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MODESTO RELAYS
Stanford grad clears 6 meters
Milestone vault by Stevenson
John Crumpacker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, May 9, 2004
Modesto -- With his helmet strapped on and fans clapping in rhythm, Toby Stevenson charged down the runway toward a height that would stamp him among the elite pole vaulters in the world if he cleared the bar on his third and final try.
The bar was set at 19 feet, 8 1/4 inches. Of greater significance for the rest of the metric world, that's 6 meters, a barrier first achieved by the great Sergey Bubka of Ukraine in 1985. Before he was finished, Bubka scaled 6 meters or better a whopping 44 times, finally topping out at his world outdoor record 20-1 3/4 in 1994.
This would be Stevenson's first. You always remember your first. For this 27-year-old Stanford graduate, it would be Saturday at the 63rd Tom Moore Modesto Relays.
Stevenson planted strongly and arced toward his appointment with his first 6-meter bar. He brushed it on the way over, causing a slight wobble, but it remained in place. Stevenson pumped his fist in celebration while still airborne.
"It was all-out,'' he said. "I hit the jump right. I was over the bar and I knew I made it ... I'm having a great time out here, getting some great stories for my kids and grandkids.''
The crowd at Modesto Junior College erupted in cheers at seeing only the third 6-meter vault on U.S. soil. Stevenson was joined in celebration in the pit by Kellie Suttle, one of the country's top women vaulters. They embraced and fell backward in the pit, blissed out both. They're just friends, mind you.
"That was awesome,'' said fellow vaulter Jeff Hartwig, holder of the American record at 19-9 1/4. "I think he's the 10th guy in history to jump that high. I think 10 total, in history, in the world, on the planet.''
Actually, Stevenson is the 11th man to clear 6 meters or better, indoors or out. He's only the second American to achieve the height, after Hartwig.
Though tired, Stevenson did not feel like stopping on the greatest day of his athletic life. When he woke up Saturday, his outdoor best was only 18-10 1/2; indoors, it's 19-0 3/4 from this winter.
In short order, Stevenson upped his personal best to 19-2 1/4, then 19-4 3/4 and finally 19-8 1/4 before having the bar jacked up to an American-record height of 19-9 3/4. He gave the rarified height three tries, coming close on his third attempt.
"I love this place,'' Stevenson said in acknowledging the support of the crowd. "I've been coming here six years. I've been expecting a big one all year. Things have been coming together -- training, diet. Six meters -- that's the mark to hit.''
Although statistics are not kept on such matters, Stevenson has to be one of the few elite vaulters to improve his outdoor personal best by nearly 10 inches in one competition. Until Saturday, Stevenson was primarily known as the guy in the helmet. He began wearing a roller blade hockey helmet in his senior year in high school in 1995 at his parents' insistence. He remains one of the few helmeted vaulters in the world.
