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I was checking results via Athletic.net and came across a 5.26m mark from a David Shortenhaus from a meet last month in northern california. I have vivid memories of David Shortenhaus throwing over 210 feet in the Javelin and jumping 5.35 in the vault at the Cuyamaca College all-comers meet. The events overlapped forcing Shortenhaus to compete in both events simultaneously. I have to say I was very pleased with his performances.

Upon further research I uncovered David Shortenhaus's athletic resume. Coming to UCLA as a best in the nation water polo player, he soon lost taste for the sport and found himself walking on the the track and field team as a decathlete. With unlimited upside, Shortenhaus jumped an impressive 5.31m in the decathlon with only 4 months of vaulting experience! What happened after his college career is unclear. However, information from my various sources say that Shortenhaus went rogue, just disappeared from the track scene, spikes hung up for good.

Although this latest mark could only infer a comeback, or at least a second attempt at a very promising pole vaulting career. Can anybody shed some light Shortenhaus's training location and status? Thanks.

A-stir-ike....out.

There is nothing in the athletic.net database on him except a 5.06 in the 2007 regional.

Either post a link to results or this thread is going to be locked and you can consider this a second strike on the way to being banned...

I know what you're saying, because your right, so i'll remember to post the links.

Also it's AIR-stryke, not SECOND strike. Thanks!

David is a great guy (kid). His folks live right around the corner from me. I'll check in and see if I can get an update. He's a fantastic athlete, but didn't just pick up vaulting in college. He started jumping with me when he was about 12. If I recall correctly, he hurt his back vaulting, which hampered his career. Amazingly, he won the CA State meet in the discus when he was a junior (maybe weighing a buck seventy). But he's good at just about everything he does. Hope he's competing again. Great to have guys like him stay involved (instead of disappear like I have).

Someone mentioned to me a couple years ago at Reno that he was toying with joining a professional handball league in Croatia? I guess with his hand-eye coordination from water polo, his arm strength from the throws, and obvious lightness on his feet from the pole vault, this sport was the perfect fit for him?

Rumor is he had been working out at a local gym with an ex-Serbian Olympian who was helping him perfect his technique? If I remember correctly, he had taken to calling him "The Shorten-Missle", of course coming from his overpowering arm strength?

Anyone know if he ended up taking up the sport full-time?

I wanted to let you all know that this post warmed my heart when I saw it. We recently lost David to a fight he has been fighting for a while. This is the first post you see when you Google his name. It is great to see that he left such an impression, even with his athleticism.

Thank you all so much.

I'm so sorry for your loss a_sad_cousin.

Here is information about the memorial service, and a guest book: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/david ... us/mystory