Parker Brush first at Junior Olympics

El Dorado’s Parker Brush accepts his gold medal after finishing first in the Youth Boys pole vault at the U.S.A. Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships in Omaha, Nebraska. Brush cleared a season-best height of 12 feet, 3 1/2 inches, to win the event. Joining Brush on the awards stand are runner-up Jeffrey Linta (left) and third-place finisher Andrew Hinkely.

By Dammon Alexander
El Dorado Times
Mon Aug 04, 2008, 09:16 AM CDT

El Dorado, Kan. - Parker Brush may soon be the latest name to be added to the list of successful pole vaulters to come through El Dorado High School. Of course, he won’t officially be in high school for another month, but he’s already making a name for himself. Brush won the pole vault event at the 2008 U.S.A. Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Omaha, Nebraska, last week. He cleared 12 feet, 3 1/2 inches to win the Youth Boys Division by nearly a foot. The Youth Boys Division is for all boys who were both in either the 1994 or 1995 calendar year. The 12-3 1/2 clearance by Brush was his best mark of the summer season. “This was my fifth meet of the season,” Brush said. “I’ve been lucky because they’ve all been pretty close to home. This meet was pretty nerve-racking between jumps because of the big crowd. When I was jumping, though, I wasn’t very nervous. I’d been talking with the other competitors the whole time, so that helped. “It felt pretty nice to get my personal best there. I’d cleared 12 feet my last two meets, so I felt pretty good going in.” Brush was one of 15 competitors in his age group, which included vaulters from Kansas, Texas, California, Louisiana, Maryland and South Carolina. Jaimie House, who finished her freshman year at EHS by winning the Class 4A girls’ state championship in the pole vault in late May, also competed in Omaha in the Intermediate Girls Division, which was for girls born in the 1992 or 1993 calendar year. House, one of 27 girls competing, was never able to get started, though, and she no-heighted in the event. Brush and House both finished 2008 listed as All-Americans, according the rankings of eliteyouth.com. “Parker had a tremendous meet,” said EHS pole vault coach Travis Wyss, who has been coaching El Dorado’s vaulters this summer. “Jaimie struggled to get her step down and was unable to clear a height.” Brush and House were also among those who competed in the Street Vault last Saturday during the El Dorado Prairie Port Festival. “The Street Vault went very well,” Wyss said. “We had a really big crowd there. Things were going very well until the rain shut things down. We would really like to thank the sponsors and the workers who helped make everything run so smoothly.” As for the upcoming track season, House will look to defend her state title. Brush, a freshman-to-be, also has his sights set high. “I want to make it to the State Meet,” Brush said. “Having Coach Wyss around will be a big help. He’s been spending a lot of time working with the vaulters this summer.”