American pole vaulter (born 1992)
Samuel Hathorn Kendricks (born September 7, 1992) is an American pole vaulter .[ 1] He is a three-time indoor and six-time outdoor national champion (2014–2019), the 2016 Olympics bronze[ 3]
[ 4] and 2024 Olympics silver medalist, and the 2017 and 2019 World Champion. In 2019, Kendricks set the American pole vault record at 6.06 m,[ 5] [ 6] tying him with Steve Hooker for fourth all time . He later won the gold medal at the World Championships in Doha .
Kendricks vaulted for Oxford High School in his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi , leading his team to the 2009 MHSAA 5A State Championship. He vaulted 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m) to set the then-state record, later broken in 2023 by his brother John Scott with a vault of 17 ft 1 in (5.2 m).[ 7] Sam won the state meet outdoors in 2010 and 2011, and indoors in 2011. He also lettered in cross country and soccer . In 2011, he was named the Gatorade boys' high school track and field athlete of the year for Mississippi.[ 8]
NCAA
While vaulting for the University of Mississippi , Kendricks won the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Championships .[ 8] He broke both Ole Miss Rebels pole vault records as a freshman.[ 9] Kendricks announced that he would be turning pro in 2014.[ 10]
Professional
2015
Kendricks set his personal best of 5.86 m ( 19 ft 2+ 1 ⁄2 in) at the indoor 2015 Reno Pole Vault Summit. Kendrick uses a hand hold at 15 ft 5 in (4.69 m) and from his performance in Reno claims the "Push-off" World Record at 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m).[ 11] [ 12] He won the men's pole vault at 2015 US Outdoor Championships in 5.75 m ( 18 ft 10+ 1 ⁄4 in).[ 13] He won the prelims of the 2015 World Championships in Athletics – Men's pole vault and finished 9th in 5.65 m ( 18 ft 6+ 1 ⁄4 in).
2016
After setting a personal best outdoors at the IAAF World Challenge in Beijing, at 5.92 m (19 ft 5 in) Kendricks won the US Olympic Trials at 5.91 m ( 19 ft 4+ 1 ⁄2 in). At the 2016 Summer Olympics , he won the bronze medal.[ 14] Kendricks also garnered attention during the Olympics when he stopped mid run during a pole vault attempt to stand at attention while "The Star-Spangled Banner " was played.[ 15]
2017
Kendricks celebrates winning the 2017 World Championship title in London, England, UK.
On June 24, 2017, Kendricks became the 22nd person to join the six meters club by vaulting exactly 6.00 m (19 ft 8 in) while winning the 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento , California.
2019
On July 27, 2019, Kendricks set the American pole vault record by jumping 6.06 m.[ 5] [ 6]
2021
Kendricks placed second in the US Olympic trials at 5.91 m (19 ft 2+1⁄4 in) tied with KC Lightfoot , however, he was tested positive for COVID-19 in the Olympic Village , and had to withdraw from the 2020 Summer Olympics as a result, missing the pole vault competition .[ 16]
2024
Leading up to the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials final Kendricks stated that he might be inclined to forgo the 2024 Olympics after his "bitter" experience from Tokyo 2020 when he claimed that his positive COVID-19 test had been a false positive and the USOC had done nothing to fight on his behalf.[ 17] On June 23, 2024 he won his 7th outdoor (11th overall) U.S. National Pole Vault championship by clearing 5.92 m (19 ft 5 in) and earned an automatic bid for the Olympics.[ 18] Shortly after the competition was over he confirmed that he would be going to Paris after all.[ 19] In the 2024 Olympic Men's Pole Vault final he claimed the Silver Medal for Team USA by clearing a height of 5.95 m ( 19 ft 6+ 1 ⁄4 in).[ 20] [ 21] He was bested by Armand "Mondo" Duplantis who set a new world record at 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in).[ 20]
Personal life
Kendricks is the son of Scott and Marni Kendricks; his father is also one of his coaches. He has a twin brother, Tom.[ 22]
On December 29, 2017, Kendricks married Leanne Zimmer in Oxford, MS.
As of 2024, Kendricks is a member of the United States Army Reserve .[ 22]
Competition record
Year
Competition
Venue
Position
Notes
Representing United States
2013
Summer Universiade
Kazan, Russia
1st
5.60
2015
World Championships
Beijing, China
9th
5.65
2016
World Indoor Championships
Portland, Oregon
2nd
5.80
Summer Olympics
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3rd
5.85
2017
World Championships
London, United Kingdom
1st
5.95
DécaNation
Angers, France
1st
5.75
2018
World Indoor Championships
Birmingham, United Kingdom
2nd
5.85
2019
World Championships
Doha, Qatar
1st
5.97
2024
World Indoor Championships
Glasgow, United Kingdom
2nd
5.90
Summer Olympics
Paris, France
2nd
5.95
2025
World Indoor Championships
Nanjing, China
3rd
5.90
See also
References
^ a b "Sam Kendricks" . teamusa.org . USOC . Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2022 .
^ Sam Kendricks Archived August 26, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . rio2016.com
^ Hipps, Tim (August 18, 2016). "Army Reserve officer takes Olympic bronze in pole vault" . www.army.mil . Retrieved July 29, 2021 .
^ "Men Pole Vault SR" . flashresults.com . Retrieved June 27, 2015 .
^ a b Shinn, Peggy (July 27, 2019). "Sam Kendricks Sets American Record And Wins Record Sixth Consecutive Pole Vault National Title" . Team USA . Archived from the original on July 28, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019 .
^ a b "Kendricks tops 6.06m in Des Moines| News | iaaf.org" . www.iaaf.org . Retrieved July 30, 2019 .
^ Cite error: The named reference https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/roster/john-scott-kendricks
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ a b Sam Kendricks Bio – Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site – Track & Field Archived August 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Olemisssports.com. Retrieved on August 17, 2016.
^ Oxford Citizen interview with Sam in 2014 . Oxfordcitizen.com (May 23, 2014). Retrieved on August 17, 2016.
^ Sam announced his professional ambitions in 2014 with Nike . Clarionledger.com (September 17, 2014). Retrieved on August 17, 2016.
^ "New push-off world record of 1.36 meters (55") set on Essx Recoil Advanced" . UST Essx (January 19, 2015). Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^ Sam Kendricks Pole Vault Summit 2015 . VAULTER Magazine (January 19, 2015). Retrieved on August 17, 2016.
^ USATF Championships – 6/25/2015 to 6/28/2015 Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore. Archived October 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine usatf.org
^ "Sam Kendricks wins 3rd place in Men's Pole Vault" . Retrieved August 16, 2016 .
^ Stump, Scott (August 22, 2016). "US pole vaulter Sam Kendricks stops mid-stride to stand at attention for national anthem" . Today News . NBC. Retrieved August 22, 2016 .
^ Siemaszko, Corky (July 29, 2021). "U.S. pole vault champ out of Games after positive Covid test" . NBC News . Retrieved July 30, 2021 .
^ Kilgore, Adam (June 22, 2024). "Bitter over 2021, pole vaulter Sam Kendricks may turn down Olympic bid" . Washington Post . Retrieved August 21, 2024 .
^ "Results" . Results . Retrieved August 21, 2024 .
^ Denney, Jarrid (June 24, 2024). "Sam Kendricks wins 11th national title, sounds off on Olympic Games" . Statesman Journal . Retrieved August 21, 2024 .
^ a b " "Mondo" Duplantis Shatters World Record, Defends Gold Medal, As Sam Kendricks Soars To Silver" . Team USA . August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024 .
^ Schnell, Lindsay (August 5, 2024). "Sam Kendricks wins pole vault silver despite spikes puncturing hand" . USA TODAY . Retrieved August 21, 2024 .
^ a b "Sam Kendricks: Athlete Bio" . Team USA . United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024 .
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Pole vault for distance Pole vault
1906 : Alfred Carlton Gilbert
1907 : Claude Allen
1908 : Charles Vezin Jr.
1909 : William Happeny (CAN ) , Harry Babcock (2nd)
1910 : William Happeny (CAN ) , Theodore Babcock (2nd)
1911 : Gordon Dukes
1925 : Paul Jones
1926 : Charles Hoff (NOR ) , Edwin Myers (2nd)
1927 : Sabin Carr
1928 : Sabin Carr
1929 : Fred Sturdy
1930 : Fred Sturdy
1931 : Fred Sturdy
1932 : Fred Sturdy
1933 : Keith Brown , Frank Pierce
1934 : Bill Graber
1935 : Ray Lowry , Eldon Stutzman , Oscar Sutermeister
1936 : David Hunn
1937 : Earle Meadows
1938 : Richard Ganslen
1939 : Cornelius Warmerdam
1940 : Earle Meadows
1941 : Earle Meadows
1942 : Boo Morcom
1943 : Cornelius Warmerdam
1944 : Jack DeField
1945 : Bill Moore
1946 : Bill Moore
1947 : Guinn Smith
1948 : Bob Richards
1949 : Boo Morcom
1950 : Bob Richards
1951 : Bob Richards
1952 : Bob Richards
1953 : Bob Richards
1954 : Jerry Welbourn
1955 : Bob Richards
1956 : Don Bragg , Bob Richards
1957 : Bob Richards
1958 : Don Bragg , Bob Gutowski
1959 : Don Bragg
1960 : Don Bragg
1961 : Don Bragg
1962 : Henry Wadsworth
1963 : Dave Tork
1964 : John Uelses
1965 : Billy Gene Pemelton
1966 : Bob Seagren
1967 : Bob Seagren
1968 : Dennis Phillips
1969 : Peter Chen
1970 : Bob Seagren
1971 : Dick Railsback
1972 : Kjell Isaksson (SWE ) , Steve Smith (3rd)
1973 : Steve Smith
1974 : Vic Dias
1975 : Roland Carter
1976 : Roland Carter
1977 : Larry Jessee
1978 : Larry Jessee
1979 : Dan Ripley
1980 : Earl Bell
1981 : Thierry Vigneron (FRA ) , Dan Ripley (3rd)
1982 : Billy Olson
1983 : Billy Olson
1984 : Sergey Bubka (URS ) , Earl Bell (3rd)
1985 : Doug Lytle
1986 : Sergey Bubka (URS ) , Brad Pursley (5th)
1987 : Earl Bell
1988 : Radion Gataullin (URS ) , Dave Kenworthy (2nd)
1989 : Radion Gataullin (URS ) , Billy Olson (2nd)
1990 : István Bagyula (HUN ) , Tim Bright (2nd)
1991 : Kory Tarpenning
1992 : Dean Starkey
1993 : Greg West
1994 : Kory Tarpenning
1995 : Nick Hysong
1996 : Pat Manson
1997 : Lawrence Johnson
1998 : Scott Hennig
1999 : Jeff Hartwig
2000 : Lawrence Johnson
2001 : Lawrence Johnson
2002 : Timothy Mack
2003 : Derek Miles
2004 : Toby Stevenson
2005 : Brad Walker
2006 : Brad Walker
2007 : Jeff Hartwig
2008 : Brad Walker
2009 : Jeremy Scott
2010 : Timothy Mack
2011 : Mark Hollis
2012 : Brad Walker
2013 : Jordan Scott
2014 : Mark Hollis
2015 : Sam Kendricks
2016 : Sam Kendricks
2017 : Sam Kendricks
2018 : Scott Houston
2019 : Andrew Irwin
2020 : Matt Ludwig
2022 : Chris Nilsen
2023 : Sam Kendricks
2024 : Chris Nilsen
Notes
1876–1878New York Athletic Club 1879–1888NAAAA 1888–1979Amateur Athletic Union 1980–1992The Athletics Congress 1993–onwardsUSA Track & Field Notes
Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .