BELTON — The bar was raised Saturday at the Bell County Expo Center as professional and college-level athletes took the field.
These athletes battled it out against each other during the Texas Expo Explosion pole vaulting event, soaring upwards of 18 feet in the air. Saturday was the second and final day of the 13th annual competition that has attracted athletes from all over the country.
For Texas A&M University student Colby Tindall, competing this year is both about fun and pushing himself farther as he tries to get onto his college’s pole vaulting team.
Tindall, 20, said his goal was to jump at least 16 feet in Saturday afternoon’s Open Men Group, which can be entered by anyone who is out of high school.
“I am trying to walk on (to the team) right now,” Tindall said. “If I can eventually get over at least 16 feet, that should hopefully be a pretty good mark to get in. I am at 15 feet 9 inches right now, so I am almost there.”
As a part of the Mac Vault Academy in College Station, Tindall split his time at the competition between training for his division and coaching others when needed.
Nate Comiskey, 15, was one of those who came to the competition with Tindall, having both trained at the same gym.
Though it was only his first year pole vaulting, Houston native Comiskey took second place early Saturday during the High School Boys Group 9. Despite coming in second, Comiskey said he was still happy after setting a new personal best vault of 11 feet 2 inches.
“In sixth grade, I saw a bunch of Youtube videos, then went outside and got some PVC pipe and just got into it,” Comiskey said.
Both students said they enjoyed coming to the Bell County competition, with the large domed space and many fans looking on adding a unique pressure.
This pressure was what drove Wyatt Stewart, 16, who drove about 15 hours from Richmond, Ky., to compete in high school boys group.
Stewart said he felt good about Saturday’s competition, with large professional venues such as the Expo Center usually making him compete better. A junior in high school now, Stewart said he has been competing for the past five years since he was in the sixth grade.
While scarred of heights, Stewart said he enjoys the scary and intense feeling he gets from pole vaulting.
“I think I should be doing pretty good today,” Stewart said. “I have been jumping on bigger poles and have been getting a longer run. Everything has been going great and I am expecting to jump high today.”
