Erica Ellis Reiterates Her US #1 Status Twice In 24 Hours... In Two Separate Countries


It was a busy weekend for another one of our State's National Record Holders.  After losing last weekend to the snow (with two separate meets cancelled on them), Erica Ellis (Unattached) and company entered twice in open Pole Vault meets to try and push up the bar.

The first was at the Highlander Invitational at Houghton College.  Ellis came in at 12.75, and made the clearance on her first attempt.  She did much the same when the bar moved up to 13-3.5 and up to 13-7.50.  The latter was the new Facility Record at Houghton College, and would have been US #2, if not for Ellis' Personal Best sitting atop the leaderboards.  With nothing to lose, Ellis moved the bar up to the National Record height, 14-4.5. There have been rumors that Ellis has been clearing the height in practice, so all that was left to do it in competition.  However, after three strong attempts, Ellis was out.


What better way to follow that up, with doing it again the very next day.  Ellis and company traveled across the border to Fred Foot Invitational in Toronto, Canada.  There, Ellis again topped out at 13-7.5, but she proved there was consistency in her jumps.  Her high heights of the weeks before were no fluke.  She should be the strong favorite when New Balance Nationals rolls around, the first meet where she can compete against exclusively other High Schoolers.


Suhr Back on the Runway

Ellis' Coach also joined the competition when they went to Toronto.  Indoor World Record Holder Jenn Suhr made her 2018 debut, winning the competition at 4.81m (roughly 15-9.25).  A major impetus as to why she returned, as there was a question of retirement, was her brand new Poles, Adrenaline, an Altius Hybrid.  We are unsure if Ellis is utilizing these poles in her competitions, but more can be seen in the promo below.