Barto helps his wife to Olympics

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Former Edmond resident helps wife reach Olympics

The Associated Press
EDMOND (AP) - Edmond Memorial graduate Mike Bartolina always knew he was going to be a track coach. But he never expected to coach his wife Erica (Boren) Bartolina — a two-time Big 12 Conference champion at Texas A&M in the pole vault.

And after Erica sustained a back injury two years ago, the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing probably didn't seem like a conceivable goal either, but come July 30, that's where the couple will be headed after Erica placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials held in Eugene, Ore. to earn a spot on the team.
"Me being her coach was never the plan, we had the husband/wife thing going, but because of my job (Bartolina is the assistant track coach at Southeastern Louisiana University) we moved to Louisiana, and we really couldn't find a coach," the 1987 Edmond graduate said.
"I always knew that she was a tremendously untapped talent. And in the first year she improved to 14-5.25, which was more than a foot higher than her previous personal best. She actually placed fourth at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships in 2005."
To say Erica had untapped talent is an understatement. When she was just four months old she lost her right eye in a car accident, and it was not until the age of 14, that she began pole vaulting, with the advice of her high school track coach.
She went on to be a three-time state placer, and in 1997 won the 3A state championship in the pole vault, under the direction of Dennis Phillips, who was a former world record holder in the event.
But in 2005 after setting several personal bests with Mike as her coach, she took a fall and broke two vertebrae in her back, which was something the competition never knew. And it wasn't until six months ago that she was 100 percent.
"It took two-and-a-half years for her to get back into form. It wasn't until about six months ago that she was competing at 100 percent, although you couldn't see it on paper because circumstances didn't allow it. Like in Canada she went 14-3, which doesn't look good in the newspaper, but it was also 50 degrees outside," Bartolina said. "I expected Erica to finish fifth or sixth at the trials, but not 10th through 12th like the prognosticators, that's where they picked her, because the results did not show where she was at."
Heading into the trials, which were held at the same place Erica won the high school state championship in 1997, her personal best was 14-5.5, which was about to be shattered.
"We had a plan heading into the trials. We knew very well that it was going to take a 14-11 to 15-1 to qualify for the team. Our plan was to move very quickly, going 14-1, then to 14-7, and 14-11, while it may have seemed risky, we knew that this would be a way to limit her attempts," Mike said. "It may have taken her three attempts to get 14-7, but on the third attempt she cleared it by a foot, and it was then I knew that she had a legitimate shot at the Olympics."
And when she cleared 14-11, it was official, the Bartolina's were Beijing bound, due to her third-place finish.
"It's been a tremendous week so far, we just haven't had a chance to sit down and let it sink in yet. Instead we're making travel arrangements, but once we'res done with all the little nuts and bolts, it will feel great to let it sink in. I know Erica feels a tremendous sense of accomplishment," Mike said.
"This past week was great for Erica because she had a chance to go home and do this in front of all her friends and family. I also enjoyed it because there were a lot of people with Oklahoma ties in the stands watching. Our normal life just went out the window."
Erica will compete in a few preliminary events, before the Bartolinas leave out for Beijing on July 30.