Kansas Relays Adds Thursday Night, Off-Site Pole Vault Competition

Published by KUSports on April 19, 2016

The huge success of the Downtown Shot Put has inspired an offshoot event for this week’s Kansas Relays, which open Wednesday morning and conclude Saturday night.

The pole vault is moving off site for the first time this year, a brainchild of Kansas University athletic director Sheahon Zenger, according to meet director Milan Donley. The parking lot outside of the Salty Iguana (southwest corner of Sixth and Wakarusa) will be turned into a pole vault runway and pit for the event scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

“I’m excited about it,” Donley said. “At the same time, I’m a bit apprehensive about it. The only thing that worries me about the pole vault is wet weather can stop it. It can become dangerous. They can lose their grip on the pole. The pole can slip out of the box. And when these guys are trying to go over 18 feet, you can’t have that kind of risk.”