NORTH ROYALTON — Aspiring pole vaulters should not be mistaken. The state’s best don’t always enjoy smooth rides to Columbus.
Just ask Gabby Whalen.
The Jackson junior still wears the scars of her sport. An attempt at a personal best during a regular season meet cost her a few weeks of action. She is thankful it didn’t cost her the season.
“I was at 12-9 and I didn’t want to come down on the bar,” Whalen said. “I put my leg down and I sliced my leg open with my spike.
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“I got 30 stitches in my left shin. I was terrified. I didn’t know what was going to happen next.”
What happened was recovery, a return to form and a third straight state berth. Whalen earned it on May 30 at the North Royalton Division I super regional with a winning vault of 12 feet even.
The injury could not derail what been a perfect run for Whalen. She has won every pole vault event this season.
The personal best Whalen aimed for was even eclipsed. She cleared 13 feet even in her first meet back on April 29 against Hoover.
“I took as much time as I needed,” Whalen said. “I let my body fully recover. I stayed healthy.
“I had a great finish to where I am now. It was definitely a major setback, but I was able to keep going.”
The regional title is Whalen’s third straight. It occurred in what has been a unique postseason for herself and other vaulters.
The expansion of the OHSAA track and field tournament eliminated district meets and created super regionals for Division I teams. A super regional preliminary was held on May 19 in North Royalton, but it did not include field events.
Whalen last vaulted competitively on May 13 at the Federal League Championships.
“The break that we had, I focused on everything I could prepare for,” Whalen said. “I spent every day working as hard as I could.”
Whalen knew this much: GlenOak’s Emma Studer would also be at the super regional to give her a run at the title.
Studer will also be heading to the state meet for a third time. The senior finished third with a vault of 11-4. Last year she beat Whalen for the district title.
“She went 12-3, and it pushed me to keep going,” Whalen said. “She’s a great competitor and a good friend of mine.”
The pole vault victory ended a winning super regional for Whalen. She cleared 5-3 to win the high jump on May 28. Teammate Taylor Brownsword finished a close second at 5-2 and will compete with Whalen again at state.
“My jump has been up and down this season,” Whalen said. “I didn’t know what to expect. I went into it with an open mind. I was excited to have fun, especially with Taylor. It’s her last year as a senior.
“I jumped better than I have this whole season. I did the best I could.”
Greater Canton’s automatic OHSAA state track and field qualifiers from Saturday’s North Royalton Division I super regional
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackson vaulter Gabby Whalen wins regional again after scary injury
Reporting by Mike Popovich, Canton Repository / The Repository
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