Wagner recovers from covid, 25th in Nike Outdoor Nationals

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

A bout with covid kept Rose Wagner from practicing from the Nike Outdoor Nationals track and field meet June 16-19 in Eugene, Oregon, but she was able to compete in the girls pole vault June 19 and placed 25th.

“It was an amazing experience,” Wagner said.

The meet at Hayward Field, which is the University of Oregon’s track and field stadium, included the emerging elite competition June 18 and the elite pole vaulting June 19. Wagner, who set the Fallbrook High School girls pole vault school record of 13’0” earlier this year and concluded her high school career at the CIF state meet, was in the elite division which required a height of at least 12’5” to qualify.

Participating a day later would be to Wagner’s benefit. Covid nearly kept her out of the Nike Outdoor Nationals. “I was in bed the past week,” she said.

After testing negative she decided to make the trip to Eugene. “I got one practice in,” Wagner said.

The bar was initially set at 11’8”. “I cleared the opening bar,” Wagner said.

“I definitely was not at my usual strength,” Wagner said. “I just wanted to clear a bar, and I did.”

The bar was then set at 12’2”. Wagner missed all three of her attempts.

The elite division had 29 girls pole vaulters, and 22 of those cleared at least 12’2”. Wagner was one of three girls who cleared 11’8” but missed at 12’2”, and the tiebreaker of misses at lower distances gave those girls a tie for 23rd place while Wagner placed 25th.

“Even if I didn’t do my best, it was an amazing experience,” Wagner said.

The meet was won by Amanda Moll from Olympia, Washington, whose height was 14’8”.

Many USA Track and Field national meets, including the Olympic Games qualifying meet and most National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championship meets, are held at Hayward Field. “The track is just gorgeous. It’s awesome,” Wagner said.