NEWS!
Rain Cancels Pole Vault, but Athletes Can Still Qualify for National
The heavy downpour that delayed the Maryland Senior Olympics track and field event for 75 minutes on Aug. 15 did take one casualty—the pole vault event. Officials deemed the surface too wet and risky to conduct the event, forcing a cancellation. Participants were left wondering how they could qualify for the National Senior Games without a competition. But there are ways.
Under National rules, when a state does not offer an event such as pole vault in a qualifying year, which is the case in Maryland for 2010, you can qualify through the "limited event verification" process. That means the athlete must compete in a United States Track and Field-administered competition by Dec. 31, 2010, and perform at the minimum standard height in the pole vault.
MSO pole vaulters should contact USATF for sanctioned events in the area for them to qualify for National.
Another way to qualify is placing in the top four in a state Senior Olympics competition where there is open registration, such as Delaware. The Delaware track and field meet is Sept. 18 at Delaware State University in Dover.
Please contact us if you have questions about qualifying in pole vault for the National Senior Games.
