Kendricks produces best vault in the world since his 6-meter clearance last year to win USATF Outdoor title in Sacramento

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Sam Kendricks has cleared a higher bar than he did in Paris at the annual Diamond League meeting, but the five-time USATF Outdoor pole vault champion and reigning IAAF World Outdoor Championship gold medalist had never attempted such a lofty height as Saturday.

For the first time in his career, Kendricks attempted to break the 2008 American record of 19 feet, 9.75 inches (6.04m) held by Brad Walker when he placed the bar at 19-10.25 (6.05m).

After winning the competition over Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis with a 19-6.50 (5.96m) clearance, Kendricks skipped 19-8.50 (6.01m) and took three unsuccessful attempts at 19-10.25.

“The 5.96m was definitely my peak of the day,” Kendricks told the IAAF.

“In the last three attempts at 6.05m, it happened that I injured the skin at my fingers and it was quite painful but it is a part of this sport.”

Kendricks cleared a personal-best 19-8.25 (6.00m) to win the USATF Outdoor title last year in Sacramento, becoming one of 22 athletes in history, indoors or outdoors, to join the 6-meter club.

The highest bar Kendricks had attempted before Saturday was last year in Lausanne, Switzerland, when he had two chances at 19-9.25 (6.03m) after winning the competition at 19-5.50 (5.93m).

Kendricks hadn’t taken any attempts above 19-8.25 so far this season, with his winning height Saturday the best clearance by any athlete in the world, indoors or outdoors, since his personal-best effort last year.

Had Kendricks cleared 19-10.25, it would have elevated him into a tie for the No. 2 outdoor performer in history, trailing only the 1994 record of Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka 20-1.75 (6.14m).

France’s Renaud Lavillenie, who placed third Saturday with a 19-2 (5.84m) clearance, still holds the overall world record with his 2014 indoor performance of 20-2.50 (6.16m).