Olaf Brockmann sent this piece to me a few weeks ago, and I misplaced it during my travels. Olaf is one of the senior statesman in the profession of athletics journalism. A brilliant writer, Olaf has witnessed many of the great events of our sport since the 1970s. We thank him for his submission.
LILY CARLSON FIX’S CHANGE OF NATION
- HUGE TALENT JUMPS FOR AUSTRIA!
Lilyana Carlson, one of the world’s most promising pole vaulting talents, is now eligible to compete for Austrian athletics. The 19-year-old holds dual citizenship (USA and Austria). Previously registered with World Athletics for the USA, she has since decided to compete for Austria. Her father is Austrian, so the switch from the USA to Austria was straightforward. World Athletics confirmed the change of nationality on their website this Thursday.
ALREADY HIGHER THAN KIRA GRÜNBERG
Furthermore, the world governing body confirmed Lilyana Carlson’s eligibility to compete, effective February 5, 2026. And on February 7, she jumped 4.47 meters in College Station, Texas, already two centimeters higher than Kira Grünberg’s record of 4.45 meters set in Prague during the qualifying round of the 2015 European Indoor Championships. Incidentally, Kira Grünberg also holds the Austrian record outdoors with 4.45 meters from the European Championship qualifier in Zurich in 2014.
ALREADY ON THE ÖLV TOP LIST
Lily Carlson’s 4.47m jump cannot be recognized as an Austrian record because she did not undergo a doping test. At that time, she couldn’t have known she was eligible to compete for Austria. However, the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV) has already included this performance in its rankings, as the jump was within the rules, albeit with the note: “Not an Austrian record.” The ÖLV database already lists Lilyana Anika Carlson, who competes for ATSV Innsbruck. Lily Carlson’s best outdoor jump is 4.27m from last year.
RECORD WEEKEND?
This coming Saturday, Lily Carlson will compete at the Don Kirby Invite in Albuquerque. There she will face a world-class field led by Ekaterina Stefanidi (GRE), the 2016 Rio Olympic champion, and Amanda Moll (USA). Both have a personal best of 4.91 meters. Perhaps Lily Carlson will even break the Austrian record at this top-level competition. As a precaution, ÖLV Secretary General Helmut Baudis has already contacted USADA via NADA Austria, who will support Lily Carlson in the event of a doping test.
At just 19 years old, the World Indoor Championships in Torun (March 20-22) will most likely come too soon for Lily Carlson. However, World Athletics already ranks her 17th in the “Road to Kujawy Pomorzy.” Twelve athletes are eligible to compete at the World Championships in Poland. The qualifying standard is 4.70 meters.
ÖLV EFFORTS WITH SUCCESS
In recent months, Helmut Baudis and, more recently, Christian Taylor had worked hard to secure Carlson’s change of nationality. The pole vaulter, now eligible to compete for the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV), is studying in Texas and, incidentally, shares an apartment with Magdalena Rauter, who won silver in the pole vault at the U20 World Championships in Lima.
Moving to the USA at the age of seven
Carlson is the daughter of an Austrian father and an American mother. She was born in Vienna and spent the first seven years of her life in Austria. According to the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV), her brother, Michael Carlson, also trained for a few weeks in Vienna-Stadlau in 2022 and competed in the Austrian U20 Championships, where he finished third in the 110m hurdles with a time of 15.27 seconds. However, he decided against continuing his athletics career. The report continues: “Even back then, he talked about his younger sister, who was an excellent pole vaulter…”
Lily Carlson: best pole vault performances
4.47i (1) College Station TX 02/07/2026
4.41i (1) Lubbock TX 01/16/2026
4.27 (1-HS) Shippensburg PA 05/24/2025
4.27i (2) College Station TX 12/06/2025
4.27i (2) College Station TX 01/24/2026
4.26 (1-HS) Shippensburg PA 05/17/2025
4.22i (1-HS) Lewisburg PA 02/22/2025
4.20i (2-HS) Brigthon MA March 15, 2025
4.14i (1-HS) Bethlehem PA 02/08/2025
4.11i (1-HS) Virginia Beach VA 01/19/2025
“All-time” Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV) indoor best list in pole vault
4.47 (1) Lilyana Carlson College Station 02/07/2026 *
4.45 (15q) Kira Grünberg Prague March 6, 2015
4.44 (2) Doris Auer Glasgow March 18, 2001
4.20 (4) Magdalena Rauter Magglingen 25.01.2025
4.12 (1) Daniela Höllwarth Linz 25.02.2012
4.12 (1) Agnes Bretzenberger Innsbruck 04.06.2017
4.11 (2) Brigitta Pöll Vienna 28.01.2017
4.10 (1) Lisa Gruber Linz 16.012024
4.03 (1) Monika Erlach Norman 27.02.1999
3.92 (3) Carmen Klausbruckner Aulnay-sous-Bois 08.12.2006
* Note from the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV): not an Austrian record
Reason: no doping control
Story by Olaf Brockmann
Editor’s note: At Don Kirby Invite on Feb 13-14, Lilyana Carlson was 10th in 4.25m (13’11.25″).
On February 20, 2026, at the Arkansas Qualifier, Lilyana placed 3rd with a 4.15m (13’7.25″).
At the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championshps, Lilyana finished in tie for 11th at 4.00 meters, or 13’1.5″.
Lilyana’s seasons best was 4.47m (14’8″), jumped at Charlie Thomas BU Invite on February 7. Lily is one of the best frosh pole vaulters in country, per that meet.
