Sweet Home High School graduate Keegan Burnett set a new Lane Community College pole vault record of 16-5 1/4 at an all-comers meet at the University of Oregon July 21.
“It’s kind of nice to finally get the record,” said Burnett, 21, who graduated from Sweet Home in 2002. “I never did get the Sweet Home record (of 13-10). I jumped 14-6 in practice, but only got 13-0 (in meets).”
After attending Oregon State University, which has no men’s track program, for a year, Burnett said he transferred to LCC, where he has competed for two years. This year he placed first in the Southern Regional Championships with a personal best jump of 16-0 3/4 and followed that up two weeks later with a second-place finish at the Northwest Association of Community Colleges meet, where he jumped 16-0.
After setting his record on July 21, Burnett said he attempted to clear 17-0 3/4 “and had the height but just didn’t get the penetration.”
He said at the final all-comers meet on July 28 at the UO, he cleared 15-9, but took attempts at 16-9, 17-0 3/4 and 17-6 1/2. “I had the hip height, but again not the penetrations, plus my coach wasn’t here,” he said.
“All in all, though, some good meets and good jumping ? finally a school record.”
Burnett said he plans to enter UO, where he has been recruited to compete for the track team as a walk-on, and where “hopefully, next year, I’ll get deep into the 17’s.”
He said he plans to major in human physiology and become an athletic or personal trainer.