Dayna Maaten aiming for Olympic team (Canada)

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Dayna Maaten aiming for Olympic team (Canada)

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Sat May 12, 2012 1:23 pm

http://www.theobserver.ca/2012/05/09/sa ... ympic-team


Sarnia vaulter aiming for Olympic team

By Daniel Punch, Sarnia Observer
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 9:28:55 EDT PM


Dayna Maaten is about to fly.

The 27-year-old Sarnia native has nothing but strength, agility and a 12-foot, semi-pliable pole to launch herself four-metres in the air.

She checks the wind. Is it at her back or her face? She repeats key words her coach has taught her, checks her grip, and takes off.

“You kind of feel like you’re flying,” Maaten described.

Maaten had the rare opportunity to show off her unique talent in her hometown Wednesday, competing at a special all-ages pole vault competition at the St. Patrick’s Invitational track-and-field meet.

The women’s portion of the Athletics Canada-sponsored event featured five of Canada’s top jumpers.

Maaten was among the elite group of athletes drawing gasps and cheers from the crowd at St. Patrick’s high school.

“This is like a ninja sport,” one young spectator remarked from the crowd.

The event was organized to showcase pole vault for the Sarnia-Lambton area. The Sarnia Athletics Southwest Track and Field Club received an $80,800 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation earlier this year, which allowed the club to purchase the city’s first pole vault equipment in many years.

Athletes like Maaten didn’t have access to the sport locally up to this point. Club coach Joel Skinner hopes pole vault can soon become part of the local athletics scene.

“We’re hoping we can introduce it for the Sarnia-Lambton area,” Skinner said.

Maaten might be an integral part of growing the sport in the area. She’s been asked to be a coach and help start the program.

“It’s such a cool sport and I’d love for more people to be able to do it,” she said.

Maaten didn’t learn the pole vault until her first year at the University of Windsor, where she was recruited as a high jumper. With her gymnastics background, coaches recognized she had the unique skill set to compete in one of track-and-field’s most difficult events.

Three years after graduating from university, Maaten has made a national team, competed at meets across North America and has her eyes on the 2012 London Olympics.

To make it to London, she’ll have to finish top-three at the Canadian Olympic trials June in Calgary. With a personal best of 4.10 metres, she’s already jumped the required heights.

Maaten placed first at Wednesday’s meet, jumping 3.95 metres despite changing winds and a 45-minute rain delay just prior her jumps.

The pole vaulters struggled with the conditions, with many pulling up on their approaches without jumping.

Windy days are never easy, especially 12 feet off the ground.

“You just have to be conscious of what’s happening and confident in your choice when you’re going,” she said.

dan.punch@sunmedia.ca

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