Who will make the US Olympic Team? Your predictions here!

[rainbowgirl28]

On the women's side, it seems unlikely that anyone could touch Jenn Suhr (5.03i), Sandi Morris (4.95i), or Demi Payne (4.90i), if they are jumping well... but all three are banged up right now. Could a dark horse slip in? We've had a record-setting number of women at 15'+ this year:

- Mary Saxer - Jumped 4.71 indoors to tie her lifetime best, and has been at 4.60+ many times. Has only jumped 4.43 so far outdoors, plus a 4.50i at Drake, and her tweets indicate she is a little banged up too. Can she recover in time and make her first Olympic Team this year?

- Kylie Hutson - After a couple years of injuries and inconsistency, Kylie has hit her groove this spring, with a 4.66 last weekend capping off three weeks in a row at 15'+. Her lifetime best is 4.75, could we see a return to the 4.70+ club for Kylie this year?

- Kristen Hixson - She jumped a PR of 4.65i at USATF Indoors and took some GREAT shots at 4.75. She has jumped 4.55 so far outdoors, could we see some new PRs at the Trials?

- Lexi Weeks - While most high school phenoms take a year or two to adjust to the NCAA, this fab frosh won indoor NCAAs with a PR of 4.63 and PR'd again outdoors at 4.64. Identical twin sister Tori has also qualified for the Trials, which is sure to make live tweeting very challenging for me! Could she surprise everyone at the Trials and make the team?

- Megan Clark - Set a PR of 4.63 this outdoor season, and also has a 4.60 indoors. Also has jumped 4.50+ in an additional five meets this year.

- Katie Nageotte - Recently picked up by adidas, Katie has jumped 4.63i and 4.60i this year, with a best of 4.53 outdoors. She's been very close at 4.70 several times, I would not be surprised to see more PRs this season!

[rainbowgirl28]

On the men's side, it seems unlikely that anyone can touch Sam Kendricks, but the rest of the team seems wide open!

- Mike Arnold - Has the next highest mark in the US with 5.77 indoors, and performed solidly at World Indoors, but the only outdoor result I saw for him was a NH at 5.22 in Japan.

- Jake Blankenship - Jumped 5.72 indoors but his next best indoor mark was 5.45, and he was reportedly injured late in the indoor season. Outdoors his marks have been 5.50, 5.10, and 5.65, so it should be interesting to see how the rest of his season goes!

- Logan Cunningham - After spending most of the season in the 5.30s and 5.40s, Logan jumped 5.70 and 5.71 in his last two meets.

- Mark Hollis - Just jumped 5.71 in Mexico, did he find his grove again?

- Devin King - Jumped 18' as a high schooler but has been making the adjustment to college since then. Had a big breakthrough at Texas Relays and jumped 5.70.

- Jason Colwick - Jumped 5.67 indoors, would be one of the crazier stories if he made the team, but he has a slew of 5.70+ performances in his past.

- Brad Walker - Has not competed yet this year but is qualified to the Trials from last summer. Brad actually had a solid season last year, 3 meets at 5.70+ (all outdoors too). I have no idea if he is even still training, he has deleted his Twitter. He may have quietly retired, or he may just show up at the Trials and make the team! USADA did test him once this winter, so he doesn't appear to have officially retired yet...

Could someone else sneak in and make the team? What happened to Andrew Irwin? Maybe Jack Whitt will be 100% by Trials?

[rainbowgirl28]

Mark Hollis followed up his 5.71 with a 5.70 in Atlanta, beating Shawn Barber!

Scott Houston 5.70 at Vault in the Ville. This men's Olympic Team race is wide open!

[rainbowgirl28]

Jenn Suhr is back with a World Leading 4.85 from a short run!

[Bjack6635@gmail.com]

I believe babbits has a 5.5 mark listed this year in the out door season but dont hold me to that

[KirkB]

babbits has a 5.5 mark listed this year in the out door season

He needs 5.71 to qualify. He can compete in the US Trials, but if he doesn't clear 5.71 and place in the top 3, he can't go to Rio.

Kirk

[rainbowgirl28]

The best USATF has listed for him this year is 5.43i. 5.50 isn't likely to get in the trials.

[rainbowgirl28]

Kylie Hutson 4.70!

[Cooleo111]

I'll bite.

Men: Kendricks, Walker, Blankenship. Dark horse: Colwick!

I think they will be hard to beat, but I'd really like to see some of the up-and-comers (Houston, Cunningham) have a good day, too.

Women: Suhr, Morris (if healthy), Payne (if healthy). Dark horse: Clark.

The three top women would be a dream team, but I think Kylie Hutson and someone else will probably sneak in because of their injuries.

[monteo]

Slightly off topic, but has a list of those competing at the Olympic Qualifers been published yet?

[rainbowgirl28]

Walker didn't train all fall or winter, only started jumping a month ago and it showed. If he had a few more shots he probably could have cleared a few bars and made the final, but he looked to be a long shot to make the team, at best. He says he is 99% sure he is done, but doesn't want to 100% close the door in case he gets the bug next year. He is really enjoying coaching at WSU, has a high jumper in the meet.

Kendricks looked awesome as always. Jumped on his 4.80 poles for prelims, plans to use his 4.90 poles in the finals. Loves loves loves just being with all of the other vaulters, was excited that USATF allowed 27 in.

Houston is fighting an ankle injury, tweaked it at 5.50 and couldn't get down the runway at 5.55.

Tray Oates looked surprisingly good. He jumped 5.65 at a questionable facility to sneak into the meet, but looks ready to back it up with a decent bar here. He needs 5.70 to make the team though, we'll see...

A number of the guys going into finals don't have the Olympic Standard (5.70) so I would expect to see lots of passing to that height. No one wants to be Scott Roth, 3rd place and not on the team...

NBC will have a lifestream of just the pole vault (though it may not last the whole time) and I will be live tweeting twitter.com/polevaultpower