photos and essay by Omari Stephens
For me, pole vault is a sport of mixed emotions: excitement, terror, anticipation, joy, sorrow, and so many others. But I know that many of my non-vaulting friends have trouble understanding why we behave the way we behave, and what parts of the vault elicit which of those emotions. So after taking
photos at the 2014 National Pole Vault Summit, I’m hoping to give y’all a hint of what it actually feels like to pole vault, at least from my perspective. feet fly, limbs so I hope my photos can help you imagine what it’d
be like to experience those sensations as well. At the head of the runway.
Anticipation. When I’m jumping well, my mind is clear. “Just do what you do.” When my technique needs to change, I try to repeat and repeat and repeat the change to myself enough that it’ll just happen when the time comes. Because once the run starts, you can’t think — it’s mostly instinct by that point.
(Melissa Gergel)
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
