LA COSTA CANYON’S BROWN SETS SECTION VAULT RECORD

Frustrated with not being able to compete in any invitational high school track meets in California because of coronavirus restrictions, La Costa Canyon’s Garrett Brown took his pole vaulting skills on the road.

Competing late into the night at the Chandler Rotary Invitational on Friday in Arizona, the Stanfordbound senior soared over 17-feet, 3⁄4-inch on his second attempt. He is the first vaulter in CIF San Diego Section history to go over 17 feet; he set the previous record of 16-103⁄4 in August.

“As it turned out, running late allowed us to jump when it was cooler and when the wind had died down,” said Brown via phone of the mark that currently leads the nation, according to Milesplitca. “I changed poles after missing my first attempt but kept everything else the same and was pretty confident.”

Brown started low and had first attempt clearances at 14-0, 14-6, 15-6, 16-0, 16-5 and 16-83⁄4.

“My first try at 17-03⁄4 felt really good, but I hit the bar going up,” he said. “Everything else felt perfect, so I changed to a stiffer pole which I had to hold higher. I definitely could tell I was going to clear 17 even before I was over the bar.”

Because he could feel his hamstring tightening up, as a safety measure he opted to stop jumping at that point.

The 17-03⁄4 is equal to the 13th best in competition ever in state history. His own 16-83⁄4 in February was the previous 2021 state leader.