Americans sweep global elite competitions in Reno for the first time since 2017, as Lightfoot achieves 19-4.75 (5.91m) clearance to outlast Nilsen and Wooten, with Nageotte winning for the first time at event, clearing 15-1.25 (4.60m) despite using only a five-left approach

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

RENO – Even from a short approach, reigning Olympic women’s gold medalist Katie Nageotte still had a big impact Friday night in the global elite competition in the return of the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit to the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

And three American male competitors under age 25 demonstrated how bright the future is for the host country at this year’s World Championships, with the U.S. guaranteed four automatic qualifiers in the men’s pole vault at Hayward Field in July based on Sam Kendricks winning the 2019 gold medal in Doha.

KC Lightfoot, 22, cleared a world-leading 19 feet, 4.75 inches (5.91m) on his first try and had three quality opportunities at a lifetime-best 19-9 (6.02m), with the 30-year-old Nageotte also producing the top global mark with a third-attempt clearance at 15-1.25 (4.60m), despite only running from a five-left approach.

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Both athletes – Nageotte representing Nike and Lightfoot competing for PUMA – captured their first global elite titles in event history, marking the first time since 2017 that a pair of Americans swept the Friday showcase competitions.

Lightfoot, who set the collegiate indoor record last year by clearing 19-8.25 (6.00m) on his way to securing the NCAA Division 1 indoor title for Baylor, was perfect at his first four heights Friday, before missing his three chances at 19-9.

Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen, a 24-year-old athlete representing Nike, was also efficient by clearing 19-0.75 (5.81m) on his first opportunity to place second overall, edging 2020 men’s global elite champion Jacob Wooten, 24, on fewer misses at an earlier height. Wooten, who cleared 19-1 (5.82m) at the EXPO Explosion on Jan. 1 in Texas, won the event in Reno two years ago by clearing 19-0.25 (5.80m).

Princeton’s Sondre Guttormsen, the Norwegian indoor and outdoor record holder, produced the Ivy League indoor all-time mark by clearing 18-8.75 (5.71m). Zach McWhorter of Brigham Young, the collegiate leader at 19-1, wasn’t able to build on that mark Friday with an 18-4.75 (5.61m) clearance.

Nageotte cleared 14-9 (4.50m) on her opening attempt to earn her first victory in Reno after a pair of second-place finishes and a third-place result in the global elite competition. She then provided one of the night’s biggest highlights by clearing 15-1.25 on her third try, matching her personal-best effort using a short approach.

Following two attempts at 15-5 (4.70m), still using a five-left approach, Nageotte decided to conclude her competition.

Olivia Gruver, a Nike athlete, earned runner-up by clearing 14-9 on her second opportunity.

Sophie Gutermuth took third with a 14-5.25 (4.40m) clearance on her first attempt.

Sandi Morris, the 2018 World Indoor champion and a three-time global elite winner in Reno, attended the event but decided not to compete to rest a sore quadriceps. Kortney Oates was also in attendance, but chose not to vault after going through warmups to rest a hamstring injury.

Tray Oates of Arizona Pole Vault Academy cleared 18-4.75 on his second try to edge Princeton’s Simen Guttormsen, who achieved an indoor personal best by clearing the same height on his third opportunity in the second flight of the men’s global elite schedule.

Noah Zastrow, the defending Division 3 national champion from Wisconsin-Stout, prevailed in the men’s open competition by clearing 17-6.50 (5.35m).

Karlee Fowler, representing Risen Performance in Arizona, triumphed in the women’s open flight with a 13-1.50 (4.00m) clearance.