustrious training partners as Jeff Hartwig and Tye Harvey, he managed to upstage them both to win the Pole Vault Summit at the Reno Hilton yesterday with a clearance of 5.80m. Hartwig, the American record holder, and Harvey, the 2001 World Indoor silver medallist, finished second and third on 5.70m.

“They are hard acts to follow,” said Miles, 30. “I am like the squirrel trying to scramble for what I can. It’s motivating and you learn something every time that you go to a meet with these guys.”

Miles who came within two centimetres of his indoor personal best set in 2002, has trained with Harvey and Hartwig for the year and a half in Jonesboro, Arkansas under the guidance of former world record-holder Earl Bell. Miles, who tied for third at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, hopes to use his success at the Pole Vault Summit as a springboard toward a berth on the U.S. team for the World Championships this summer in Paris.

“It’s more of a great friendship atmosphere,” Miles said of his training relationship with Hartwig and Harvey. "It is competitive when we’re all jumping here for the top three spots but never once do I think that I am going to be mad if Jeff makes it. I am happier if he does make it. Not only does it motivate Tye and I, but you are happy for the guy you train with and see every day, and you know he is a great guy.’’

Miles’ victory was the second in a row in the annual Pole Vault Summit contested on a large theatre stage complete with spotlights, blaring music and fireworks, on which two runways intersect allowing for a women’s competition to be held simultaneously with the men’s event.

“Where else can you go and have this many people fired up about the pole vault and have all the attention on you? You feed off this energy and everybody steps moves back because they are running more aggressively,” concluded Miles.

Stacy Dragila won the women’s competition at 4.46m in her first indoor competition since a stress fracture to her left (nonplant) foot ended her 2002 indoor campaign. The World outdoor recordholder missed her first two attempts at her opening height of 4.21m before going on to win the competition.

“When I am at home training by myself, it is totally different and I have the runway to myself,” Dragila commented. “I didn’t take into account the men sharing the time with the runway. I didn’t get as many practice jumps in as I wanted to and it took a while for me to get into the rhythm.”

Kirby Lee for the IAAF

Pole Vault Summit (Reno, USA)

Men:

1.Derek Miles 5.80; 2. Jeff Hartwig 5.70; 3. Tye Harvey 5.70; 4. Toby Stevenson 5.50; 5. Steve Deming 5.50; 6. Brad Walker 5.40; 7. Tim Mack 5.40; 8. Jeremy Scott 5.40; 9. Russ Buller 5.30; 10. Scott Slover 5.30; 11. Nick Hysong and Brian McLaughlin NH.

Women:

1.Stacy Dragila 4.46; 2. Carolin Hingst 4.36; 3. Mel Mueller 4.36; 4. Kellie Suttle 4.21; 5. Tie between Yvonne Buschbaum and Amy Linnen 4.21; 7. Jillian Schwartz 4.21; 8. Christina Adams 4.21; 9. Tie between Tracy O’Hara and Mary Sauer 4.06; 11. Lesa Kubishta 4.06; 12. Andrea Warlick 4.06; 13. Becky Holiday 3.86. 

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