Jake Blankenship is the current All-Time Ohio HS record holder in the Pole Vault with a jump of 17-02 at the 2012 OHSAA State Championships. He was 2nd at the NCAA Indoor Championships this year, clearing the 19' mark, with a vault of 19-00.25 (5m80). He recently cleared the same mark in the Texas Relays and is ranked US and World #3 in the early outdoor season. We caught up with Jake in route to the Texas Relays and had the opportunity to ask him a few questions.
Read our interview with Jake in his senior year of HS (January 2012)
1 | 19-4.75 | 2012 | ||
2 | 19-2.75 | 2011 | ||
3 | 19-0.25 | 2012 |
You have also gotten over the 5m79 mark at the recent Texas Relays, vaulting 5m80 again. That vault has you currently ranked #3 US behind Shawn Barber's 5m9 (19-4.25) and Sam Kendricks' 19-2.75 (5m86).
1 | 19-4.25 | 2012 | ||
2 | 19-0.25 | 2012 | ||
3 | 19-0.25 | -- |
If we take a look at our All-Time rankings in vaulting over 5m79 or 19' you join a very elite group of vaulters here in the US. Going into the NCAA Indoor Championship, what was your focus?
1 | 19-9.75 | 1999 | ||
2 | 19-8.25 | -- | ||
3 | 19-5 | -- | ||
4 | 19-4.25 | 1992 | ||
5 | 19-4.25 | -- | ||
6 | 19-4.25 | 2013 | ||
7 | 19-4.25 | -- | ||
8 | 19-4.25 | 2012 | ||
9 | 19-1.5 | 2003 | ||
10 | 19-0.75 | 2011 | ||
11 | 19-0.75 | -- | ||
12 | 19-0.25 | 1986 | ||
13 | 19-0.25 | -- | ||
14 | 19-0.25 | 1992 | ||
15 | 19-0.25 | -- | ||
16 | 19-0.25 | 2012 | ||
17 | 19-0.25 | -- |
Jake: Going into that meet I knew that I was going to jump very well. I was extremely focused on my process for the indoor season and I knew that if I were to execute my keys that heights were to fall. I was very happy to jump 5m80 and break that barrier. It was a very fun and competitive meet and was great to be apart of maybe the greatest vault competition in history at the NCAA Championships.
OhioMileSplit: What were your expectations for the 2014/15 Indoor season and what are they as we move to the 2015 outdoor season?
Jake: My indoor expectations were to break the indoor school record and jump 5m85. That was my top goal. However, I had another goal and that was to average above 5m50 all season and to jump over 5m50 at every meet. I did that. Lastly, another goal that I had was to clear 5m80, which I also achieved at the end of the season. As for the outdoor season. My goal is to first reach 5m90 and work my way up and jump well in all meets. As well as average above 5m70 for the season.
OhioMileSplit: Can you draw any comparisons between vaulting in HS and at the collegiate level? What is the difference between Jake as a HS athlete and State Champion and Jake now, as a collegiate athlete.
Jake: Fortunately, I had competition in HS so the competition transition was not very difficult. However, I enjoy competition and handle it well, it makes it much more fun, especially when you get to NCAA, USATF and international meets. The biggest difference in myself between HS and collegiate is that I feel I am on a whole different level of focus and preparation. I go into meet with a much different mindset than compared to in HS. It has definitely done a lot for my vaulting and to help me improve in the vault.
OhioMileSplit: In high school, there was a very competitive and friendly relationship between vaulters. Does that type of relationship exist in the collegiate and even international community?
Jake: There is a very friendly group of vaulting collegiality. We all get along well and will talk all the time. But competition is just like it is everywhere else and you never want to lose or be the one on the sidelines watching the others so it is very intense and focused on the runway.
OhioMileSplit: Thanks Jake. We'll be watching you this spring and summer and will look forward to watching you reach the 5m90 mark.