by Stuart WeirWhat makes an elite pole-vaulter? is the topic on this piece by Stuart Weir. Stuart thanked Scott Simpson and England Athletics on the pole vault webinar.
Katerina Stefanidi, photo by Getty Images / European Athletics
Holly Bradshaw, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
Katie Nageotte, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
What makes an elite pole-vaulter?
During the recent webinar put on by English Athletics, moderated by Scott Simpson, GB National Performance Institute Senior Coach, and featuring Katerina Stefanidi, Holly Bradshaw and Katie Nageotte, Scott Simpson suggested that success depended on a combination of physical, technical and mental ability. Each of the three elite vaulters was asked to analyze themselves in relation to strengths and weaknesses in the three areas. All three responded with remarkable honesty. What emerges clearly is how different individuals are and how one size definitely does not fit all.
Katerina Stefanidi, photo by Getty Images / European Athletics
Katerina Stefanidi
“My greatest strength is the consistency of my run – I think that might be both physical and technical. That is what makes me so consistent in my jumping and in championships. I have this trust in my run-up – and it is not just blind trust because it really is there. Every time I run and put down the pole I’m usually within an inch and that gives me confidence for the take-off. Not so much the speed of my run but the way that I run. Growing up I was always quite fast – I know now that I’m not the fastest. So speed is there but for me right now I don’t think that the speed of the run is as important as the technique of the run. I think speed and explosiveness would be my top two.
“When I was in college it helped me very much that I had that other aspect [of my life]. At times in school, I was tired studying and couldn’t wait to get out to practice. But when we moved to Ohio [and I was full time] I didn’t have anything else – not quite true as we were renovating our house. But I think it was important at that time for me to focus more on pole-vaulting and commit to it. I think also it depends on how the year is going, how practice is going and how the mental and physical things are. Sometimes you might need a distraction and sometimes you might not. I feel that I am pretty good at finding the balance. When I need to focus more on pole-vaulting, I can do it but when I need a distraction, I can do that”.
Holly Bradshaw
Holly Bradshaw, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
“In terms of technical, I don’t think anything stands out for me. I think everything is just solid and because I don’t have a weakness it makes my jumps quite nice. I think my history was that I would pick up the pole and just leg it in. 2011 and 2012, I literally just stood at the back of the run-up and ran hell for leather. Looking back now, I don’t know how I did that because the biggest technical change for me in the past eight years has been run-discipline. Now the run is absolutely crucial for me. Being strong and bouncy at the start of the run and really bringing speed in. The biggest downfall for me is over-striding at the back end of the run. The biggest technical thing for me has been changing my run, which sorted out a lot of other technical problems. I don’t think I excel in any one part. I’m not the fastest. I’m not the strongest. I think I’m the same in all of those areas except endurance where I am terrible.
“I don’t have a glaring weakness like I used to have when I came to Scott (Scott Simpson, her coach). Lifestyle is important – it’s about everything fitting around the training session. If I need to get up earlier, that’s what I’m going to do. Similarly icing every part of my body where there’s the potential for injury. I am making decisions on a daily basis on multiple issues: is this going to make me a better pole-vaulter? If not, I’m not going to do it. I know that’s an extreme way of looking at it but that’s the journey that I’d been on to make my lifestyle as good as possible.
“I’m not saying I’m a robot. I’ve been pole-vaulting for 10 years and I’ve got perhaps 2 to 4 years left so that’s less than 15 years out of a lifetime of perhaps living to 100. So taking about 15 out of 100 years is nothing. I don’t like to call them sacrifices but it’s about making decisions to be the best I can be”.
Katie Nageotte
Katie Nageotte, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
“My weakness would be my mental side but equally overcoming that has been one of my greatest strengths, as I have had to find how to push away the emotional things. There are days when things just aren’t feeling right and that’s just how it goes in pole vault.
“My main strength is my speed on the runway. I was doing a lot wrong but was still able to compete in big meets because of my speed. If I could learn how to transfer that energy better, then I could jump higher. What we have done is to work on running through the take-off as opposed to just getting picked up off the ground. Though I’m still taking off under [ie too close], I’m getting better in terms of moving that energy through as opposed to just getting picked up right off the ground. So, I would say my speed is a higher ceiling. That’s what’s made me better but it’s also made it scarier and that is why for a long time, when I wasn’t in control in my thoughts, it was scary coming in.
“Another strength is the way I time my day with my nutrition. I am very conscious of how I go into certain training sessions. The night before I’m going to have a specific kind of meal. Next morning, I am going to get up and eat an hour and a half beforehand. I have been learning how to set myself up for having the best session that I can. That has come with time because you only find out with trial and error”.
It is easy to watch a meet that think how talented elite athletes are and how they just turn-up and compete. The attention to detail comes out from their answers above.
You can watch the webinar videos on https://athleticshub.co.uk
England Athletics twitter – @EnglandAthletic
England Athletics Jumps twitter – @Englandjumps1
Scott Simpson – @Scott_Simpson_
