¶2015 WC mPV: Shawn Barber (Can) 19-4¼ (5.90)

[Dave]

Good for Mr. De Grasse and Mr. Barber and tough luck for their schools.

[booond]

Coincidentally, see De Grasse story just posted to front page, which says he was offered a 7-figure shoe deal…. before he even got to Beijing.

It is the start of the silly season (aka, the runup to an Olympic Games, when the shoe companies frequently trip all over themselves offering make-no-sense numbers just to be sure not to miss anybody of import)

He needs to build up the self-promotion. Instead of the "lightning bolt" maybe he can make it look like he's mowing the lawn.

[polevaultpower]

As I've noted here before, I had occasion to have a nice discussion with young Mr. Barber at the NCAA Regional meet last May. Great kid! Plus, I will take full credit for having him switch allegiance back to his real home country when his current contract with Canada is up in (I believe) 3 years. ;-)

That's not how it works. He can switch back any time, but he would be ineligible to compete in the major championships for, I think, several years, which would obviously be unwise...

[jazzcyclist]

What do u mean contract for three years ? He only committed for three years ?

What contract are you talking about?

[Powell]

He was, but only one attempt during the competition before 5.90 is not enough to get certain things right.

First of all, I'm pretty sure he would have skipped 5.85 even if it was part of the progression. He just doesn't do 5 cm increments at this sort of heights. And secondly, was any of his attempts at 5.90 good enough to clear 5.85?

[1runner1]

You can get your degree any time...you pass up these contracts now and they may never come back...one pulled hamstring and you can kiss that money good bye. The agents will ask what can you do for me now.

[Alan Shank]

This was la villenie's to win and like in 2011 and 2013 he choked ! I mean he is a 20 ft vaulter and none of the other vaulters are even close to that!

In 2011, he was leading after 5.85 with a clean card. Wojciechowski missed at 5.85 then passed to 5.90 and missed again. Lavillenie and Borges each missed twice, but Wojciechowski cleared on his last attempt (2nd at 5.90). Borges cleared third time, but Lavillenie did not.

In 2012, he had a miss at 5.91, while Otto and Holzdeppe cleared. He then passed to 5.97 and missed there once before clearing on his last-gasp attempt. Otto had two missed then passed to 6.02, where he missed. So, that was a big comethrough.

In Moscow, they were going up by 7 cm after 5.75. Lavillenie had a miss at 5.65, another at 5.82, whereas Holzdeppe was perfect, clearing 5.89 on first try. Lavillenie had two misses, but then cleared on third, so you might call that a clutch jump. Neither could clear 5.96.

Barber was jumping ahead of Lavillenie today (yesterday? I am so confused by the time change that I hardly know what day it is where.) and cleared 5.90 first time, putting big pressure on Lavillenie. At 5.80, his clearance was massive, way over the bar and with his height in the right place, good for 6 meters. So what happened?
Cheers,
Alan Shank

[polevaultpower]

I've heard from multiple sources that Barber turned pro earlier this summer, signing with Paul Doyle/Jeff Hartwig/Nike, same as Sandi Morris. So between prize money and bonuses from Nike and Athletics Canada, I'm sure that gold was worth over $100,000 in cash, plus prize money he earned earlier this summer, plus prize money he'll earn later this summer, plus the salary he'll start getting from Nike, plus the gold means Nike will pay him way more next year...

I'm sure he is now making more money than any other vaulter in the world except Lavillenie. Pole Vault is not a very lucrative event, but being young and jumping high at just the right time (coming into an Olympic year) is about as good as you're going to get, short of breaking world records.

I assume he will return to school, paying out of pocket, and keep training with his coach Dennis Mitchell. Akron doesn't get many athletes of this caliber, I'm sure they'll bend over backwards to accommodate him, as much as they can within NCAA rules.

Amazing that he was able to win worlds after SUCH a long season! He's probably jumped in twice as many meets as any of the other medalists this year.

[polevaultpower]

I guess that I am the only person who loved the height progression. It still took well over 2 hours, despite the minimal number of heights. It seemed like it was taking them FOREVER to get the bar set between jumps, I'll have to ask from people who were there what the deal was.

[Pakilo]

First of all, I'm pretty sure he would have skipped 5.85 even if it was part of the progression. He just doesn't do 5 cm increments at this sort of heights. And secondly, was any of his attempts at 5.90 good enough to clear 5.85?

If we look at it that way his 5.80 attempt was good enough to clear 6.00... Maybe he would have skipped 5.85 but I'm saying he should have started earlier than 5.80 regardless of his 5.80 clearance. I believe the final result would have been better for him . Even if 5.65 my be early for him he has a history of no heights.

I hope they won't repeat some similar height progression in the women's final. They let 14 women into the final so it's possible they decide to speed things up again.

[polevaultpower]

I hope they won't repeat some similar height progression in the women's final. They let 14 women into the final so it's possible they decide to speed things up again.

I haven't had a chance to look at the whole progression, but someone on my site indicated the later heights would be 4.60, 4.70, 4.80, then 5. Definitely less aggressive than the men.

[Atticus]

That's not how it works. He can switch back any time, but he would be ineligible to compete in the major championships for, I think, several years, which would obviously be unwise...

We've been through this before. That's exactly the way HE explained it to me: he's obligated to compete for Canada until his contract is up. He might have to sit out a year (2018?) to wear the American uniform.

[Atticus]

I guess that I am the only person who loved the height progression.

Not at all. I always want an aggressive progression - separates the real deals from the posers.

[user4]

You can get your degree any time...you pass up these contracts now and they may never come back...one pulled hamstring and you can kiss that money good bye..

good point, but you had better make sure that the contract is worth more than the education else it is a losing deal.

[tm71]

We've been through this before. That's exactly the way HE explained it to me: he's obligated to compete for Canada until his contract is up. He might have to sit out a year (2018?) to wear the American uniform.

Thanks for explaining but I doubt he would want to switch to the us and have to go thru us trials (I mean he could be a 6m jumper and NH at the us selection meet and not make the team) when he can be the defacto pick in Canada.