GLENDIVE — The bar keeps rising, literally, for Sidney’s Garrison Hughes.
The Sidney Eagle senior cleared 17 feet in the pole vault competition at Saturday’s Eastern A divisional track and field meet, the highest vault by a Montana prep athlete in the state’s history.
Moments like these are more than special when I’ve got teammates like these. 17’ finally! @SlimKimmel @khansen406 pic.twitter.com/iB7vFvQXkH
— Garrison Hughes (@garrison1999) May 19, 2018
Hughes, who will compete at the University of Nebraska next year, already owns the Class A state record, clearing 16 feet at last spring’s state meet. State records can only be set at the state meets. Hughes looks to add the all-class record to his resume next weekend in Laurel, aiming to beat former Helena High and current University of Washington vaulter Chase Smith’s record of 16 feet, 4 inches. Smith set the mark in 2015.
Saturday was only the latest in Hughes’ impressive vaulting career. The senior set a then-personal best clearance of 16-05 in January at the Chadron State College winter classic. He bested that mark with a vault of 16-09 on April 28 at the Glendive Elk’s Invitational.
Hughes entered the weekend tied for No. 10 in the country. Saturday’s 17-foot clearance would tie him for ninth in the nation, pending results from around the country.
Hughes will be one of the greatest draws to the combined State A and State B track and field meet in Laurel next week. The Class A pole vault is scheduled for Friday morning, with warm-ups beginning around 8:30 a.m. Hughes told MTN Sports’ Slim Kimmel earlier this month he hopes to clear 17-03 at the state meet.
