While sprinters racing around the track or leaping across a sea of hurdles may be the images that Princeton's track and field team brings to mind, the "field" aspects are often overlooked. From the triple jump to the hammer throw, many of the track and field athletes participate in events with very little running involved.
In contrast with the runners, these athletes contort their bodies to launch a discus down the field or use fiberglass poles to soar more than 10 feet in the air. Some of their sports are so demanding on their bodies that athletes cannot practice them more than twice a week for fear of injury.
The pole vault
While ancient Greeks used the pole vault to soar over bulls and Europeans used them to cross canals, women's pole vaulting became an Ivy League and Olympic sport only recently in 2000. The poles themselves have changed from ash wood and bamboo, to steel, to fiberglass. In 2004, Chelo Canino '04 set the school record of 13 feet, five inches, but senior Christi Niehans is quickly approaching Canino's record with the second-highest mark in school history — 11'10''.
To get in proper vaulting condition, the Tigers break their training into two areas: speed for the runway and upper-body strength for the vault. While running stadiums and interval workouts take up much of their time, they only practice pole vaulting twice a week.
"Pole vaulting is pretty hard on your body, so you can't really jump any more than that," Niehans said.
To develop upper-body strength, Princeton heads into the gym to work out on the high bar, rings and floor exercises.
This season, the Tigers have a number of prospects despite losing record-holder Canino. Freshman Courtney Regan and junior Meredith Mante, who has been recovering from back surgery, look to play a dominant role.
The throws
The throws group on the Princeton squad compete in some of the most physically taxing events in the sport.
"I would argue that javelin throwers, and throwers in general, tend to get injured more than any other event athlete," senior thrower Amy Krilla said. "To throw it well, you have to really have a flexible shoulder and fast arm whip, kind of like a rubberband or slingshot. Your body also has to bend backward into a reverse 'C' position to initiate a good throw."
As with the pole vault, throwers do not get many opportunities to actually throw because of the potential wear and tear on the athlete.
"I try to throw as little as possible in practice," Krilla said. "Unlike runners, who get into shape doing running workouts, I pretty much do everything I can to avoid throwing practice because it's such a jarring motion, and I have to keep my arm and everything else fresh for competition."
Junior hurler Laura Okpala throws the hammer, a discus with an attached wire that the hurler holds onto while spinning around. She summed up the two qualities needed to be competitive in the throws, a group that includes activities such as the shot put and the javelin.
"You need to be really quick and really explosive," Okpala said.
Technique, however, is key to being successful in the throws.
"It's just frustrating at times. Once you know the basic form, it's just tweaking a lot of things," Okpala said.
Wind plays a much larger role in the throwing events than in the running events — especially with the javelin. In high school, Krilla beat her record by 30 feet on one day by lucking out with a helpful headwind. The throws provide a lot more latitude for success and failure than a 200-meter sprint.
The high jump
Unlike throwers and vaulters, high jumpers have many more opportunities to actually practice their event. Dividing time between jumping, running and sprinting, the Tigers work both on technique and strength to clear the greatest height.
On the women's side, senior Brooke Minor has stood out in the high jump since she came to Princeton. With three All-Ivy finishes in her collegiate career, she looks four-peat performance at this year's Heptagonals — the Ivy League Championships.
"I've competed very little this season — our first two meets were rained out — so my season is really just starting," Minor said.
Minor and the rest of the track and field squad look forward to Heps, which take place May 7 and 8.
"Track meets don't get much better than Heps," Minor said. "I'm excited to take part in it one last time and hopefully perform well."
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