Wallace qualifies for pole vault finals at IAAF Junior World Track and Field Championships
Texas freshman Maston Wallace advanced to the pole vault finals at the IAAF Junior World Track and Field Championships after tying for third overall during the qualification on Thursday. Wallace posted a mark of 5.10 meters (16-8 3/4). "As the bar got higher things started to come around on the poles we're using here," Wallace said. "When I cleared 5.10 that's when I felt my best. Going in I wasn't penetrating at all, I was coming down on the bar almost every time. On the 5.10 jump I finally started to penetrate and it started to come around." Wallace finished tied for second in his group and opened by clearing 4.90 meters (16-0 3/4), followed by 5.00 meters (16-4 3/4), before reaching 5.10 meters. Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany led the qualification round with a mark of 5.20 meters (17-0 3/4). "The beginning was a little rough, since it took me a little while to get into my groove," Wallace said. "The wind was swirling quite a bit and we're not even jumping on our own poles. We had to borrow some poles, so it's a makeshift Lincoln log type deal going on right now. "It was a relief to know that we could jump on these poles that we borrowed. Now, going into the finals we have more confidence." Wallace finished second in the pole vault at the U.S. Junior Track & Field Championships on June 20 with a vault of 17-4 1/2 (5.30 meters). He also won the NCAA Championship June 13 with a vault of 17-6 1/2 (5.35 meters), and the Big 12 Championship May 18 with a personal best of 18-0 1/2 (5.50 meters). The pole vault finals are scheduled take place on Saturday, July 12, at 9:15 a.m. Central (4:15 p.m. in Poland).
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