2013 Track Chats: Pole Vaulter Devin King (Now with video)

Devin King about to take flight.

 

Video of Devin's 17-3 jump by Erica Bartolina.

 

Devin, a nearly 2 foot improvement in the vault from 15-5 to 17-3 in about a year is a big time improvement. First off congratulations on the rare air you now occupy!

 

MileSplit - What stands out as the most exciting thing this year with what you have accomplished so far?

Devin - The excitement of jumping higher and higher almost at every meet.

MileSplit - How have you adjusted to the differences involved in jumping so high in such a short amount of time?

Devin - I believe that the hard practices on technique and the things I'm not so well at have helped me reach higher heights so far.

MileSplit - What goals have you thought about for the 2013 track season? How high do you think you can get?

Devin - At first I was shooting for sixteen or seventeen, but conquering that I'm really determined for eighteen now.

MileSplit - When & how did you get started in track & field?

Devin - When I was in middle school I started cross country and i was an average runner and that followed into track and field so in seventh grade my friends wanted to try pole vaulting.  So we did and I began to get good and beat them so they quit and I went on and was determined to jump higher.

MileSplit - Person/people most influential to your success in track & field?

Devin - I think my friends at Bartolina Athletics most influenced me because I wanted to jump as high as them and soon I did.  The competition helped me from then on as well as my coaches helping in training me.  Also my dad because I wanted to show him what I could do and how high I could really go.

MileSplit - What do you love most about the pole vault?

Devin - The excitement of jumping high and doing something that most of everyone can't really do, and also the challenge of pushing yourself to greater heights.

MileSplit - Your track & field event coach(es) and what they mean to you?

Devin - Coach Jay Stuckey and Erica Bartolina. I love them and thank God Coach Stuckey directed me to Ms. Erica to jump and train with. She's taught me a lot and I spend three days out of the week with her to train and she really means a lot.  I thank her for spending the time she does with me to show me how to jump higher.

MileSplit - Keys to your successful training program?

Devin - The coach, the facility to practice at, and the friends to jump with.

MileSplit - Your favorite track & field meet?

Devin - LSU Indoor Championships, because of the people there to root for me and the awesome facility.

MileSplit - Your favorite performance in track & field?

Devin - This past weekend at the Mobile Challenge of the Champions because my jumps were basically like practice, smooth, and I just performed well, jumping my highest so far.

MileSplit - Your favorite performance from another athlete?  

Devin - I dont have one because I like to watch all pole vault pros and how they do things.

MileSplit - Fellow athlete(s) you most enjoy competing against?

Devin - Cameron Robachaux, Dylan Duvio, and Caleb Bertrand because the atmosphere is friendly and we all challenge each other to jump higher.

MileSplit - Your greatest experience in track & field so far?

Devin - Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nevada because of all the teaching on how to pole vault and because of the pros that we get to watch compete there.

MileSplit - What are your long-term goals in track & field?

Devin - To jump higher and maybe jump high enough and get good enough to one day go to the Olympics.

 

The Fun Run

Favorite food? Hamburgers

Beach or Pool? Beach

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

Going out or chilling at home? Chill at home

 

Devin's MileSplit Athlete Profile...