With a name like Dove, you’re bound to take flight.
Princeton High School senior James Dove flew off to the school and Bureau County record in the pole vault Thursday at Bryant Field. He cleared 14 feet, 7 inches to break the 31-year-old record of 14-6 3/4 set by Rick Lappin in 1981.
“The first thing I felt was disbelief because I thought it was going to fall,” said Dove, who tried to up the bar to 14-9 but came up short.
Dove has already scored a victory just making it back to the track this spring. He was a 2010 state qualifier as a sophomore but missed most of the 2011 season with a stress fracture to his ankle that required surgery.
He said wrestling this winter helped his rehab, even though it was running in wrestling practice on the hard floor a year ago that led to the stress fracture
“Wrestling helped, even though I was worried I was going to hurt it,” he said. “I got to opt out of sprints and just wrestle. That helped strengthen it, I guess. After wrestling season was over, it was kind of sore. I was gradually able to sprint. I have to keep moving, or it gets sore.”
PHS track and field coach Dan Foes said he made it back with a lot of hard work and determination.
“I’m very proud of James. He has worked hard for four years and endured some adversities along the way. But he has remained focused and is really coming into his own,” Foes said.
Dove’s personal best was 14 feet which he cleared to win last week’s Mendota Invite. State qualifying for 2A which PHS will compete in this year is 13-3.
But for now, the number 14-7 sounds pretty good, he said.
By Kevin Hieronymus
Retrieved From: http://www.bcrnews.com/2012/04/13/dove-soars-to-county-pole-vault-record/ax7979l/?page=1
