Laurent vaults to fourth at Poland competition

Vandebilt Catholic graduate Rachel Laurent placed fourth on Friday in the women’s pole vault at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Laurent cleared 4.25 meters (13 feet, 11.25 inches), nearly matching her personal best of 14 feet.

Her fourth place finish was the best ever by a USA Junior female vaulter.

Laurent and Greece’s Ekateríni Stefanídi both jumped the same height. However, Laurent needed two attempts to clear the crossbar and Stefanídi cleared it on her first try.

“If Rachel could have made it on her first attempt, she would have gotten third,” said her vault coach Kevin Trosclair. “That’s how close she came to winning a medal.”

Russian vaulters Valeriya Volik and Ekaterina Kolesova placed first and second respectively. Both cleared 14 feet, 5.5 inches, but Volik did so in fewer attempts.

The World Junior Champion-ships were Laurent’s last chance to set the national high school girls’ pole vault record, which is 14 feet, 1.25 inches.

“She represented the United States, Louisiana, Terrebonne Parish, Houma, and Vandebilt Catholic very well,” Trosclair said.