PoleVaultPower.com

The NCAA does not keep records. Track and Fields News does, and has indicated they will likely ratify it as a collegiate record.

The 5.87 bar was measured in metric, the lower heights were measured in imperial.

NCAA does not accept single event meets for qualifying, and he was not competing for his school anyway, so no, it won't be on TFRRS.

Athletics Canada has promoted it as a record, though whether or not it will actually be ratified remains to be seen. Do they require drug testing like the USA does? We just had a steeple record not get ratified because she did not get a drug test within 24 hours.

To my knowledge, Athletics Canada only does spot checks for drugs, but my info may be dated.

Athletics Canada will simply follow the IAAF rules, which probably also don't allow single event meets.

Our discussion of the legality of the clearance doesn't change the fact that it was a phenomenal clearance! I'd love to see the 19-0 clearance too, if anyone can post that!

And what has Shawn been doing since the 2014 NCAA indoor last March? i.e. What were his last few meets like, and what has been working on since the last meet? I assume that he had an off-season layoff from competitive vaulting since sometime last summer or fall? What can the 6.25" increase in his PR be attributed to?

My guess is that he's been studying RL's vids.

Kirk

He was not competing for Akron when he cleared the record. If Track and Field news wants to find some 'College Age' record, that's great, but if they ratify this they are opening a can of worms. This is track and field, one of the only things anyone cares about is records (only slightly kidding). I know at most colleges if you are unattached somewhere they will not even count it as a school record.

Let him do it in a week, under NCAA rules, then call it a College record..

I believe after watching this video that he will jump this high or higher, this season. I hope that he does. He obviously is doing a lot of things right and is a very good pole vaulter, but this 5.87 jump should have been a miss, and there should never have been a mention of these two records being broken.

It doesn't really have to do with who is keeping the records. Don't steady the bar with your hand.

Not sure how you can say he steadied the bar with his hand. Its also probably irrelevant whether this mark qualifies as an NCAA or Canadian record at this point. This will not be Shawn's best mark this year. My money says he will flirt with 6.09 before indoors is over.

KirkB wrote:Athletics Canada will simply follow the IAAF rules, which probably also don't allow single event meets.

I hate to break it to you, but Lavillenie's world record was a single event meet!

I thought the WR was at a single event meet. Too bad Bubka can't go back in time and change that rule

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

KirkB wrote:Athletics Canada will simply follow the IAAF rules, which probably also don't allow single event meets.

I hate to break it to you, but Lavillenie's world record was a single event meet!

Thanks, RainbowGirl! And if you think this is bad news that you're breaking to me, it's not. It's great news for all Canadians that this PR might be a valid Canadian record!

This answers question #4 from the list that I posted in another related thread.

1. Does Rule 183.2d apply only to INTENTIONALLY steadying or replacing the bar, or does it also apply to INCIDENTALLY/ACCIDENTALLY touching it?

2. If INCIDENTALLY/ACCIDENTALLY touching it is OK, then does the official need to rule on whether touching it caused it to be steadied enough so that the bar didn't fall?

3. Was this meet an IAAF sanctioned meet?

4. Does the IAAF allow records to be set in single event meets?

5. Does the IAAF require officials in sanctioned meets to be accredited?

6. Was the official that officiated on that pit accredited by the IAAF?

Any answers to my other 5 questions are appreciated.

Interesting sidebar: Shawn's father - George Barber - was the 1983 Canadian Pole Vault Champion, and has been Shawn's coach until he went to U. Akron. Dennis Mitchell is now his U. Akron coach, but his father continues to actively provide coaching advice to him today, calling Shawn's technique the "Barber Model". Here's a link to an interesting 2012 article about them: http://www.maxpreps.com/news/EIHbgNhsJUiK-GSvSm7IvQ/spotlight--shawn-barber-seeks-canada-pole-vault-spot-in-olympics.htm

Kirk

Shawn followed this up with a 5.80 in Akron today. Impressive!

You can find a video of his jumps at:

www.gozips.com

Thanks for the link... Weird how he tries to hold the bar on with his left hand, on the 19'4" miss they show on the video.

And still higher yet! At least 8" of hip height over 19-4 in Arkansas on 2/14. 6.09 does not seem so far away.