Kalsey reacts to news of Olympics postponement
Submitted photo
Marissa Kalsey sprints down the runway for a vault attempt at the Reno Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 17. Kalsey finished fourth in the Elite Women 2 with a vault of 4.15 meters (13-7). (Photo by Brian Banks)
Jim Downey |缅北禁地
Waynesburg Central senior Marissa Kalsey clears 12 feet on her way to the gold medal in the girls Class AA pole vault in the 2012 PIAA Individual Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University鈥檚 Seth Grove Stadium. The IOC has decided to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, altering Kalsey鈥檚 preparations for a hopeful U.S. Trials berth.
Submitted photo
Marissa Kalsey acknowledges the crowd at the Reno Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 17. Kalsey finished fourth in the Elite Women 2 with a vault of 4.15 meters (13-7). (Photo by Brian Banks)
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
In this March 29, 2012 file photo, Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Marissa Kalsey easily clears the bar in the pole vault during a Section 6-AA triangular against Jefferson-Morgan and Beth-Center at Waynesburg.
Four years ago, Marissa Kalsey was recovering from a serious ankle injury that derailed not only her bid to become an NCAA Division II outdoor pole vault champion, but any hope of making a run for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Fast forward to 2020 and the Waynesburg Central and Westminster graduate was well into her quest for another attempt at securing a berth into the U.S. Olympic Trials when her training was dramatically altered because of the measures undertaken to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
鈥淭oday is the last day we can work out. We vault at a school,鈥� Kalsey said of a text she received while being interviewed on March 16. 鈥淚 definitely understand the precautions. Most of the public gyms shut down. We work out in the back of a little gymnastic place.鈥�
It鈥檚 not as though Kalsey can go to the local park to vault, either. Nor, does she have the same resistance equipment at her disposal as she does at her training center.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not much I can do at home. I鈥檝e changed the way I鈥檝e done my running workouts. I鈥檝e gotten a lot faster,鈥� said Kalsey, adding, 鈥淭he lifting gets tough without actual weights.
鈥淎ll of this has thrown a wrench in it, a little bit. So, the unknown is what is going to happen.鈥�
In the ever-evolving measures to deal with coronavirus spread, the USATF announced on March 17 all sanctioned events in the next 30 days would be canceled.
Then, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Tuesday the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics would be postponed for the first time for a reason other than war (1916, 1940, 1944). The IOC statement announced the Tokyo Games 鈥渕ust be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020, but not later than the summer of 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.鈥�
Pressure was mounting on the IOC to delay the Games, especially after Canada and Australia said they would not send athletes to Japan and a number of national federations voiced their concerns.
Following that news, the track world championships to be held in Eugene, Oregon, on Aug. 6-15, 2021, could be pushed back a year, to 2022.
鈥淎t first, a few weeks ago, I was disappointed it might be postponed or cancelled,鈥� Kalsey said Tuesday from her family home in Waynesburg after hearing the news. 鈥淭hings got worse, more serious. It鈥檚 more important to keep people safe.
鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing. There might not be many opportunities for qualifying.鈥�
Kalsey works with three coaches: vault coach Mark Hollis, training coach Jeff Coover and gymnastics coach Phil Savage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been an awesome team approach,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited, but unsure. I鈥檓 in a better spot than ever to jump higher. I can get that standard, eventually.
鈥淲e have to come together for a plan for what we will do. Everything is still up in the air.鈥�
Kalsey is just trying to do what she does through this difficult stretch.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to stay in shape. I鈥檓 doing the most I can do training-wise,鈥� explained Kalsey. 鈥淚 do the speed and fast-twitch stuff, but I might have to go back to hard workouts and sore muscles.鈥�
Kalsey is adapting as best she can.
鈥淚 set up rings upstairs (for her gymnastics training) and I have some weights,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淲e have to come up with a plan to be ready for 2021. They don鈥檛 know a date yet. I just need to be ready.鈥�
Still, even with all the speed training and work with gymnastics and in the weight room, Kalsey said she needs to vault.
鈥淭here are no pits to vault at,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淚t really becomes important when you鈥檙e competing to be able to vault and to have the confidence on the poles. It鈥檚 a whole different mindset when you鈥檙e vaulting.
鈥淚t comes down to vaulting.鈥�
Also, Kalsey said it takes time to get moving back into competition mode after any layoff.
鈥淎fter downtime, like after the indoor season, it takes time to kind of build back up,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淚t takes one, two months. I need a couple weeks to drill. Then, do short runs, long runs with short runs, and long runs (on the runway).
鈥淚t鈥檚 still a process to get back on your biggest poles.鈥�
And, as with many Americans, the precautionary measures have affected some of her employment. Although, she does some work at home.
鈥淚 sub at a school, usually on Mondays,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淚 do have a job online. I teach English to Chinese kids. They鈥檙e adding classes. So, that鈥檚 a demand.鈥�
Kalsey has recovered from two serious injuries over the past four years. She suffered a broken talus bone in 2016 and an unrelated injury to her right ankle last year in July.
Kalsey worked her way back from the first ankle injury to win the NCAA Division III outdoor championship in 2017 in her redshirt senior season with a record-breaking vault of 4.22 meters (13-10).
She vaulted in her first USATF Outdoor Championships last year in June and placed 12th with a vault of 4.30 meters (14-1录).
Kalsey once again worked all the back from an ankle injury when she cleared 4.37 meters (14-4) at the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet in early February. She cleared 4.32 meters (14-2) in the same meet, also a personal best.
鈥淭hat was an all-time high PR for me,鈥� said Kalsey, adding, 鈥淚 jump 14 feet quite consistently.
鈥淚 have a confidence I鈥檝e never had indoors. I鈥檓 getting on bigger poles. It鈥檚 unusual. I don鈥檛 peak indoors.鈥�
Kalsey continued the thought, adding, 鈥淲hen you jump those heights, when I cleared 14-4, it was so rewarding.鈥�
Understandably, Kalsey was looking forward to the outdoor season so she could clear the U.S Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 4.60 meters (15-1). The Olympic Trials, for the moment, are still a go at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on June 19-28.
鈥淚 need as many meets as I can, as many opportunities as I can get. The top vaulters, not as much. They peak when they can,鈥� explained Kalsey. 鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing there will be less meets, but it鈥檚 out of our control.鈥�
But, she added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not our whole lives. It鈥檚 not the end all be all.鈥�
Kalsey also has to consider her life outside of vaulting. She鈥檚 engaged, but has decided with her fiance Dylan Thomas to hold off marriage until their lives are situated.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy we decided to do what we鈥檝e done. We decided to wait until we鈥檙e for sure together. He still lives and works in Pennsylvania. I don鈥檛 want to be a distance relationship seven hours apart,鈥� explained Kalsey, who trains in Tennessee. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not in a hurry. We both know what we want.鈥�
But, the chance to shine on the world stage still drives Kalsey鈥檚 training and approach to her sport.
鈥淢y goal, I would love to go to the Olympics, but I have to take it step-by-step. I need (to clear) 8, 9 more inches. I can still go up from what I鈥檝e done,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淚鈥檓 optimistic. I usually peak in outdoors. Now I feel 4.60 meters is there. Everything needs to line up. It feels I already have it in the bank.鈥�
Kalsey hopes the IOC and organizing committee will soon determine an alternative date so she can plan out her training, but appreciates the difficulty of making such a monumental decision.
鈥淲ithin the next three months would be ideal,鈥� said Kalsey. 鈥淎s soon as possible, of course.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the easiest thing. It鈥檚 especially difficult for those who qualified and had the relief of making it. But, most of the athletes were on the same page (for a postponement) to keep everyone safe.鈥�
Kalsey related sage advice from a teammate (and Olympian) on how to approach the whole process, especially given current national and international events.
鈥淵ou have to remember every moment of it. It鈥檚 not so much about the destination, it鈥檚 the journey. Enjoy the moments,鈥� said Kalsey, adding, 鈥淢y life is not all about pole vaulting.鈥�