Kristen Hixson Leland overcomes setbacks for another top 10 finish at nationals in pole vault
After missing out on the Olympic team in 2021, Kristen Hixson Leland could have been at the crossroads of her career.
But she wasn't.
The disappointment didn't stop her. A back injury didn't stop her. The pandemic didn't stop her.
"I never thought I was done. If I was ready to be done, those would have been neon signs to be done," Hixson Leland said. "They just made me more hungry."
In her last meet competing in her 20s, the former Grand Valley State national champion finished ninth at the U.S. Track and Field National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.
Hixson Leland cleared 4.60 meters, nearly reaching her personal best 4.65 (about 15 feet, 2 1/2 inches). Since winning the NCAA championship in 2014, she has earned a bronze medal at the U.S. Indoor Championships and a fifth place at outdoors, leading to a spot on Team USA and eventually a gold medal at the North American Central American Caribbean Games. She has competed at more than a dozen national or international championship meets.
"As much as it was disappointing, the last couple of years have been hard. I have had a blast this year. I have been to a lot of U.S. championships, more than most people get to do. I am happy that we are back on track. We didn’t get the results that we wanted, but I am counting my blessings that I was injury free and doing what I love," she said. "I thank God every day that I am healthy again."
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A back injury in a sport like pole vault, where each attempt is filled with the twists and torque of a bent back, is extremely painful to try with an injury like Hixson Leland's. Between that and the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been tough to find any source of normalcy.
Until this spring.
"I think our preparation has been the best its been in years. We were very confident and excited going in, being there and being healthy. I had good warmups and unfortunately didn’t just execute things as well as I had hoped for once the bar went up," she said.
A healthy body has a healthy outlook for Hixson Leland, who is still focused on her goals.
"Hopefully a full summer of jumping. I haven’t had that in a long time," she said. "My goal was to make the world team. That didn’t happen. Now I want to PR (4.65). Short term, that is my goal. Matched it again this year. The competitive spirits in me might never be satisfied."
— Contact Sports Editor Dan D'Addona at Dan.D'Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Kristen Hixson Leland overcomes setbacks for another top 10 finish at nationals in pole vault
