FORT MEADE, Md. -- U.S. Army Reserve 1st Lt. Sam Kendricks captured his first world championship in pole vault Aug. 8 and Spc. Paul Chelimo took bronze Saturday in the 5,000-meter race in London, England.
The International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships last week pitted many top athletes against each other for the first time since the Summer Olympics last year in Rio de Janeiro.
Chelimo, who had taken silver in the 5K at Rio, led the pack early on at the IAAF World Championships, but then fell back. In the final moments, he sprinted past several runners for a dramatic third-place finish at 13:33.30, behind Muktar Edris of Ethiopia, who took gold at 13:32.79, and Mohamed Farah of Great Britain, who finished second at 13:33.22.
Kendricks went into the IAAF pole vault event ranked first in the world, having been undefeated since returning to competition in February after finishing his Transportation Basic Officer Leadership Course. In London, he beat out silver medalist Piotr Lisek of Poland and bronze competitor Renaud Lavillenie of France by clearing 5.95 meters (19 feet, 6.25 inches).
Last year at the Summer Olympics, Kendricks took home a bronze medal in the pole vault by jumping 5.85 meters behind rival Lavillenie, who finished with silver at that event.
KENDRICKS HAS 'WORLD's BEST TRAINER'
After Rio, Kendricks went to Fort Lee, Virginia, for five months to complete his BOLC. He then resumed duties as a platoon leader for the 655th Transportation Company, an Army Reserve unit in Millington, Tennessee, while also training and competing at meets in the U.S.
One of the advantages Kendricks said he has is his coach: retired Marine Corps Capt. Scott Kendricks, who is also his father.
"He's the best in the world and has trained me for the past 24 years," Kendricks said of his father. "We work well together, him the spotter and me the shooter."
Since February, Kendricks has cleared 19 feet or higher nine times. He had the highest jump in the world this year at 19 feet, 8.5 inches, earning him the No. 1 world ranking.
"I was very confident in my preparation heading into the world championship," Kendricks said. "We had the perfect poles to complement my jumping style that were able to maximize my potential all season long."
Going into the world championship, Kendricks said many of the athletes have to match their personal best just to make the final.
"I have an advantage because I've jumped the usual qualifying height in training dozens of times," he said. "Train like you fight so to speak. For me, being familiar with those heights makes the jumps almost routine. It helps."
'WINNING WITH GRACE'
The pole vault at the IAAF World Championships is a two-day event, starting with 32 competitors in a tough preliminary round, Kendricks said. Athletes must jump 18 feet 8 inches during the season just to qualify.
The enormous stadium crowds in London were also loud but inspiring, he said.
"It's hard to communicate with your coach," he said, but added that he's learned how to use the crowd.
"I've learned to gain adrenaline from the noise of those 55,000 voices," he said. "The crowd can help you rally for your best effort ... I asked the crowd to help me by clapping and they created a thunderous noise that truly propelled me down the runway."
Kendricks cleared the first five bars on his first attempt. Then he cleared 5.95 meters on his third try. Lisek had already failed 5.95 on his third try.
At that point, the competition was down to Kendricks and Lavillenie, who had missed 5.95 on his second try. Lavillenie then made a move to try and salvage gold by passing his final attempt at 5.95 and instead set the bar to 6.01 meters. He only had one chance.
"6.01 (19 feet 9 inches) is a height that kind of serves as a silver bullet in my world," Kendricks said. "If you can jump it, you will most certainly win.
"My French rival missed. I could have set the bar anywhere I wished after that, but I chose to shake hands and end the competition. There was nothing left to prove except that Army officers can win with grace."
Kendricks became the first American to medal in pole vault at the world championships since Brad Walker, who won gold in 2007 in Osaka, Japan. He is only the fourth American to medal at the world championships in the event.
Upon winning, Kendricks took his victory lap with the American flag draped over his shoulders. He says that as an Army officer, he represents his nation, unit, and family and does so proudly.
OTHER ARMY ATHLETES
Other Army athletes competing in the IAAF World Championships included Sgt. Elkanah Kibet, who took 16th out of about 100 competitors in the marathon race. Kibet finished with a time of 2:15:14.
Spc. Shadrack Kipchirchir finished ninth in the 10,000-meter race Aug. 4, with a time of 27:07.55, the third fastest time in U.S. history. His teammate in the Army World Class Athlete Program, Spc. Leonard Korir, finished 13th with a time of 27:20.18, the sixth-fastest time that a U.S. competitor ever ran.
(Editor's note: Quotes were obtained from an email 1st Lt. Sam Kendricks sent to the Army News Service from the IAAF World Championships in London.)
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