WEST DES MOINES, IOWA -- They
came. They saw. They conquered.
That was the consensus among the
participating athletes as well as a crowd of more than 2,000 shoppers
at the Jordan Creek Town Center Wednesday night who were treated to a
unique two-hour performance by the top pole vaulters in the United
States.
"This event was better than I
ever envisioned," said Drake Relays director Brian Brown. "I
look forward to doing it again next year when the Drake Relays
celebrates its 100th birthday."
Derek Miles, who finished seventh in
the 2004 Olympics, won the event clearing 18 feet 8.75 inches on his
second attempt.
"I've jumped
in a lot of different venues, a lot of street meets and things
like that, but I've never done it in a mall," said Miles.
"So it is kind of a different experience, even at my age.
It was great."
"When we first
got here it was the middle of the afternoon and the next time I
looked up, there were just
tons of people here and they just had a level of enthusiasm that just
didn't quit. For two hours that is pretty
impressive."
Mark Hollis was second after
clearing the same height on his third attempt. It marked a personal
best for Hollis who also reached the Olympic Trials qualifying
standard.
"I just
found out about this last week and I was really interested in
trying to get out here and get another chance to jump with all these
guys. I was trying and trying to get a hold of them (Drake
Officials) and trying to get into this and finally, Sunday night, I
got an e-mail that said we'd love to have you, come on
over."
"It really
helped us get through the competition and jump these bars,"
added Miles. "Obviously, Mark (Hollis) jumping eight inches
higher than he has ever jumped, that energy comes from the
crowd. It was just an amazing event."
American indoor and outdoor record
holder Jeff Hartwig placed third at 18-5. Hartwig helped Brown
organize the event.
"I knew
coming to Des Moines would probably be the best sort of venue to
try this out in the United States just because of how the fans have
always been at the Drake Relays," said
Hartwig.
Jacob Pauli was fourth (18-5),
Jeremy Scott fifth (18-0.5) and Darren Neidermeyer sixth
(17-0.75).
Miles said he will
try to ride the momentum of his victory when he opens the outdoor
campaign at Drake Stadium Saturday.
"It is the
first meet going into the outdoor, so to come in here and jump
18-8 and take decent shots at 19 in your first meet getting ready for
the outdoor season, I think that is what is fueling me at the moment,
a fairly decent performance this early in the season," said
Miles.
ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT OF POLE VAULT PRESS
CONFERENCE:
DEREK MILES,
WINNER (18-8.75)
I've jumped in a lot of different venues, a lot of street meets
and things like that, but I've never done it in a mall. So it is
kind of a different experience, even at my age. It was great. When we
first got here it was the middle of the afternoon and the next time I
looked up, there were just tons of people here and they just had a level
of enthusiasm that just didn't quit. For two hours that is
pretty impressive. It really helped us get through the competition and
jump these bars. Obviously, Mark (Hollis) jumping eight inches higher
than he has ever jumped, that energy comes from the crowd. It was just
an amazing event.
It is the first meet going into the outdoor, so to come in here
and jump 18-8 and take decent shots at 19 in your first meet getting
ready for the outdoor season, I think that is what is fueling me at
the moment, a fairly decent performance this early in the season.
TALKING ABOUT THE RUNWAY
There was one point in the competition where I was looking down at
my marks and I came off one of my last check marks and noticed I
was really close
to the edge of the runway. When you drift over on the runway in a normal competition it isn't a big deal. In this kind of
a deal, where you can fall right off the edge, it gets a
little disconcerting. It was different, but you know what, the energy
of the environment really made up for it.
DO YOU THINK YOU MADE SOME POLE VAULTING FANS
We're certainly not the Shaquille O'Neal's or anything like
that, but to see something in person like this kind of gives it some
relevance. You see it on television and it is like, oh that looks high. But
when you come in here and look up at a bar at 19-feet it is like, WOW
that really is high. That is what making this connection is all about
in these kind of situations, kind of let people know what 19-feet
really looks like.
MARK HOLLIS - (18.8.75 PR)
-PREVIOUS BEST JUMP WAS 18-1
I just found out about this last week and I was really interested
in trying to get out here and get another chance to jump with all
these guys. I was trying and trying to get a hold of them (Drake
Officials) and trying to get into this and finally, Sunday night, I got an
email that said we'd love to have you, we have room for you, come on
over. (He already had been entered in Saturday's pole vault
competition)
I jumped at the Drake Relays last year in the collegiate division
and just having that many people cheering you on and pushing and motivating you, there is nothing like it. Today having this
runway it is already faster, it's bouncier, kind of springier, so you're
faster than usual on that and having the crowd, it was unreal.
ON CLEARING 18-3.25 WHICH QUALIFIED HIM FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS
I don't get as much of an award as he does, but I still get
something, I wasn't here for that. This is priceless.
ON BEING A CROWD FAVORITE
I was the no-name. They had all these guys coming in here ranked
in the world and I just snuck in. I think people got behind me.
JEFF HARTWIG-(18-4.75)
For me it was a great success, I feel like I not only jumped
good myself, but I'm glad to see everyone else jump well. I think
all the vaulters were happy and I think the crowd was outstanding, so I
think it was a great success. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the show.
DID IT EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS
I knew
coming to Des Moines would probably be the best sort of
venue to try this out in the United States just because of how the fans
have always been
at the Drake Relays. I knew what the organizers, Brian Brown, Scheel's and Mercy Medical did to promote the event and
really get the attention of people. I think everybody's curious. All
of a
sudden you think these guys might be jumping 19-feet in a
shopping mall, you're going to want to go out and catch that and check that
out and see it up close.
ON HOLLIS' PERFORMANCE
This is what you call a career day. I don't know Mark real well.
He's a young guy and because he came through a small school I haven't
seen him a whole lot but for sure this is a career day because all of
a sudden for him this has to be real encouraging. It was great to
see him have that type of a day right here in the mall.
A lot of credit goes to the organization. I think it would be
very easy to say hey, it's a shopping mall we're just going to make
this an exhibition. We're not going to try to certify this and bring
out the officials and make it an official event, but they did
everything exactly to the letter by the rules, the time clock, setting the
pit up, measuring the cross bar, everything you have to do to make it
an official meet, including the sanction. It makes it not only
an official event, but then you bring in the music, the crowd and
it becomes an official event that is very entertaining, It is a
big benefit for
a lot of guys.
