THERE’S AN OLD PHRASE often used by athletes in the vertical jumps: “No risk it, no biscuit.”
While it wasn’t the 18 points the pre-meet prognosticators slotted the Washington Huskies for in the pole vault, twins Hana and Amanda Moll went 1-3 in the event to give their team 16 points.
Facing elimination, it took third-attempt makes by both Molls at their second bar of 14-4¾ (4.39) to stay alive in the competition and retain a shot at the big biscuit.
The twins and defending outdoor champ Chloe Timberg of Rutgers, who hadn’t missed her previous heights, elected to pass the next height of 14-6¾ (4.44).
Erica Ellis of Kansas, Anna Willis of South Dakota, Emily Fitzsimmons of Oregon and Gennifer Hirata of South Dakota all cleared that height. Ellis and Willis made on their first attempts, while hometown favorite Fitzsimmons cleared on her second to set a personal best. Hirata also cleared on second for a seasonal best to advance.
At the next setting, 14-8¾ (4.49), that foursome were eliminated, while Hana Moll cleared on first attempt to take the lead. Meanwhile, Amanda Moll and Timberg needed third-attempt clearances to continue.
The trio went to the next height of 15-¾ (4.59), which Hana cleared on her first attempt.
After a miss, Timberg passed to the next height of 15-2¾ (4.64) for two all-or-nothing shots at retaking the lead.
Amanda missed all three attempts at 15-¾ and finished 3rd.
Timberg’s two attempts at 15-2¾ were unsuccessful, while Hana, last year’s indoor champion and a Budapest ‘23 World Championships finalist, clinched the win with a first-attempt make.
Hana took a shot at the all-time outdoor best — 15-8¼ (4.78) set by Amanda at the Big 10 last month — raising the bar to 15-8½ (4.79). After two misses, she cleared on her third attempt to claim the outdoor collegiate best and the big cookie, then called it a day.
“My 4.39 [14-4¾] attempt was a third attempt, so I was not ‘on’ all day today,” said Hana. “It wasn’t a perfect meet, it really never is. But I think I really cleaned it up at the end and focused on jumping and not winning, so I think that’s what got me to clear that 4.79 [15-8½] bar. It gave me a big boost of adrenaline [to clear 14-4¾ when facing elimination] so that was a plus. I was just focused on not changing anything just because it’s a third attempt, and just giving it my all.”
WOMEN’S VAULT RESULTS
FINAL (June 12)
1. **Hana Moll (Wa) 15-8½ (4.79) out PR (x, 5 C—highest outdoors);
2. Chloe Timberg (Rut) 14-8¾ (4.49);
3. **Amanda Moll (Wa) 14-8¾ (4.49);
=4. Erica Ellis (Ks) 14-6¾ (4.44);
=4. ***Anna Willis (SD) 14-6¾ (4.44);
6. *Emily Fitzsimmons (Or) 14-6¾ (4.44) PR;
7. Gennifer Hirata (SD) 14-6¾ (4.44);
=8. **Molly Haywood (Bay) 14-4¾ (4.39);
=8. *Mia Morello (Il) 14-4¾ (4.39);
10. Sydney Horn (HPt) 14-4¾; 11. Johanna Duplantis’ (LSU-Swe) 14-4¾ PR; 12. tie, *Ashley Callahan (Louis), Ka’Leila Abrille (UCLA), Sarah Schmitt (Tn) & *Carly Pujol (ArSt) 13-11 (4.24); 16. **Chiara Sistermann’ (VaT-Ger) 13-11; 17. tie, ***Lilly Nichols (App), Lyndsey Reed (VaT) & Julia Fixsen (VaT) 13-11; 20. tie, **Gemma Tutton’ (Duke-GB), Payton Phillips (Ky) & *Alyssa Quinones-Mixon’ (Aub-PR) 13-5 (4.09);… nh—Tenly Kuhn (Bay), Katerina Adamiec (UCLA).
| 13-5 | 13-11 | 14-4¾ | 14-6¾ | 14-8¾ | 14-10¾ | 15-¾ | 15-2¾ | 15-8½ | |
| Horn | xo | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Schmitt | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hirata | xxo | o | xo | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Sistermann | xo | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Haywood | ppp | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Quinones-Mixon | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fixsen | o | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Willis | xxo | xo | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Phillips | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A. Moll | ppp | o | xxo | ppp | xxo | ppp | xxx | — | — |
| Fitzsimmons | o | o | o | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| H. Moll | ppp | o | xxo | ppp | o | ppp | o | o | xxo |
| Pujol | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Timberg | ppp | o | o | ppp | xxo | ppp | xpp | xx | — |
| Duplantis | o | o | xxo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kuhn | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ellis | xo | o | xxo | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Reed | o | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nichols | o | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Morello | o | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Adamiec | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tutton | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Abrille | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Callahan | o | o | xxx | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4.09 | 4.24 | 4.39 | 4.44 | 4.49 | 4.54 | 4.59 | 4.64 | 4.79 |
