By Cory Mull - MileSplit
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Shock. Awe. Brilliance.
Those few words will come to summarize the historical moment that took place in Nevada on Friday.
Amanda Moll, the reigning indoor and outdoor national record-holder in the pole vault, made history last night in Reno, becoming the first high school girl to ever clear 15 feet, winning the women's elite division of the National Pole Vault Summit with a mark of 4.61 meters (15 feet, 1.5 inches) inside the Reno Livestock Event Center.
It was also a breathtaking series of jumps, a clinical masterpiece and a historical moment for Moll, the Olympia Capital (WA) senior who was coming off a fifth-place finish at the World U20 Championships in August.
Related Links:
National Pole Vault Summit live results
Her sister, Hana Moll, the reigning World U20 champion, finished third in the competition, and she too had a brilliant day, surpassing the former national record with a mark of 14-10.
No pole vaulter since Mondo Duplantis has reached such remarkable heights over the high school ranks. The Molls, however, have come to represent a twin tandem of superstardom. And the pair, who are headed off to the University of Washington next fall, might just be on their way to Olympic qualification some day.
Amanda, along with former Northwest Pole Vault club teammate Chloe Cunliffe, had jointly held the former indoor national record previous to this season with a mark of 14-9. She then claimed the overall outdoor record in March of last year with a mark of 14-9.5.
Her mark on Friday is now classified as a new American U20 record, surpassing her own best of 14-9 last year.
Amanda began her series with two straight clearances at 4.11m (13-5.75) and 4.26m (13-11.75) before needing a lifeline on 4.41m (14-5.5) to slip past the height. She went to her final attempt at the bar before finding a way.
Photo Credit: World Athletics
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From there, perhaps, Moll felt the momentum. She slid past her former career best mark with relative ease, hitting 4.51m (14-9.5) on her first attempt.
Then came a move to the bar at 4.61m.
Moll needed no introduction, clearing it on her first try.
From there, she made three attempts at 4.65 (15-3) but was unable to clear the bar.
Amanda now ranks No. 2 in the world for the event, only standing behind Finland's Wilma Murto, who cleared 4.75m on Jan. 7. Murto also owns the World U20 record at 4.71 meters, which she accomplished in 2016.
Moll's progression over four years has been a study on excellence. She cleared 12-feet as an eighth-grader, 14-3.5 as a freshman, 14-7.25 as a sophomore, 14-9 as a junior and now 15-3 as a senior. These are all of Moll's season-best marks outdoors, and three are national records.
Hana, it should be said, also had an outstanding day, too. She opened up her height at 4.11m, clearing the bar on her first attempt before pushing past 4.26m.
She cleared 4.41m on her second attempt and then 4.51m on her third.
Related Links:
Moll sisters, other elites slated for National Pole Vault Summit
