Seattle, Washington –Tiffany Richeson didn’t let a bum shoulder Saturday keep her from a big mark in the pole vault. The recent Burlington-Edison graduate cleared a personal-best 12 feet, 7 inches to place first in her age group at the USATF Pacific Northwest Junior Olympic Track & FieldChampionships in Seattle. “The plan was just to qualify (for the regional Junior Olympic meet),” said Richeson. “I guess it worked out a little better.” Richeson, who has gone as high as 12-9 in an non-sanctioned meet, entered the competiton at a relatively low 10-6. That was enough to put her in the top eight and get her into the regional meet July 4-7 in Seattle. But Richeson, with a taped up shoulder that was injured while vaulting in an all-comers meet, stayed in the competition. I’m a little too competitive to sit there and watch other people jump while I don’t,” she said. Richeson’s winning vault was a Pacific Northwest Junior Olympic meet record by 14 inches. She also took a few cracks at 13-1, which would have given her the all-time state record for a high-schooler Now Richeson will rest up for the regional meet. She hopes her shoulder is feeling better by then. It had better be, or I’ll cut it off,” she joked. more at goskagit.com
