By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Aiden King is a senior and member of the track and field team who recently tied the school record in the pole vault. Advocate Sports Editor Bobby Black interviewed King about his accomplishment.

Bobby Black: Who has motivated you to tie this record?

Aiden King: What has motivated me to tie the record is how fun I have while vaulting. I enjoy it so much that it’s something that I look forward to studying and practicing. It makes me want to go as high as possible. My teammates and coaches have also been extremely supportive in the process which has been really motivating.

BB: What goals do you have after tying the record?

AK: My first goal is to get points for my team at the state meet. There’s a lot of good teams there and we need every point possible. My next goal is to break the record. It’s going to be hard but I think with a little improvement I can jump 12’0″. 

BB:  How is the season going for the team?

AK: The season is going super well. In the beginning there were a lot of unknowns but we managed to figure out our strengths and look very good. We have a chance to place well at states. 

BB: What are some of your favorite moments so far this season?

AK: My favorite moment was jumping 10’0″ for the first time. That double digit threshold was really intimidating for me so to get past that was huge. It’s also been really fun meeting new people. Everyone in the vaulting community is super nice and supportive so getting to know them has been awesome.

BB: How did you feel when you tied the record? 

AK:  It felt amazing to tie the record. I’ve been struggling with injuries so the initial plan was to have me do one vault at 9’0″ and call it a day. When I did the vault I felt pretty good so I decided to keep going and before I knew it I got over 11’6.” It was awesome to have all my teammates there to watch and celebrate with me.