Q&A with Brad Walker

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUi ... 3_14_38_50

BRAD WALKER

Q: How do you feel about your season thus far and how do you size up this weekend?

A: This year has been a slower year, a slower start for me. I came out last year in 2005 and my first meet of the year was a PR and then the rest of the indoor season I kept going a little bit lower until the Championships, which luckily I won, though I wasn't super happy with my performance. So far this year I started out slower, though I'm gaining momentum to hopefully peak at this meet and the world championships if I make the team. I'm looking for a big mark here and I think it'll be a strong field. I'm going to try to get my season's best and work from there. I think that the top two people who make the team will have to jump 19 feet or higher. It'll be a good competition and it will take a pretty good mark to make the team.

Q: What are your goals the rest of this year?

A: I have many of the same goals. Hopefully make the World Championships team and hopefully make a run at a World Indoor title, and outdoors staying healthy is the key. After putting a strong year together last year I'd really like to keep that #1 world ranking and to do so I'll need to stay healthy and compete well. I need to train smart and go to the big meets and compete well and take some more shots at the American record.

Q: What other events besides the pole vault have you competed in?

A: I tried the high jump in high school and got an injury from it and decided that the pole vault is where I want to stay. It's a lot of fun, and I do some cross training with running, but I'm not fast enough to compete with anybody so I don't have that option. I'm really happy just sticking with that single event.

Q: Are you at a peak in your training right now?

A: It's everybody's mentality, at least at this level, that physically you may not be able to peak at every meet, but mentally you're ready to do it and that's the mindset you go into this competition with. I think that you rely on your training and your coaches and the indoor championships and world championships are my indoor peak and then I'll have a time to kind of step back and get a lot of good training and start competing outdoors.

Q: How do you like competing in Boston?

A: The meet is terrific and it's a great place to come jump in. Being from the west coast I have to come clear across the U.S. and it's fun to get away to a new area. It's fast here and I've had success here in the past. I'm looking for that #1 or #2 spot, preferably #1 at the championships and then take it over to Moscow to see what we can do.