Tennessee commit Luke Beattie (Warwick) captures his school's first-ever individual field title at Penn Relays. With a person best of 17-7, the senior came in as the favorite, but the swirling winds at Franklin Field don't always cooperate. Last year, he was one of the favorites, but it was tough to take hold in the windy conditions.
Beattie waited for a bulk of the competition to come and go before choosing to enter. He passed heights until there were only two competitors left, himself and Xavier Curry of Virginia. They both attempted 15-11.75 and missed on their first attempts. One more try for each, and they were over, moving the bar up 16-3.5. It was here that the competition was decided, as Beattie cleared on his first attempt, while Curry took three misses.
The competition in hand, Beattie moved the bar to 17-1, which would establish a new Meet Record. Alas, after three attempts, it wasn't to be, but he wouldn't leave empty-handed. He would nab his first Penn Relay Gold Watch, a first for the family. His sister, also a vaulter for Warwick, had come as close as 4th place in her tenure in HS.
Beattie's Pole Vault win was the first for New York since Shane Racey of Ravena in 2019. In total, eight New Yorkers have won the event since it's inception in 1980.
Tennessee commit Luke Beattie (Warwick) captures his school's first-ever individual field title at Penn Relays. With a person best of 17-7, the senior came in as the favorite, but the swirling winds at Franklin Field don't always cooperate. Last year, he was one of the favorites, but it was tough to take hold in the windy conditions.
Beattie waited for a bulk of the competition to come and go before choosing to enter. He passed heights until there were only two competitors left, himself and Xavier Curry of Virginia. They both attempted 15-11.75 and missed on their first attempts. One more try for each, and they were over, moving the bar up 16-3.5. It was here that the competition was decided, as Beattie cleared on his first attempt, while Curry took three misses.