Just one week after skirting with the State Record at a Dual Meet, Louis Martinez (Wallkill) made history on his first attempt, by clearing 16-9 at the Goshen Trotter Classic on Saturday Morning. He had recently tied for #2 All-Time in the event with a 16-6 clearance less than a week prior, but failed to make three attempts at 16-9 in the conclusion of that meet.
No matter for Martinez, who quickly rebounded and pushed the bar up on the Saturday Invitational. With his new found comfort on the larger poles, he made quick work of both 15-0 and 16-0, clearing on the first attempt. With his Personal Record in hand, he moved the bar up to 16-9, to take three attempts at the height while he still had his strength. The move paid off, as Martinez cleared over on his first attempt (below).
The clearance makes Martinez the highest Outdoor Vaulter of All-Time in New York State, besting the State Record held by Jordan Yamoah (Arlington), set back in 2011 at 16-8.75. The mark comes at that distance due to the use of meters at Outdoor Nationals, where the mark was set. It left open the door for that 16-9 clearance to pull it off the books.
Yamoah will still stand as the Overall Pole Vault Record Holder, as his Indoor Clearance is higher than his Outdoor. There, he cleared 17-1, the only NY Athlete to do so. Todd Uckermark (Warwick) cleared 16-9 Indoors as well, putting Martinez in great company in his rarefied air.
After setting the new Outdoor Standard, Martinez pushed the bar to 17-2, to try and capture that overall mark. While he had three misses today, don't count out the trajectory, as Martinez proved in one weeks' time. Check out at All-Time list select marks below.
