Stacy Dragila

Stacy Renée Dragila (née Mikaelson; born 25 March 1971) is an American former pole vaulter. A pioneer in the women's event, she is an Olympic gold medalist and a multiple world champion.

Stacy Dragila
Personal information
Born (1971-03-25) 25 March 1971
Auburn, California, U.S.
Height1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Sport
Country United States
SportAthletics
Event(s)Pole vault
ClubNike, Beaverton
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
  • Pole vault: 4.83 (2004)
Medal record
Olympic Games
2000 SydneyPole vault
World Championships
1999 SevillePole vault
2001 EdmontonPole vault
World Indoor Championships
1997 ParisPole vault
2004 BudapestPole vault

Early life
Stacy Dragila standing in front of her photographic statue while being inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame

Stacy was born and raised in the rural town of Auburn, California, northeast of Sacramento. When her older brother Eric got involved with rodeo, she followed him into the sport. She also participated in gymnastics, but had to give it up due to childhood asthma.

She attended Placer Union High School where she played volleyball and ran on the track team as a sprinter, hurdler, and jumper. Early on, she didn't feel she was living up to her potential, and got coaching from Yuba Community College's John Orognen. She managed to get to the finals of the 300 meters hurdles at the CIF California State Meet, but didn't place.[1] She placed second at the Golden West Invitational in the 400 meters hurdles.[1]

Pole vaulting

After graduating, Nielsen gave her a job as assistant coach, which she supplemented by working as a waitress. Her improvement continued, clearing 13 feet (4.0 m) in January 1996. By June she was up to 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m). The Olympic Trials held the women's pole vault as a demonstration event, which Stacy won by a foot (0.3 m);[2] it was not included in the program of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.[3]

Professional
Stacy Dragila accepting her induction into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame

She made the World Championships in 2009 her final major championship; she finished with a jump of 4.25 m (13 ft 11+1⁄2 in), not progressing to the pole vault final.[4] Dragila was one of the foremost athletes in the early years of women's pole vaulting, winning the gold medal at the first three major pole vaulting championships. Her best vault of 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) set in 2004 was significantly higher than other female vaulters of her generation.[5]

While she jumped 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) at age 37, her 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) at age 38 in 2009 is the ratified W35 Masters World Record.

In 2014, she was elected into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[6] Dragila Way, on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello, is named in her honor.

International competitions
YearCompetitionVenuePositionNotes
1997 World Indoor Championships Paris, France 1st Pole vault
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 1st Pole vault
2000 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 1st Pole vault
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Alberta 1st Pole vault
2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane, Australia 1st Pole vault
2003 World Athletics Final Fontvieille, Monaco 1st Pole vault
2004 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 2nd Pole vault

National titles

† The 1996 contest was a non-championship event

Personal

She divorced Brent in 2006.[7]

Stacy Dragila lived in San Diego, California, and is the founder of Altius Track Club.

She now lives in Boise, Idaho, where she owns and coaches at a premier indoor/ outdoor pole vault facility, Dragila Vault Co. STACY Dragila Vault CO.

Dragila married American discus thrower Ian Waltz and welcomed daughter Allyx (an alternative spelling of the standard 'Alex') Josephine Waltz on June 21, 2010.[8]

References
  1. http://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1990/gwi_res.pdf
  2. "Dragila vaults to second straight title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 1, 1997. p. 2D.
  3. https://www.usatf.org/statistics/champions/OlympicTrials/HistoryOfTheOlympicTrials.pdf
  4. Landells, Steve (2009-08-15). Event Report - Women's Pole Vault - Qualification Archived 2009-09-26 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-16.
  5. http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=54496.html
  6. http://www.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Hall-of-Fame/2014-Hall-of-Fame-Bios/Stacy-Renee-Mikaelsen-Dragila.aspx
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. http://trackfield.teamusa.org/news/2010/09/27/a-decade-later-stacy-dragila/38733
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