May 29, 2014
Women's Pole Vault, 6:30 p.m. | Firsick one of 15 Coyotes | Mettler races Friday
Bethany (Buell) Firsick won a national championship in the pole vault last year on a sprained ankle and a torn ligament in her shoulder. To get back to nationals to defend her title, she will have to qualify with a broken hand and with one practice day in the last six weeks.
The practice was Monday in the DakotaDome. Firsick traveled with coaches and 14 teammates to Fayetteville, Ark., Tuesday. She competes at 6:30 tonight in a field of 48. The top 12 performers will advance to nationals in Eugene, Ore., in two weeks.
South Dakota is one of three programs with four vaulters in the competition. USD and Arkansas are the only two with all four ranked in the top 24. Joining Firsick are teammates Madison Mills, Hunter Wilkes and Emily Brigham. Emily Grove, who placed second in the pole vault during the indoor season, is redshirting this outdoor season.
Firsick was fourth at indoor nationals two months ago. She accomplished that feat on a partially torn hamstring suffered less than three weeks prior at the USA Indoor National Championships. That same injury kept her out the first month of the outdoor season.
Firsick vaulted three times at the Long Beach Invitational back on April 19. She quickly cleared two bars to win the competition, then had her pole break during her first attempt at 13 feet, 11 ¾ inches. Her fifth metacarpal in her right hand also broke. Monday was her first time gripping a pole since.
Luckily, I made the bar before that otherwise I wouldn't be qualified for regionals, said Firsick.
I think my body is telling me it's done, she continued. But I love jumping and this is my last year. To end on a broken hand is just so dumb. All the work I've put in since last summer, rehabbing the shoulder and ankle surgeries. I have to give it a shot. I want to be able to end my career having fun with my family and teammates in Eugene.
And so the champion with nothing left to prove will try to post a mark that vaults her to Oregon. Something near 14 feet should do the trick. If healthy, and with even a few practices under her under her belt, there wouldn't be a question. If successful, it would be four trips to outdoor nationals in four years.
