Walker catapults to pole vault title (SC)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.goupstate.com/article/200705 ... 018/SPORTS

Walker catapults to pole vault title
Published May 6, 2007

COLUMBIA -- Chris Walker was tired of the questions, so he gave an award-winning answer.

Classmates asked him all week what happened after he pole vaulted just 10-feet, 6 inches at the 1A upper state meet.

Walker was the state runner-up last season and snuck into Saturday's state meet at Spring Valley High School in Columbia with a fourth-place finish in the upper state.

He still won the championship he coveted so greatly. He vaulted 13-6, besting the runner-up by a foot in the 1A event.

"Last week I had a bad week, it happens to everyone," he said. "I was tired of people asking me about it."

Walker started at 11-feet and didn't get off a solid first jump, as he landed awkwardly on the right side of the mat. From there, he sailed to the title.

One of the harder workers on the team, Walker consistently got better in the six years he vaulted at Landrum.

Last year was nothing more than a precursor to his winning and hitting a personal best in his final meet.

"I didn't care if I got first or second, I just wanted to get as high as I could," he said.

He did that. The bar was raised for him after everyone else faltered and he couldn't get any higher.

"It feels great," Walker said. "It's what I've dreamed about for six years."