Hempfield alum Bridget Williams headed to world championships in pole vault
A few years out of college but perhaps as sharp as she has ever been, Bridget (Guy) Williams continues to compete at a high level of track and field.
The former Hempfield and Virginia standout is headed to a world-championship event after another strong finish in the pole vault.
Williams took fourth with a vault of 15 feet, 1.5 inches (4.61 meters) at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.
A former WPIAL and PIAA champion, and college All-American, Williams qualified to be on the United States team that will compete in the World Athletics Championships Aug. 19-27 in Budapest.
The top four finishers in Oregon will make up the U.S. team. She will join fellow Americans Katie Moon, Sandi Morris and Hana Moll.
Congratulations to Hempfield Alumni @bridget_guy (now Bridget Williams) for making the USA team in the pole vault! Bridget is our first athlete to make this team and was a team and individual state champion at Hempfield! @PennTrackXC @Schofield_Trib @PerformanceEdg7 pic.twitter.com/QhdbAEYz4A
— Hempfield Area Track and Field (@HempfieldAreaTF) July 10, 2023
Bridget Williams will also head to Worlds since Katie Moon has a bye https://t.co/ug1JxJy8mW
— TeamUSATracker ???????? (@TeamUSATracker) July 10, 2023
A former ACC champion and NCAA qualifier, Williams hit an Olympic-qualifying standard in the pole vault two years ago and turned professional.
Her indoor mark of 15-5 was a top-three mark ranked third in the world in 2021.
She attempted to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but did not advance.
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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