Skipper Takes Second in USA Indoor Champs

Saturday, February 26

Boston, Mass.

All Day

University of Oregon

USA Indoor Championships

Tommy Skipper, Oregon Track & Field 2004

02/27/05 | Track and Field

By: GoDucks.com

BOSTON ? University of Oregon sophomore Tommy Skipper made a successful debut in the USA Indoor Championship Sunday in the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.

The Sandy, Ore., native took second in the pole vault (18-2 1/2) behind former Washington rival and Nike entrant Brad Walker (first, 18-6 1/2).

Skipper passed at the opening heights of 17-0 3/4 (5.20m), 17-6 1/2 (5.35m) and 17-10 1/2 (5.45m), then cleared his first try at 18-2 1/2 (5.55m), while Walker needed two tries at that bar, which he also opened at.

After Walker passed his first try at 18-4 1/2 (5.60), Skipper followed suit since he already held the lead and also passed his three tries, and the bar next went to 18-6 1/2 (5.65m). Walker converted his first attempt at what proved his final clearance of the day, while Skipper missed his three tries. Walker then missed his three tries at 19-0 1/4 (5.80m).

The twosome, separated by four years, have met several times in the past 13 months, including the NCAA Indoor Championships in March 2004 when Walker claimed his second and final NCAA indoor crown with a season best (18-8 1/4), while Skipper followed in second with his then-second best-ever indoor mark (18-4 1/2).

Among other results in Sunday's eight-man field, unattached entrant Paul Litchfield followed in third (17-10 1/2), ahead of fellow unattached entries Jeremy Scott (fourth, 17-6 1/2), Christopher Swanson (fifth, 17-0 3/4) and Christopher Smith (fifth, 17-0 3/4).

Walker entered Sunday's competition as the top seed (19-1 1/2) based on season bests, and ranked second on the U.S. season best list behind Nike's Derek Miles (19-2 1/4). Skipper stood tops among collegians and tied for fifth overall on the U.S. list with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson at 18-6 3/4.

Full results are available at the USA Track and Field www.usatf.org website.

Looking ahead, a handful of Ducks may make finals runs after NCAA qualifying marks next weekend, in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships, March 11-12 in Fayetteville, Ark.

USA Indoor Men's Pole Vault Results (2/27/05)

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World: W 6.15m 2/21/1993 Sergey Bubka, UKR

American: A 5.96m 3/3/2001 Lawrence Johnson, adidas

Meet: M 5.96m 3/3/2001 Lawrence Johnson, adidas

Name Year Team Finals

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Finals

1 Brad Walker Nike 5.65m 18-06.50

5.20 5.35 5.45 5.55 5.60 5.65 5.80

PPP PPP PPP XO PPP O XXX

2 Tommy Skipper Oregon 5.55m 18-02.50