Texas Tech University Athletics
Q&A with Jared Thornhill
March 30, 2004 | Track and Field
March 30, 2004
Tech's Jared Thornhill has emerged this season as Tech's top vaulter with two first-place finishes and two regional qualifying marks. He enters the Texas Relays with the third-best vault in the nation after a 17'-10.50" vault at UTEP. Track and field assistant coach Don Hood is confident that Thornhill has the ability to make great things happen. "He has the chance to jump 18'-4" to 18'-6. The sky is the limit for him. Jared has the perfect build, the perfect attitude and he will do whatever he has to do to win," said Hood. "He should be an All-American." Here is what the junior from Snyder, Texas has to say about his performance last weekend and his expectations this spring.
"You had a great vault at UTEP, what was it about the meet that helped you jump so well?"
"I have jumped at UTEP before and knew it was a great place to vault. They have good winds and a fast runway. The competition is always tough and really pushes you to do your best. I try to jump my best every time and I did. "
"Your mark at UTEP was the third best mark in the nation. What was it like to get a mark like that early in the season?"
"It is really early in the season but it is good to be ranked so high. I still need to go out there and jump really well. I need to jump good marks to get an at large bid to the NCAAs in case something doesn't go good at regionals."
"So far in two appearances, you have had two regional qualifying marks. What are you doing different now?"
"It is a combination of putting everything together. I have been working all season on all the little pieces and I am finally starting to get them all together. I think once I get on bigger, stiffer poles I will start jumping a lot higher than the 17'-10.50". "
"What goals do you have set for this season?"
"I would really like to qualify for the Olympic Trials. The qualifying mark is 18'-0.5" but they only take the top 24 so I would like to jump higher than that. I would like to jump 18'-4.5" this season. I am within reach of that goal but I still have a lot of work to do to clear those heights."
