Olson Goes 19-2 3/4 for Indoor Record in the Pole Vault
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SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — American Billy Olson set an indoor pole vaulting world record of 19 feet 2 3/4 inches Saturday night at the Saskatchewan Indoor Games.
Olson, a native of Dallas, who competes with the Pacific Coast Club, cleared the mark on his first attempt, breaking the old record of 19-2 held by Thierry Vigneron of France.
He also shattered the previous Saskatchewan Games record of 18-4 3/4.
“I knew as soon as I left the ground I was going to make it,” Olson, 27, said after breaking the record.
The Dallas native, who competes for the Pacific Coast Club, had cleared 17-8 1/2 and 18-9 1/2 before the record attempt. He missed at 19-0 3/4, then had the bar raised to 19-2 3/4.
“The record jump was my best run and jump of the day,” Olson said. “There were probably parts of me that were more than four inches over.
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