Sarah Korn sets pole vault record (TX)

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Korn sets pole vault record

By Alan Wiederhold
The Gazette-Enterprise
Published April 12, 2009

MARION — In a figurative sense, Sarah Korn keeps setting the bar higher for herself.

In a more literal sense, she has people to do that for her.

The Navarro junior set another school record Wednesday at the DeKunder Relays in Marion, clearing a height of 11 feet, 5 inches in the pole vault.

It marked the fourth time this year that she has bettered the school record, and each time, it has been her own mark she has exceeded.

Korn actually set the bar higher twice during the day, as her personal record was 11 feet, 1 inch at the start of the day. She cleared a height of 11 feet, 2 inches moments before she cleared the 11-5 mark, and that’s what she remembered in terms of the initial jubilation.

“I was really excited,” Korn said. “My mom was really excited, she was jumping up and down and screaming.”

Her nearest competitor at the Marion event topped out at nine feet even. As such, Korn was vaulting by herself for a significant portion of the competition.

After Korn bested her mark for the first time on Wednesday, her supporters kept raising the bar — without telling her how much they were raising it.

“We’re not going to tell you what it is, just jump it,” was what Korn said her coaches told her after her first record-breaking vault.

Her original record of 11 feet, 1 inch was set two weekends ago at the Randolph Ro-Hawk Relays.

Korn cleared 11 feet for the first time in January at the University of Houston. In that event, she shattered her previous mark by six inches.

The DeKunder Relays was the second event in which Korn used 13-foot poles and a 16-step approach.

She began using the longer pole and longer approach in time for last week’s Texas Relays at the University of Texas.

Though she finished ninth at the event in Austin, she needed only a couple of more practice days to adjust before “vaulting” over the competition in Marion.

“I stayed on the longer poles in Marion,” Korn said. “I got used to all the adjustments that we made before.”

Though she enjoyed the spotlight at the Marion meet, Korn said she also relishes the tougher competition events like the Texas Relays provide.

“I really like having more competition,” she said. “(It was) good for getting exposure at a bigger meet. Being at Myers Stadium is a lot different than being at Navarro or Marion.”

As for finishing ninth in Austin, Korn said, “I think I got a little nervous being around the good competition.”

In addition to her work with the Navarro track and field team, Korn also trains with the Texas Pole Vault Club.

“It’s been really beneficial to go there,” Korn said. “I go three times a week. There’s a lot of different coaches and they’re really helpful.”

With the District 28-2A meet approaching this week, Korn is aiming for success in the pole vault, as well as the 100- and 200- meter relay teams.

“We’re working on getting everyone for qualified for regionals,” she said. “I think if we can get our handoffs better, we have a really good chance of going to regionals.”