Texas A&M-Commerce pole vaulter K’Don Samuels continued his stellar athletic year, this time in his home country, where he recently won the pole vault at the Jamaican National Championships. His vault of 4.95 meters (16-2.75 feet) was good enough to win the meet, and likely qualifies him for the upcoming Commonwealth Games which begin July 23 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Samuels, who has been a member of the Jamaican national team since 2008, is currently ranked as one of the top 300 pole vaulters in the world for this season, setting a school record with a vault of 5.30 meters at the NCAA Division II Championships in Grand Rapids, Mich. more
Arizona had three vaulters in the top 10 at the USATF 
British pole vaulters among athletes to impress in Germany, where Dina Asher-Smith and Adam Gemili continued to shine in sprints
Kaija Bramwell is talented enough at 16 to have multiple athletic options. But that means making difficult choices.Like whether to pole vault in the high school state meet, where she figured to finish among the top three, or to accept an international weightlifting assignment to the Pan American Youth Championships, where another lifter, Erin Amos, was expected to be the U.S. star in Bramwell’s weight class. Bramwell of Queen Creek opted for the larger stage in Lima, Peru, and made that choice pay off. She earned a silver medal at 53 kilograms, setting three American youth records (66 kg snatch, 85 kg clean and jerk, 151 kg total). Amos of Colorado Springs was fifth. “I never even attempted weights close to that,” Bramwell said. “My goal going in was to do well and get some personal records. I thought if I was super good, maybe I could get fourth or something like that.” But pole vaulting could be the most sensible route if it leads to a college scholarship. Bramwell, formerly at Mesa Mountain View High, plans to attend American Leadership Academy in Queen Creek as a senior with an athletic goal of improving her pole-vault personal record from 12 feet, 4 inches to 13 
United Kingdom –Katie Byres
Bonnie Draxler will leave Wisconsin later this summer to launch her collegiate track and field career in sunny San Diego. She will be competing at a much higher level, but big jumps are nothing new to Draxler. The recently graduated Wrightstown athlete is departing as perhaps the greatest Wisconsin high school girls’ pole vaulter of all-time and one of the finest all-around track and field athletes in WIAA history. Draxler wrapped up her prolific prep track career 33 days ago with yet another dominant performance at the WIAA state track and field meet in La Crosse. Draxler won Division 2 state titles in the 100- and 400-meter dashes along with the pole vault, setting a state record in the latter event with a leap of 13 feet, 3 inches. By doing so, Draxler became only the fourth girl in state history to win 10 state titles in a high school career and one of four girls to claim four state titles in two events: the 400 and pole vault. Draxler will attend San Diego State in the fall on a track and field scholarship and has been competing in national meets this summer. She set a personal-best in the pole vault Sunday at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore, with a second-place leap of 13-11 2.5. 
Pine Tree, Texas –James McNaney is one step away from reaching the 2014 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships. Well, actually a vault away.The junior-to-be at Pine Tree High School will compete in the regional meet Saturday in San Marcos. A Top 5 finish in the pole vault will send him to the national meet July 21-27 in Humble.“I feel confident that I will qualify for the Junior Olympics,” McNaney said. “I know I will be facing some good competition. I’ve done research on a few of the competitors, and they’re jumping my height or higher, so I know I have to bring my best.”McNaney qualified for this event with a height of 14-6, but his personal best is 15-0.Pine Tree track and field coach Mike Darby said McNaney was the district champion in eighth grade with a height of 12-0. But early in his freshman season, McNaney broke his arm, which forced him to miss the rest of the year.McNaney returned to full strength as a sophomore and took first place in District 14-4A with his best height of 15-0. 
Grand Haven, Michigan –More than 250 pole vault athletes will take to the runways assembled just west of the Bil-Mar Restaurant and south of the State Park.The public is welcome to come see athletes fly over 6, 12 and even 18 feet of air under the cross bars.The vault was started 13 years ago by Kevin Patterson from Rockford High School and Dave Emeott from East Kentwood High School.Emeott said he was excited about this year’s edition.“This year promises to be one of the best GHBV’s ever,
