Jake Thompson

The Oxford Eagle

Sam Kendricks’ grip on the pole-vaulting world tightened a little bit more Saturday afternoon. The former Oxford and Ole Miss track & field standout claimed the pole vault national championship at the U.S. Track & Field Outdoor Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kendricks won with an official jump of 19-feet, 2 1/4 inches (5.85 meters), setting a new facility record. He attempted 5.90 meters along with South Dakota’s Chris Nilsen but neither vaulter could clear the height with Kendricks winning his fifth straight national title on least amount of misses.

He is the first to win five outdoor national titles in a row since 1940-44.

In a 22-man field, Kendricks was the only vaulter to have a clean sheet through his first seven heights attempted.

Kendricks is best known for capturing the bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.