By Maggie Vanoni
Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sam Kendricks gave two thumbs up to his coach after clearing the second height of 18 feet, 3 inches (5.56 meters), allowing him to keep his spot in the top three in the men’s pole vault at Prefontaine Classic Saturday.
And after clearing the sixth height of 19’-2¾, Kendricks won. World record holder and Rio Olympic silver medalist Renaud Lavillenie came in second with a final height of 19 feet, ¾, in front of third-place finisher Piotr Lisek from Poland.
“It was fun to win at Prefontaine,” said Kendricks. “I haven’t won on American soil since Drake Relays. There’s something extra special about coming out and jumping with all my buddies.”
Making his Prefontaine Classic and Diamond League debut, Armand Duplantis of Sweden came in fourth place with a final height of 18-8¾ (5.71 meters).
“It’s never fun to know that you could have jumped higher,” said Duplantis. “I can’t say anything too bad technically about my jump today. I just should have been on the pole I ended on, on my first attempt.”
Duplantis was seeded in front of the competitors with his personal best of 19-4¼.
“He’s been doing great,” said Lavillenie. “Vaulting 5.70 in a first Diamond League as a 17-year-old, it’s crazy. He’s been able to show us that he’s about to be good. He is very smart to be able to find his own jump to go high.”
Lavillenie’s consecutive second place finish came with a relaxed start as he and 2016 Rio Olympic gold medalist, Thiago Braz Da Silva, passed on the first height of 17-9.
After this initial pass, Braz missed his next two attempts before passing again on his last attempt at 18-3. After missing the bar at the next height of 18-8 ¾, Braz no-heighted.
Lavillenie had little disappointment with his finish as he always enjoys jumping at the Prefontaine Classic. The world record holder came dressed in head-to-toe Oregon Duck gear to add to his Hayward experience.
“It’s a place where I jumped the highest in my outdoor career,” said Lavillenie. “I just love this track, and it’s a way for me to say thanks to everyone and their support.”
Kendricks also said that Hayward Field holds an important place in his career, as well.
“Hayward is my home away from home,” said Kendricks. “I have jumped here more than at my home track at Ole Miss—it’s a place I feel very comfortable.”
As the season continues, the vaulters are looking forward to competing at the World Championships in August in London, especially against Duplantis.
“Mondo is a competitor through and through,” said Kendricks. “I want to see him on the world stage, and I want to be his buddy when we go on to worlds. I think in the next decade me and him are gonna be out here a whole lot.”
