Rochester can boast about a number of local Olympians. All eyes will be on Riga pole vaulter Jenn Suhr as she goes for gold in London.
Jenn Suhr and her husband and coach, Rick Suhr, leave for London in two weeks. Suhr enters the London games as the number one female pole vaulter in the world. She’s healthy, excited and ready to go for gold.
Suhr said, “I’m excited, when I was in the 2008 Olympics, I didn’t know what to expect. I know what’s out there and I’m going to be prepared for this one.”
Winning gold in London may not be a sure thing, but Jenn Suhr is certain of one thing. She is in the best place she can be heading into her second Olympic games, both physically and mentally.
Suhr said, “To be able to out and hit and execute the form that I needed under those conditions I was happy.”
Suhr, the top ranked female pole vaulter in the world, cleared 15 feet 1 inch to win the women’s pole vault in the U.S. Track Trials in June. Despite her world ranking, it was a high pressure must win to even be able to qualify for the Olympics. Suhr suffered a quadricep injury in the weeks leading up to the critical meet.
Suhr said, “This was probably the most stressed I’ve been for a meet. Even the Beijing Olympics, I think it was the injury. I wasn’t 100% and I was going there in less than ideal conditions.”
Rick Suhr said, “When she was hurt for the trial, four weeks before, she thought she was done. We talked about it for two days about how to tell everybody that she was done and not going to the Olympic games.”
The Suhrs have learned how to creatively compete injured.
Rick Suhr said, “We invented a thousand different ways to pole vault without pole vaulting.”
Suhr hold 12 titles, holds the U.S. record in pole vault and has a silver medal. Rick Suhr says forcing U.S. athletes to go through Olympic qualifiers is outdated.
Rick Suhr said, “It's a problem because the top five people we compete against don't go through a qualifier. They are selected. They get to rest through that time and train. They don't have to peak twice.”
But maybe that’s what makes Jenn Suhr so good. Her experience through adversity has only made her better. She’s healthy, confident and ready for whatever comes her way in London.
Suhr said, “Right when I got back from Eugene, I had a package on the step. It was my uniform. I tried it on to see the design of what the Americans are wearing, what team USA has for us, it's exciting. If we can stay injury free, I'm where I need to be. What ever the answer is, things are looking promising.”
Suhr will continue her training for the next two weeks before leaving for London. News10NBC will have more with the Suhrs leading up to the pole vault event in August.
Rochester can boast about a number of local Olympians. All eyes will be on Riga pole vaulter Jenn Suhr as she goes for gold in London.
Jenn Suhr and her husband and coach, Rick Suhr, leave for London in two weeks. Suhr enters the London games as the number one female pole vaulter in the world. She’s healthy, excited and ready to go for gold.
Suhr said, “I’m excited, when I was in the 2008 Olympics, I didn’t know what to expect. I know what’s out there and I’m going to be prepared for this one.”
Winning gold in London may not be a sure thing, but Jenn Suhr is certain of one thing. She is in the best place she can be heading into her second Olympic games, both physically and mentally.
Suhr said, “To be able to out and hit and execute the form that I needed under those conditions I was happy.”
Suhr, the top ranked female pole vaulter in the world, cleared 15 feet 1 inch to win the women’s pole vault in the U.S. Track Trials in June. Despite her world ranking, it was a high pressure must win to even be able to qualify for the Olympics. Suhr suffered a quadricep injury in the weeks leading up to the critical meet.
Suhr said, “This was probably the most stressed I’ve been for a meet. Even the Beijing Olympics, I think it was the injury. I wasn’t 100% and I was going there in less than ideal conditions.”
Rick Suhr said, “When she was hurt for the trial, four weeks before, she thought she was done. We talked about it for two days about how to tell everybody that she was done and not going to the Olympic games.”
The Suhrs have learned how to creatively compete injured.
Rick Suhr said, “We invented a thousand different ways to pole vault without pole vaulting.”
Suhr hold 12 titles, holds the U.S. record in pole vault and has a silver medal. Rick Suhr says forcing U.S. athletes to go through Olympic qualifiers is outdated.
Rick Suhr said, “It's a problem because the top five people we compete against don't go through a qualifier. They are selected. They get to rest through that time and train. They don't have to peak twice.”
But maybe that’s what makes Jenn Suhr so good. Her experience through adversity has only made her better. She’s healthy, confident and ready for whatever comes her way in London.
Suhr said, “Right when I got back from Eugene, I had a package on the step. It was my uniform. I tried it on to see the design of what the Americans are wearing, what team USA has for us, it's exciting. If we can stay injury free, I'm where I need to be. What ever the answer is, things are looking promising.”
Suhr will continue her training for the next two weeks before leaving for London. News10NBC will have more with the Suhrs leading up to the pole vault event in August.
