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 sixth all time . He later won the gold medal at the World Championships in Doha .
Early life 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 4+ 3 ⁄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 (54 in) 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 : 2016 : 2017 : 2018 : Scott Houston 2019 : Andrew Irwin 2020 : Matt Ludwig 2022 : Chris Nilsen 2023 : 2024 : Chris Nilsen Notes
1876–1878New York Athletic Club 1877: George McNichol 1878: Alfred Ing 1879–1888NAAAA 1879–81: William Van Houten 1882: B.F. Richardson 1883–86: Hugh Baxter 1887: Tom Ray (GBR) & Hugh Baxter 1888Note 1 : G.B. Quinn 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 .
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