By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.
Former Ole Miss Rebel and Olympian Sam Kendricks continued to etch his legacy into the fabric of U.S. track and field after winning his fifth-straight USA Outdoor title on Saturday. The competition was held June 21-24 at Drake University in Des Moines Iowa.
Kendricks, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the pole vault, cruised to victory today as he cleared his first seven bars without a miss. Kendricks and 2018 NCAA champion Chris Nilsen of South Dakota were the final two in competition. Kendricks prevailed on a Drake Stadium record clearance of 5.85m (19-02.25). Nilsen opted to pass to the next height at 5.90m (19-04.25), but he missed his two attempts and deflected a third to secure the gold medal for Kendricks.
This marks the eighth total U.S. title Kendricks has claimed, including the last five outdoors and eight of the last nine overall (Kendricks lost his first career U.S. competition indoors this season). Kendricks is now the first American man to win five straight outdoor pole vault titles since Cornelius Warmerdam in 1940-1944.
Saturday’s win also marks the 17th U.S. outdoor title won by a Rebel and the 26th overall. Of those 26, a total of 19 belong to Kendricks and Olympic long jumper Brittney Reese, who has won 11 titles (seven outdoors, four indoors) throughout her esteemed career.
