Hempfield alum Bridget Guy hits Olympic standard in pole vault
Bridget Guy works as an assistant track and field coach at Virginia, her alma mater where she literally soared to new heights as an All-American pole vaulter.
Don’t let her role fool you. She is far from finished when it comes to competing. In fact, she might just be getting started.
A Hempfield graduate, Guy turned professional and continues to vault at a high level. She could be on her way to the highest level.
Competing unattached, Guy vaulted in the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Elite open meet Saturday in Blacksburg, Va. and came away with her most impressive clearance yet. She topped the bar with a personal-best mark of 15 feet, 5 inches. The head-turning vault is an Olympic-qualifying standard and tied for the third-best mark in the world indoor rankings.
It ranks No. 2 in the U.S.
Consider this to put in perspective how Guy has progressed through her college career: Her winning mark at the 2014 PIAA Class AAA championships was 12 feet, 6 inches.
Guy, who graduated from UVA with a master’s degree, is trained by Virginia Tech coach Bob Phillips.
She and her family now live in Texas.
Former UVA All-American @bridget_guy (unattached) wins the pole vault competition with a PB of 4.70m (15-5).
She blew by her previous best indoor mark of 4.61m
Outstanding! ???— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) February 6, 2021
Big PR for Bridget Guy today, 4.70 gives her the Olympic standard ?? pic.twitter.com/c7kkBfixFQ
— Pole Vault Power (@polevaultpower) February 6, 2021
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
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