Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

[MJR]

Saturday 10 January 2004
Reno, USA - Stacy Dragila and Derek Miles successfully defended their titles at the USA Track & Field National Pole Vault Summit at the Reno Hilton, Friday 9 January.

Dragila’s coaching change last April may at last have become a change for the better in 2004. The two-time former World champion struggled last season after switching from longtime coach Dave Nielsen to train with Greg Hull, finishing a disappointing fourth in the Paris World Championships last August.

The transition appears to be coming full circle for Dragila after she cleared 4.70m last night in her season-opening competition to defend her title.

http://www.iaaf.org/WIC04/news/Kind=2/newsId=23809.html

[MJR]

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

Anyone know the Vegas odds on Stacy breaking the WR at Millrose, again??

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

How much is that in American feet and inches?

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

15-5

Do yourself a favor and purchase a BIG GREEN BOOK from T&FN. Elite marks are reported in meters so if you want to know Ft&In immediately having a BGB is the easiest way to go. I use it all the time because I comprehend marks in meters for most events but know most other Americans do not.

[stevehj197]

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

>15-5

Do yourself a favor and purchase a BIG GREEN BOOK from T&FN. Elite
>marks are reported in meters so if you want to know Ft&In immediately having a
>BGB is the easiest way to go. I use it all the time because I comprehend marks
>in meters for most events but know most other Americans do not.

And/or multiply any metric mark by 3.28 such as:

4.70 meters times 3.28 = 15.416 feet

which is pretty easy to eyeball as a little less than 15' 6". If you want to be more precise you can then multiply the .416 by 12 to get the 5 inches.

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

Steve , do jumpers plan there training season to peak like middle distance. I saw Stacie and she is a lot lighter, ( body weight) . With the Olympics/Olympic Trials so late this year I doubt if she is in "peak" form now?

[tafnut]

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

There's a picture of Stacy at the summit and she looks much more powerful, but certainly not like she's lost weight. A friend who went to the summit says she still collapses her top arm too much, but she's going 16' this year!

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

She said her body fat was down around 6-7% , and that she would be competing "Lighter" this year. I can't tell about what is good or bad form though, because i don't know much about the vault.

[stevehj197]

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

>Steve , do jumpers plan there training season to peak like middle distance. I
>saw Stacie and she is a lot lighter, ( body weight) . With the Olympics/Olympic
>Trials so late this year I doubt if she is in "peak" form now?

5000, "Old Vaulter" is the acknowledged PV expert around these parts, perhaps he will read this and possibly give you a response. My guess is that it is a huge variable from athlete to athlete, but that field eventers in general don't have a plan to "peak" as much as middle and LD runners. Just my opinion.

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

Early in the season PV-ers are still in the weight room, doing gymnastics training, and doing variations on the pole run. They typically vault from shortened runs on smaller poles. That's why SD's 15'5 indicates a successful Oly defense.

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

>>Steve , do jumpers plan there training season to peak like middle distance.
>I
>saw Stacie and she is a lot lighter, ( body weight) . With the
>Olympics/Olympic
>Trials so late this year I doubt if she is in "peak" form
>now?

5000, "Old Vaulter" is the acknowledged PV expert around these
>parts, perhaps he will read this and possibly give you a response. My guess
>is that it is a huge variable from athlete to athlete, but that field eventers
>in general don't have a plan to "peak" as much as middle and LD runners.
>Just my opinion.

Thats kind of what I thought Steve, I would be concerned about burning out mentally during an Olympic year.If you look at Reno on the weekend, and the athletes that are entered for the USA swing of indoor season, it seems like a lot of the top American's are taking a pass at indoor this year.

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

Sorry to disagree Steve but I think all elite athletes aim to peak for the critical meets, doesn't matter what event. It may be a little less obvious for field events because technical factors, which don't relate to the athletes actual physical condition, can and often do impact performance. In fact I think this factor significantly and negatively impacts many top Americans. Your trials and selection process are so brutal that the athletes absolutely must peak in order simply to make the team. Then they either have to go back to conditioning (and now $$$ potential in Europe impacts that) or try and hold their peak for weeks which is tough. I think the US trials should be about 2 weeks before the Games, World Champs etc.

(PS The Colts and Manning looked great. What the hell was Favre thinking in the last game and I bet they are peeved with themselves at not taking the 3-pointer. Since Im a Raider fan and have no team left to follow I'll root for the Colts in your honour!)

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

We had this conversation in FlagStaff. The USTA officials said the best interest of the athletes would be Trials 2 weeks before the games. The sprinters and long sprinter want the trials out of the way, so they can make a living at the golden league . The 10k guys, walkers ,would be screwed on the 2 week before format. Who do you make happy?

Eagles will win the S Bowl.
Ryan Shay will win the USATF marathon trials 2:11:15

[hjsteve1.97]

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

thanks mark for rooting for the Colts !

and 5000, please listen to mark and people like old vaulter, really, ... these 2 field eventers have been there in the fast lane.

[H Watkins]

Re: Dragila vaults 4.70 in season opener

>The
>sprinters and long sprinter want the trials out of the way, so they can make a
>living at the golden league . The 10k guys, walkers ,would be screwed on the 2
>week before format. Who do you make happy?

Apparently, the sprinters. Other nations have their trials during the GP break, but apparently we're too good for that. Do you have to have all the events at the same meet? The walks have been held separate from the main trials more often than not, and the 10k and steeple have been too (as late as 1960).