Sonja Urbanowicz (pictured), Nate Paris and Julina Benjamin all set personal bests in a vaulting season that included just three events. (submitted/Phillip Vannini)

By Dan Marshall

Personal Bests

Three Nanaimo pole vaulters leap to personal bests in shortened season

Oct 29, 2020 | 7:22 PM

NANAIMO — Three local pole vaulters set personal bests in a shortened season with only three meets in October.

Sonya Urbanowicz, the 2019 national champion and BC record holder in the U-16 division, cleared 3.45 metres.

16-year-old Nate Paris vaulted 3.55 metres and 18-year-old Julina Benjamin posted a height of 3.15 metres.

“The first meet I actually set a personal best of 3.40 metres and then matched that at the second meet. I broke that in the third meet by jumping 3.45,’ Urbanowicz, who set two PB’s in the three meets, said.

There was no national championship in 2020. Urbanowicz already has her sights set on competing at the highest level as she moves up an age bracket to U-18 next year.

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“My goals are to go to nationals again for sure. Because I have aged up and in 2021 I’ll be in the second year of U-18 it could be an advantage. I do believe that I could be a national champion again.”

She expects a mark of 3.70 metres or 3.80 metres could put her in contention for both a national championship and the next Team Canada for pole vault.

Urbanowicz, Paris and Benjamin are all multisport athletes. Sprinting, weightlifting, basketball and volleyball are all on Urbanowicz’s resume.

Benjamin has a background in gymnastics which translates well to the pole vault.

Nanaimo Track and Field Club coach Sven Donaldson noted competing in a variety of sports or events is important to him especially at the high school age.

“I’m in favour of staying generalized. I think early specializing is a problem in a lot of our sports. I think in many ways the multi events are more fun.”

Paris for example hadn’t competed in pole vault at all until last month.

He had been competing in the pentathlon, however will move to the more demanding decathlon once into his senior year.

“Nate (Paris) is a very talented athlete,” said Donaldson. “His personal bests are also his first two meets. Each time he’s jumped higher than the time before.”

The 2020 pole vault season is over but that doesn’t mean there’s downtime for the athletes.

The schedule for her and the others remains busy with different kinds of training and school classes.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77