Following ankle injury that prevented him from vaulting at New Balance Nationals Indoor, Davis Senior CA star will compete at 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Sondre Guttormsen didn't get the opportunity to compete in the pole vault March 10 at New Balance Nationals Indoor in New York, after the Norwegian standout suffered a sprained right ankle March 3 at the Sacramento State High School Classic.

The senior at Davis Senior CA returned to the runway March 21 at a Delta League meet and cleared 17 feet, 1 inch (5.21m), providing him reassurance that he is ready to compete Friday in the high school boys competition at the 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Guttormsen, a UCLA signee, will renew acquaintances with Zach Bradford of Bloomington IL and KC Lightfoot of Lee's Summit MO, who took the top two spots at New Balance Nationals.

Guttormsen prevailed against the Kansas-bound Bradford and Baylor signee Lightfoot Jan. 13 at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev., with an 18-foot clearance (5.49m) and followed it up Feb. 17 with a 17-8.50 effort (5.40m) to set the meet record at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho.

Bradford joined Guttormsen and Armand "Mondo" Duplantis of Lafayette LA in clearing 18 feet indoors with a winning mark of 18-0.50 (5.50m) at New Balance Nationals. Lightfoot finished second at 17-9 (5.41m).

Guttormsen boasts an outdoor best of 17-9 (5.41m) from August, with Lightfoot clearing 17-8.50 in June and Bradford with a 17-4 clearance in May.

Jack Whitt of Norman North OK set the Texas Relays high school boys meet record in 2009 at 18-0.25 (5.49m).

Although Duplantis won the high school competition in 2016 with a 17-8.50 effort, when he cleared a World U20 record 19-4.25 (5.90m) at Texas Relays last year, it was to triumph in the men's elite field.