Bessemer's Mattrella wins pole vault (AL)

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Bessemer's Mattrella wins pole vault
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
DENNIS VICTORY
For The Birmingham News
Brittany Mattrella of Bessemer tied her career best official vault to win the young female pole vault competition at the Southeast Sports Festival last weekend.

Mattrella, who's a rising senior at John Carroll Catholic High School, vaulted 9 feet, 8 inches to capture the gold medal.

"I was pretty happy with my performance," Mattrella said. I really liked how this meet was set up. Everyone was very nice and happy and upbeat. It was very well organized."

More than 1,000 entrants competed in 10 sports at different venues. Track and field competition took place Saturday and Sunday at Spain Park High School.

Mattrella was a gymnast until about two years ago when she saw some friends pole vaulting. The sport intrigued Mattrella.

"I enjoy flying through the air doing lifts and interesting things," Mattrella said. I really enjoyed gymnastics and pole vaulting gives me a thrill. It's a very unique sport."

Other area gold medal winners last weekend were Bessemer's Alexandria Wilga in figure skating while Bessemer's Delores Smith and Jahmar DeJarnette each won two gold medals in track and field. Bessemer's Robert Jackson, Kahari Thomas, Alexia Bennett, Amber Byrd and Sydney King, and Cheandra Cash of McCalla also won track and field gold medals.

Mattrella qualified for the state meet last season at John Carroll and also competed at the Junior Olympics regional in Nashville in July. She finished fourth in her age group at the regional.

Like most sports, pole vaulting requires repetition and consistency.

"Right before I go on the runway I have a talk with my coach," said the 17-year-old Mattrella. "I just stand there for a few seconds and I close my eyes and imagine what the perfect jump would look like, going over the bar and clearing the bar. Then I run."

Mattrella, who has cleared 10-6 in practice, competes for Hoover Recreational during the summer and hopes to continue her career in college.

Gold medalists from Birmingham included Kevin Jiang, Luona Wang and Joseph Lang in fencing, Libby Chambliss and Carter Sides in figure skating. Charles Thompson won four gold medals in track and field while William Hall, Rico Tilley, Simone Charley, Marlon Humphrey, Victoria Johnson, Brittley Humphrey, Lander Carr, and Myles and Nicole Charley also won gold medals in track and field.