Despite countless injuries, Byers vaulting with the best

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http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/22376

Despite countless injuries, Byers vaulting with the nation's elite
It has been a long journey for the senior All-American, but a national championship remains a possibility.

Nick Kajca
The Daily Evergreen
Published: 04/19/2007 00:00:00
When pole vaulter Tyson Byers entered his sophomore season at WSU in 2004, the expectations surrounding his career were limitless.
He had just finished a successful freshman campaign in which he was in the top 10 at the Pac-10 Championships. The highly touted sophomore was ready to take his vaulting to the next level. After all, that was what he had always done.
He was a prep All-American as a senior at Spokane’s University High School, was ranked second nationally with a height of 17 feet, 1 inch and set the Washington state prep record with that vault. He was also a three-time 4A state champion.
Byers was ready to show the Cougar nation, along with the rest of the country, what he could do. But after months of training and preparation, the cruel hand of injury came and took it all away from him in the form of a pulled hamstring.
Suddenly, à la Grant Hill, Byers was left in the prime of a budding career injured and unable to compete.
“It has definitely been stressful because Tyson is a very competitive athlete and he loves to compete,â€Â