Kylie Hutson Vaults Well In Rainy Meet

[SycamorePV]

David Hughes
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — A little rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of Indiana State’s track and field athletes during the Pacesetter Invitational non-scored meet, their final home appearance of the season, Saturday at Marks Field.

Despite occasional light drizzle, several ISU runners, hurdlers and throwers turned in impressive performances while competing against athletes representing more than 15 universities and some unattached.

For the ISU women, individual winners were senior Kylie Hutson (a Marks Field record of 14 feet, 31⁄4 inches in the pole vault), senior Erica Moore (14.13 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and 2:09.21 in the 800-meter run), freshman Felisha Johnson (a personal-best 48-23⁄4 in the shot put), junior Kelsey Hanley (176-6 in the hammer throw), junior Chennelle Martin (5-5 in the high jump), junior Jaquelle Spencer (12.26 in the 100), freshman Leeann Michl (25.75 in the 200) and the Sycamores’ 1,600 relay foursome of Michl, Kaci Smith, Stacia Weatherford and Rachel Posey (3:53.10).

“As usual, our big guns were great today,” ISU women’s coach John Gartland mentioned. “Kylie Hutson vaulting as high as she did … and when she was vaulting, the rain was pouring down. How she could even hold the pole today was just amazing.”

“The weather conditions weren’t very good today [for pole-vaulting],” Hutson acknowledged. “Being rainy, it’s just a hassle having to dry your hands off every time and then you have it in the back of your head, ‘What if I slip off the pole?’ It’s just a different condition to jump in.

“It was a big mental game today in these kind of conditions and you just have to put that out of your head and run down the runway and go for it.”

A three-time NCAA champion and former Terre Haute North High School standout, Hutson cleared 14-31⁄4 on her third attempt at that height.

“I had a lot better technique on the last one,” she admitted. “I ran a little bit faster and did a lot more things right than wrong.”

Hutson missed her first attempt at 14-51⁄4, then stopped short of launching herself on the second attempt and passed on a third attempt.

“My hamstrings and quads [quadriceps] have been bothering me a lot lately,” she explained. “It wasn’t worth it today to reinjure that three weeks before the [Missouri Valley] conference championships.”

[coach lou]

Jeff:
Nice job with Richelle! Keep up the good work.

New PR 3.80m

lou