Sportlight

Martinez fills the void at pole vault

By BOND BRUNGARD
Posted 5/22/19

Louis Martinez is a Wallkill sophomore, who joined the modified track team when a pole-vaulter was needed for the squad.

“I just of did it because nobody else was going to do it,” said …

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Sportlight

Martinez fills the void at pole vault

Posted

Louis Martinez is a Wallkill sophomore, who joined the modified track team when a pole-vaulter was needed for the squad.

“I just of did it because nobody else was going to do it,” said Martinez. “We needed somebody to do it in modified, so I just went for it.”

Martinez has now been a pole-vaulter for four years, and his best finish is 14-feet, 5-inches. Saturday at the MHAL championships at FDR, Martinez covered an even 14-feet to win the league title.

“It feels like I am flying. It is just the greatest feeling in the world,” said Martinez, of pole-vaulting.

And he pursues his favorite event, in which he set his personal record of 14-feet, 5-inches during an invitational meet in Middletown, without the fearlessness of trying to vault to the height of a one-story building and landing safely on the mat.

“I trust myself,” he said “I trust I will make it into the pit every jump.”

Martinez does not contain his running, jumping and leaping to pole-vaulting. Outdoors he hurdles and competes in the long, high and triple jumps. Indoors Martinez pole-vaults and competes in the high, long and triple jumps. And the triple jump is his favorite event outside of pole-vaulting.

“Triple jump is a lot of fun,” he said.

In the triple jump at the MHAL championships. Martinez was fifth when he covered 42-feet, 7-inches. Martinez was also fifth in the long jump and sixth in the high jump.
Martinez will now compete in the Section 9 championships this week in Middletown, where he set his personal record in the pole vault, and he enjoys competing for Wallkill.

“It is a great place to be around,” he said. “I love my coaches.”