Samuel Hathorn Kendricks (born September 7, 1992) is an American pole vaulter. He is a three-time indoor and six-time outdoor national champion (2014–2019), the 2016 Olympics bronze and 2024 Olympics silver medalist, and the 2017 and 2019 World Champion. In 2019, Kendricks set the American pole vault record at 6.06 m, tying him with Steve Hooker for sixth all time. He later won the gold medal at the World Championships in Doha.
Early life Kendricks vaulted for Oxford High School in his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi, leading his team to the 2009 MHSAA 5A State Championship. He vaulted to set the then-state record, later broken in 2023 by his brother John Scott with a vault of . Sam won the state meet outdoors in 2010 and 2011, and indoors in 2011. He also lettered in cross country and soccer. In 2011, he was named the Gatorade boys' high school track and field athlete of the year for Mississippi.
NCAA While vaulting for the University of Mississippi, Kendricks won the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Championships.Sam Kendricks Bio – Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site – Track & Field . Olemisssports.com. Retrieved on August 17, 2016. He broke both Ole Miss Rebels pole vault records as a freshman.Oxford Citizen interview with Sam in 2014. Oxfordcitizen.com (May 23, 2014). Retrieved on August 17, 2016. Kendricks announced that he would be turning pro in 2014.Sam announced his professional ambitions in 2014 with Nike. Clarionledger.com (September 17, 2014). Retrieved on August 17, 2016.
Professional 2015 Kendricks set his personal best of at the indoor 2015 Reno Pole Vault Summit. Kendrick uses a hand hold at and from his performance in Reno claims the "Push-off" World Record at ."New push-off world record of set on Essx Recoil Advanced". UST Essx (January 19, 2015). Retrieved September 5, 2021.Sam Kendricks Pole Vault Summit 2015. VAULTER Magazine (January 19, 2015). Retrieved on August 17, 2016. He won the men's pole vault at 2015 US Outdoor Championships in .USATF Championships – 6/25/2015 to 6/28/2015 Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore. usatf.org He won the prelims of the 2015 World Championships in Athletics – Men's pole vault and finished 9th in .
2016 After setting a personal best outdoors at the IAAF World Challenge in Beijing, at Kendricks won the US Olympic Trials at . At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal. Kendricks also garnered attention during the Olympics when he stopped mid run during a pole vault attempt to stand at attention while "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played.
2017
On June 24, 2017, Kendricks became the 22nd person to join the six meters club by vaulting exactly while winning the 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, California.
2019 On July 27, 2019, Kendricks set the American pole vault record by jumping 6.06 m.
2021 Kendricks placed second in the US Olympic trials at tied with KC Lightfoot, however, he was tested positive for COVID-19 in the Olympic Village, and had to withdraw from the 2020 Summer Olympics as a result, missing the pole vault competition.
2024 Leading up to the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials final Kendricks stated that he might be inclined to forgo the 2024 Olympics after his "bitter" experience from Tokyo 2020 when he claimed that his positive COVID-19 test had been a false positive and the USOC had done nothing to fight on his behalf. On June 23, 2024, he won his 7th outdoor (11th overall) U.S. National Pole Vault championship by clearing and earned an automatic bid for the Olympics. Shortly after the competition was over he confirmed that he would be going to Paris after all. In the 2024 Olympic Men's Pole Vault final he claimed the Silver Medal for Team USA by clearing a height of . He was bested by Armand "Mondo" Duplantis who set a new world record at .
Personal life Kendricks is the son of Scott and Marni Kendricks; his father is also one of his coaches. He has a twin brother, Tom.
On December 29, 2017, Kendricks married Leanne Zimmer in Oxford, Mississippi.
As of 2024, Kendricks is a member of the United States Army Reserve.
Competition record Representing 2013Summer UniversiadeKazan, Russia1st5.602015World ChampionshipsBeijing, China9th5.65 2016World Indoor ChampionshipsPortland, Oregon 2nd5.80Summer OlympicsRio de Janeiro, Brazil3rd5.85 2017World ChampionshipsLondon, United Kingdom1st5.95DécaNationAngers, France1st5.752018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom 2nd5.852019World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar1st5.97 2024World Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom 2nd5.90Summer OlympicsParis, France 2nd5.952025 World Indoor ChampionshipsNanjing, China3rd5.90World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan4th5.952026World Ultimate ChampionshipBudapest, Hungary6th5.80
See also 6 metres club
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