BIRMINGHAM, Ala — High Point University track and field’s Sydney Horn finished as the National Runner-Up in the women’s pole vault final. Horn set a lifetime best of 4.46m which is a school record and a Big South Conference record.
Coach Scott Houston: She’s a competitor I said it her freshman year, for Syd to come back to the indoor National Championship and follow it up her third-place finish last year with a runner-up is incredible. She has done a wonderful job. To make miss then come back with a make followed by another first attempt make shows composure. We have worked on consistency all year and she has done a great job of jumping at 4.40 but we knew between 40 and 50 was going to mean a high-ranking place at the national championship. Finishing up with a national runner-up is something we can build on and hopefully can improve on getting more jump in the 40s and above.
Sydney Horn: I’m really excited because I had not set an overall PR all season so being able to do that on a first attempt tonight especially here at nationals was a great feeling. I’m going to use this experience and bring it with me outdoors. I am going to be able to push through a little bit harder and hopefully get on those bigger poles a little bit sooner.
Panther Particulars
Horn cleared the opening bar (4.16m) on her first try.
She followed that up with a second straight first bar clearance at 4.26m. Five athletes were unable to clear 4.26m leaving six in the competition.
Horn stayed perfect at 4.36 clearing a third straight bar in the first attempt.
On her first attempt at 4.41m, Horn’s clean streak came to an end as she was unable to convert. Horn made it over on her second attempt.
Horn’s experience and composure were put on full display at the next bar of 4.46m as the sophomore cleared it in her first attempt to move into second place.
Horn would take three solid attempts at 4.51 but did not convert. She finished at 4.46m with four misses compared to Virginia Tech’s Julia Fixsen who finished at 4.46m but had five misses. Horn finished as the National Runner-Up in the 2022 NCAA Indoor Women’s pole vault.
VT’s Rachel Baxter cleared 4.62 which is now the best indoor mark in the nation and won the 2022 national championship.