Alexander third in pole vault-Nike

By SEAN SMYTH
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Jun 22, 2008 @ 02:50 AM

The wakeup call came at 4 a.m. Saturday.

“I woke up early this morning all grumpy,” Matt Alexander admitted.

Hours earlier, Alexander had been crossing the stage, earning his diploma from Windham Tech.

Unlike most of his classmates, who had Saturday morning to sleep in and dream about life’s next adventure, Alexander had pressing business to tend to.

Alexander hopped a flight from Bradley International Airport to Greensboro, N.C., then hitched a ride to North Carolina A&T University for the Nike Outdoor Nationals high school championships, where he vaulted 15 feet 8.5 inches to take third place.

It was a personal-best vault for Alexander, who finished behind David Slovenski (16-4.5) of Brunswick, Maine, and Jason Pelletier (16-0.5) of Benton, Ark. Alexander finished 14th at nationals in 2007.

Alexander, who will attend UConn in the fall, said he was shocked when he found out he’d taken bronze honors at the national-level meet.

Alexander actually left the meet before its conclusion — he found out the results after a phone call with his coach back in Connecticut.

“I was astonished, just stunned,” Alexander said late Saturday from Harrisburg, Pa., where he was stopped for the night. After flying down to the meet, Alexander and a member of Windham Tech’s coaching staff were driving back to Connecticut.

Alexander’s vault came on his fourth attempt of the day.

Alexander said he struggled during some of his practice attempts, but said the high of graduation allowed him to remain upbeat.

“I had a couple bad jumps in warmups, but I stayed positive,” he said. “I graduated high school — that’s a major milestone. To come down to the outdoor nationals and place third, it’s just crazy. It’s so unreal, and I’m just trying to soak it all in.”

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