Brad Walker (born June 21, 1981 in Aberdeen, South Dakota) is an American pole vaulter. He was the American recordholder and was the 2007 World Champion in the event.
 Walker at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 21, 1981 Aberdeen, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Spouse | Sage Walker[1] |
| Sport | |
| Country |  United States |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Pole Vault |
Medal record | |
| Updated on August 11, 2012 | |
High school
editWalker attended University High School in Spokane Valley, Washington and competed in football, basketball, and track and field. In track, Walker was coached by Reg Hulbert and won All-Greater Spokane League honors following his senior season.[citation needed] Walker graduated from University High School in 1999 with a 3.89 GPA.[citation needed]
Collegiate and professional career
editWalker attended the University of Washington, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. While there, he became NCAA indoor pole vault champion twice and four-time NCAA All-American under Coach Pat Licari. In 2005 he became both indoor and outdoor National Champion.
Perhaps not among the favorites in the 2005 World Championships, Walker nonetheless won the silver medal with 5.75. Two weeks later in Rieti he set a new personal best of 5.96. In 2006 he won the World Indoor Championships in Moscow with a jump of 5.80meters. In July 2006, at Jockgrim, Germany, Brad Walker, cleared 6 meters, the best performance of the year, in a pole vault competition. He won the gold in the world championships on September 1, 2007. On June 8, 2008 Walker jumped in Eugene to a new personal and American record with 6.04.[2] Walker qualified for the 2008 Olympics, but failed to clear a height in the preliminary rounds.
Walker retained his US championship title in 2009, even though his status as reigning World Champion gave him a bye into the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.[3]
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Walker reached the final but finished 12th with a 5.50m vault.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ BRAD WALKER ON HALL OF FAME INDUCTION, SEASON GOALS FOR KATIE MOON - UCS SPIRIT NATIONAL POLE VAULT SUMMIT 2024 DyeStat
- ^ Kirby Lee for the IAAF. "American record 6.04m for Walker". Retrieved June 9, 2008.
- ^ Morse, Parker (June 28, 2009). World season leads for Demus and Merritt as team takes shape in Eugene - USA Champs, Day 3. IAAF. Retrieved on June 30, 2009.
- ^ "London 2012 pole vault men Results - Olympic athletics".
- University of Washington at the Wayback Machine (archived October 30, 2005)
- USA Pole Vaulter - Brad Walker at the Wayback Machine (archived May 30, 2013)