SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (July 21) – USA’s Sydney Horn of High Point University clinched the gold medal in the women’s pole vault at the North American, Central American, and Caribbean (NACAC) U23 Championships on Friday (21). Her leap of 4.41 meters set a new championship record, while her USA compatriot Hana Moll and event favorite, failed to clear any height.
Horn, who previously finished seventh at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships, had a rocky start, needing two attempts to clear both 4.05m and 4.15m. The 20-year-old also took three tries each to surpass 4.25m and the record-breaking 4.41m.
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Despite missing the mark at 4.51m, which would have been a new personal best, her performance today exceeded the previous NACAC U23 Championships record of 4.40m, established by three-time world silver medalist and fellow American, Sandi Morris, in 2014.
“Sydney shows yet again championship vaulting is her favorite thing to do,” High Point University Pole Vault Coach Scott Houston said on the university website.
“So coming out here to Costa Rica with a little bit of adverse conditions and still getting the job done at a high level and setting a NACAC record is something speculator.”
Meanwhile, Hana Moll, the third-place finisher at the U.S. championships earlier this month, entered the 2023 NACAC Championships with a personal best of 4.61m. However, her ambition to set a new record fell short of her expectations after missing all three attempts at her opening height of 4.25m.
Heather Abadie, a Canadian, who represented Texas A&M during the collegiate campaign, took home the silver medal today with a 3.95m jump. The bronze medal went to Vielka Paola Arias of Costa Rica, who reached a height of 3.55m.
Check out more latest NACAC U23 Championships results here
Women’s U23 NACAC Championships Pole Vault Results
| Pos | Athlete | Team | Mark | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney HORN | United States | 4.41 m (RNACU23) | 🥇 |
| 2 | Heather ABADIE | Canada | 3.95 m | 🥈 |
| 3 | Vielka Paola ARIAS Mora | Costa Rica | 3.55 m | 🥉 |
| – | Andrea Paola MACHUCA Gochez | El Salvador | NM | |
| – | Hana MOLL | United States | NM |
