I remember a decathlete (around 7200 points?) named Dan Sheehan who used to
use this technique in the early 80's.
He trained at UCI (no, not the cycling federation) and it would tear up the
tartan something fierce. For that reason, Irvine Head Coach Kevin McNair
was not to fond of him using our facility.
He claimed that is allowed him to exert less energy on the runway.
Bob Bettwy
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Director - Program Control
Washington Group
SRS Technologies
(703) 351-7266
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2001 19:56:14 EST
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: t-and-f: a new vault technique?
Maybe others are doing this, or Tye Harvey has done it before and I didn't
notice, but Mr. Harvey did something that shocked (well, surprised, at
least) everybody I was with at Millrose last Friday.
He only used one hand on the pole during his approach.
He simply held the pole overhead with his right (top) hand and let the butt
slide down the runway. When he was a step or so before plant, he grabbed on
with the bottom hand and let fly.
Would the theory be that you could get a more natural (albeith still
unnatural) running motion that way, thus building up more speed?
I'd be curious to find out if this is indeed something new, or if any of the
vault gurus think it has any future. I just know I was grimacing each time I
watched him run, thinking about what would happen to his right arm/hand
should the pole catch a nasty seam on the runway.
gh