Lightfoot Ties for 4th, World Champs berth likely
Fellow Kansas City area native KC Lightfoot was one of three competitors with a best clearance of 5.81m/19-0.75. Former KU vaulter and Texas Tech senior Zach Bradford edged Lightfoot and Sam Kendricks with a first-attempt clearance at the height.
Last month, Lightfoot leapfrogged Toby Stevenson, Tim Mack, his agent, and fellow Missouri US Olympian Jeff Hartwig, Brad Walker, Nilsen, and Sam Kendricks on the US All-Time list. At the Music City Track Festival in Nashville on June 2, Lightfoot cleared 6.07m/19-11 to break Kendricks' American Record. The record was previously held by Walker and Hartwig.
In Oregon, five men advanced to 5.86m/19-2.75. Bradford and Kendricks missed all three attempts. Lightfoot missed on his first attempt, then retired, settling for a 2-way tie for 4th with Kendricks. Lightfoot, the former Lee's Summit High and Baylor standout, was ranked 7th in the World Athletics world rankings and is currently 9th. Kendricks is 10th.
While neither finished in the top-3 at the US meet, both still have a chance to represent Team USA by being added to the field based on their rankings. The target field size for field events at Worlds is 36. The World Championships standard in the pole vault is 5.81. Athletes need to meet that mark during the qualifying window to be eligible for the meet, with a few exceptions. Sixteen athletes have met that standard this season, though the qualifying window began July 31, 2022.
Ludwig
Ohio native and former Mizzou and Akron All-American Matt Ludwig cleared 5.61m/18-4.75 to place 7th. Ludwig was ranked 24th and currently 25th in the world at the time and has met the world championships standard. Two years ago, Ludwig placed 4th at the Olympic Trials. He earned a last-minute spot on Team USA after Kendricks tested positive for Covid-19 in Japan.
