This past weekend, a small contingent of Stanford track and field athletes traveled to Albuquerque, N.M. to compete in the New Mexico Classic. Although the main focus of the meet was to offer some experience to multi-event competitors, Stanford was led by a pole vaulter, sophomore Katerina Stefanidi.
A native of Greece, Stefanidi has solidified herself as one of the top pole vaulters in the nation early on. In New Mexico, Stefanidi improved upon her own school record and NCAA automatic qualifying standard — tying for the meet title with a vault of 14-0. Additionally, she cemented herself among the Stanford greats, becoming the first Cardinal female to vault 14 feet.
In the national rankings, Stefanidi is currently tied for seventh. The highest vault this year is a mark of 14-feet-4.5-inches, meaning that Stefanidi will have to vault more than 4.5 inches to take over that spot — a highly doable challenge for the burgeoning athlete.
Another Stanford athlete that has been making his mark in the field events is freshman high jumper Jules Sharpe. As of Jan. 23, Sharpe is ranked 19th in the nation, a position that could quickly be improved upon. Sharpe’s best height so far this season has been seven-foot-one, while the No. 1 position is occupied by a three-way tie between athletes from Washington State, Indiana and Mississippi, all of whom jumped 7-foot-4.25.
“I’m glad to be heading in the right direction with my jumps so far, and I’m anxious to jump higher,” Sharpe said. “My coach is training me well, and my goal for the end of the indoor season is just to jump higher, and hopefully win an NCAA title.”
In terms of his quick transition from high school to college, Sharpe asserted that there is more competition and more pressure, but at the same time, more fun. He’s also been helped out by the squad’s veterans.
“I look up to our senior captain, Durrell Coleman, the most,” he added.
With Sharpe comes one of Stanford’s first chances to compete in high jump on a national level in many years. His young talent also promises the Cardinal a bright future in the event.
Another budding freshman with great potential is Karynn Dunn, a native of Diamond Bar, Calif. While Dunn was initially recruited to compete in the long and triple jump, as well as the short hurdles, she is now looking to be a multi-events athlete.
“For MPSF, I plan to do the pentathlon,” she said, “because I feel that I have a better chance of making it to NCAAs in that event.”
The pentathlon includes the long jump, shot put, high jump, 800 meter run and 60 meter hurdles. Dunn feels that she can succeed in this event, as she has two specialties, the long jump and the 60 meter hurdles. In many cases, pentathletes are relatively good at all the events, but Dunn feels that her advantage will be that she is very good at two of the events.
The transition from high school to college track and field has indeed been challenge to Dunn as well.
“College track is different from high school track because in high school you already know everyone so you’re not intimidated, but in college you have no idea what that person can do,” she said.
Yet she is grateful for the leadership and role models on the team. In particular, Dunn looks up to junior Arantxa King, because of her athletic prowess, as well as her great sportsmanship on and off the field.
Next up for the Cardinal is a pair of meets, the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas and the Husky Classic in Seattle.