Photo by Tim McDonald
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The last thing Scottie Vines wanted was a no height.
But that was how the men's high jump final turned out for the DeBeque senior at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday in Eugene, Oregon.
Vines, who won the USATF U20 Championships and the Nike Outdoor Nationals high jump title just last week, qualified for the finals on Thursday with clearances of 2.14m and 2.19m.
Vines was the lone high schooler in the 25-man field and managed to book his ticket to the field. He held his own through Thursday's preliminary heat, though Sunday's final proved to be a challenge.
With the opening bar raised to 2.16m (7-1), Vines -- who had cleared 7-0 every time he competed this season -- struggled and missed on all three attempts.
In an interview following his Thursday prelim he acknowledged the challenge of coming in so high, and not having a few lower bars to find his rhythm. But with a trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games on the line at the US Olympic Trials, the bar is indeed that high.
Backtracking a few days...
Vines' start was a bit rough in Thursday's preliminary heats.
The future Colorado Buffalo missed his first two attempts at 7-0.25. With his back against the wall and the threat of putting up a NH (No Height) in his first Olympic Trials, he cleared the height on his third attempt, which solidified a placing.
"I was having some trouble getting going," Vines admitted. "But I was not about a No Height."
He missed his first two attempts at 7-2.25 before clearing the height, which proved to be more vital than it initially seemed - the top-12 would move on to the final, and only 10 cleared the height.
"This was my first time coming in at a bar that high," he explained of his early struggles. "But I still made it to the finals, so I'm satisfied with that."
In his second clearance of the day, Vines had officially made it to Sunday's final.
The three-time Colorado state champion in the event cleared 7-4.25 twice this year - once in Texas, and once in Colorado to officially set the Colorado state record.
He was the three-time 1A state champion in the event, and was the No. 1 high jumper in the country this year by a full two-inches.
Vines has qualified to represent the US at the World Athletics U20 Championships Peru in August.
