Athletics News

Sondre Guttormsen’s Long Flight Path To 6 Meters

Sondre Guttormsen’s Long Flight Path To 6 Meters

Guttormsen flew far and high to capture his Euro/NCAA indoor “double.” (KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT)

Jet lag may have been the toughest bar Princeton’s Sondre Guttormsen had to conquer on his double podium-topping week. First, he flew to Istanbul, Turkey, to represent Norway at the European Indoors. There he made it through 19-¼ (5.80) with no misses, which was what he needed to secure the gold medal by a squeaker over the three others who cleared that height. That was Sunday. Then he flew back to New Jersey, caught his breath, did his laundry, and flew to Albuquerque. On Friday night he ascended to the top of another podium after scaling an NCAA record-tying 19-8¼ (5.80).

Perhaps flying nearly 12,000 miles across 11 time zones is not the best way to prepare to become member No. 27 of the elite 6-meter club, but a guy’s got to do what a guy’s got to do.

“It was definitely a challenge,” the 23-year-old says, “but I think I was able to handle it really, really well and prepare for it well. I was in such a good place in terms of my training and my mental state. So I think it worked out well and I had the people around me to really make everything run as smoothly as possible.”

Obviously, winning the first-ever vault gold for Norway in the European Indoors carries more weight with the fans back home, while the Princeton crowd is understandably more wowed by the NCAA win, Guttormsen’s third overall. But which was more important to him personally?

“That’s a tough question,” he responds with a laugh. “I think the 6-meters means more, just because it shows the hard work that’s been done and my improvement as an athlete and pole vaulter. Managing 6-meters not a lot of people have done, not to take anything away from my European Championships.”

He laughs again, before rephrasing it all: “I think winning Europeans is definitely a better achievement than winning NCAAs. But the way I won NCAAs, I think I’m more proud of.”

That 6.00 height, which tied the collegiate mark set by Baylor’s KC Lightfoot in ’21, is something that has been on Guttormsen’s mind for a very long time: “Ever since I knew what 6-meters was and ever since I knew what pole vaulting was.

“You can’t really imagine what it feels like. Coming down, landing after realizing that the bar stayed up and I just made 6-meters, I think it’s pretty clear from the video and my reaction that it meant a whole lot and that it did live up to my expectations…

CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at Track & Field News…