USD Assistant Coach, Two-Time U.S. Olympian Derek Miles Wins Men's Vault at USA Outdoors
Derek Miles, an assistant track coach at The University of South Dakota and two-time Olympian, cleared 18-6 3/4 to win the men's pole vault at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday afternoon at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/25-1.asp
Miles, a 1996 USD graduate, finished ahead Jeremy Scott, originally of Norfolk, Neb., who placed second at 18-4 1/2. Scott's sisters include Terri, who both coached and ran for the Coyotes, and Diana, who also was a track athlete at USD. Jeremy Scott has also jumped at Miles's pole vault competitions at the DakotaDome.
Now competing with Team Nike, Miles recorded the winning jump ( http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=090fb11a-dadb-4d3f-bf09-15899c5622f6.html) on his second attempt at 18-6 1/4. He will compete in the IAAF World Track and Field Championships August 27 to Sept. 4 in Daegu, South Korea.
In his ninth year as an assistant coach at USD, Miles has helped the Coyotes develop a top-flight pole vault program along with longtime USD track coaches Lucky Huber and Dave Gottsleben. Huber has also served as Miles' vault coach. Miles and Huber coached Bethany Buell, a redshirt freshman from St. Louis, Mo., who earlier this month became the Coyotes' first-ever All-American (second team) with a 13th place finish in the women's pole vault at the NCAA Division I Championships earlier this month in Des Moines, Iowa.
With this win, it appears that Miles isn't slowing down at the age of 38. He began 2011 as the top-ranked American vaulter and was fourth in the World rankings. Earlier this spring, Miles had the best men's vault of 18-5 1/4 at the Vault in the Mall competition at the Drake Relays.
He was runnerup in 2010 at both the USA Indoors and USA Outdoors. He finished fourth in the pole vault at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, after competing in 2004 in Athens, Greece. Also in 2010, he finished fourth at the World Indoor Championships as the only American to qualify for the finals.
Miles, who lives in Tea with his wife Tori (a USD graduate and former Coyote women's track and field standout in the hurdles and sprints; also coach for the Tea Area girls track team), competed in the prestigious Diamond League Series last summer, taking second at the competition in Paris. He had a vault of 19-1, which was the highest U.S. mark during the season.
He also finished third at the 2010 Continental Cup as the only American competing. In his 11-year career, he has ranked among the top 10 worldwide seven times and been in the U.S. top-10 rankings every year, including top-ranked four times. He won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and was the IAAF 2008 World Athletics Champion. He has also placed highly in several international meets during his illustrious career.
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| Derek Miles, 2011 USA Outdoors Men's Pole Vault Champion |
Now competing with Team Nike, Miles recorded the winning jump ( http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=090fb11a-dadb-4d3f-bf09-15899c5622f6.html) on his second attempt at 18-6 1/4. He will compete in the IAAF World Track and Field Championships August 27 to Sept. 4 in Daegu, South Korea.
In his ninth year as an assistant coach at USD, Miles has helped the Coyotes develop a top-flight pole vault program along with longtime USD track coaches Lucky Huber and Dave Gottsleben. Huber has also served as Miles' vault coach. Miles and Huber coached Bethany Buell, a redshirt freshman from St. Louis, Mo., who earlier this month became the Coyotes' first-ever All-American (second team) with a 13th place finish in the women's pole vault at the NCAA Division I Championships earlier this month in Des Moines, Iowa.
With this win, it appears that Miles isn't slowing down at the age of 38. He began 2011 as the top-ranked American vaulter and was fourth in the World rankings. Earlier this spring, Miles had the best men's vault of 18-5 1/4 at the Vault in the Mall competition at the Drake Relays.
He was runnerup in 2010 at both the USA Indoors and USA Outdoors. He finished fourth in the pole vault at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, after competing in 2004 in Athens, Greece. Also in 2010, he finished fourth at the World Indoor Championships as the only American to qualify for the finals.
Miles, who lives in Tea with his wife Tori (a USD graduate and former Coyote women's track and field standout in the hurdles and sprints; also coach for the Tea Area girls track team), competed in the prestigious Diamond League Series last summer, taking second at the competition in Paris. He had a vault of 19-1, which was the highest U.S. mark during the season.
He also finished third at the 2010 Continental Cup as the only American competing. In his 11-year career, he has ranked among the top 10 worldwide seven times and been in the U.S. top-10 rankings every year, including top-ranked four times. He won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and was the IAAF 2008 World Athletics Champion. He has also placed highly in several international meets during his illustrious career.
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