Nick

Hysong

Career Highlights

 2000 Olympic gold medalist; 2001 World Outdoor Champs bronze medalist; 1995 U.S. Indoor Champion

Hysong bounced back with a strong year in 2005 with his runner-up finish at the USA Outdoor Championships and by tying for fifth place at the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, Finland. At the Sydney Olympics, Hysong became the first American since Bob Seagren in 1968 to win Olympic gold in the pole vault, an astonishing feat for an athlete who had never placed higher than second at a U.S. outdoor championship meet... finished the competition in Sydney with only one miss during the course of competition...before the prelims, had to travel to the stadium at 8 a.m. to re-tape his poles when officials informed him they were improperly taped...injured his heel after landing outside the pit on his first practice jump in Sydney and couldn't walk for two days... Hysong, married to Kolette in March of 2000, struggled with a hereditary foot injury for years before doctors finally diagnosed the problem and corrected it with successful surgery in 1998.  A sometimes up-and-down vaulter (so to speak), Hysong has established himself as a big-meet performer by following up his Olympic gold with a bronze medal at the 2001 World Outdoors after placing 3rd at the USA Championships.  He enjoys skateboarding.

2006: No-height at 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships…1^st at Flagstaff (5.50m/18-0.50)…best of 5.50m/18-0.50.
2005: Runner-Up at 2005 USA Outdoor Championships (5.65m/18-06.50), tied for 5^th at World Outdoor Champs (5.50m/18-0.50),cleared 5.70m/18-8.25 in Monterrey on 6/11ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 5.70m/18-8.25.  
2004: 5th at Olympic Trials (5.75m/18-10.25), tied for 4th at USA Indoors (5.60m/18-4.50), 7th at Nike Prefontaine Classic (5.60m/18-4.5), 1st at Zaragoza (5.81/19-0.75), ranked #7 in U.S. by T&FNbest of 5.81m/19-0.75.
2003: 5th at USA Outdoors (5.65m/18-6.50), 1st at Bislett Games (5.70m/18-8.50), 1st at Drake Relays (5.71m/18-8.75), 2nd at Madrid (5.78m/18-11.5), 3rd at Gaz de France (5.76m/18-10.75), 3rd at Golden Gala (5.77m/18-11.25), 1st at Oslo (5.70m/18-8.25), 3rd at ISTAF 2003 (5.76m/18-10.75), best of 5.78m/18-11.5ranked #5 in U.S. by T&FN.
2002: 3rd at USA Outdoors (5.74m/18-10), 4th at Rome (5.75m/18-10.25), 3rd at Monaco (5.75m/18-10.25), 4th at Nike Prefontainet3 in Zurich (5.70m/18-8.5), 3rd at Flagstaff, Ariz. (5.61m/18-5), 3rd at Lausanne (5.75m/18-10.25), ranked #6 in the world (#3 U.S.), best of 5.75m/18-20.25.
2001: Bronze medalist at World Outdoor Champs (5.85/19-2.50), 3rd at USA Outdoors (5.65/18-6.50), no-height at Goodwill Games and Millrose Games, 3rd at Princeton Invitational (5.65/186.50), 6th at Tyson Invitational (5.60/18-4.50), cleared 5.80/19-0.25 in Monaco and Brussels, ranked #6 in world & #3 in U.S. by T&FN, best of 5.85/19-2.50.
2000: Won Olympic gold medal (5.90/19-4.25)...2nd at Olympic Trials (5.73/18-9.5)... 5th at USA Indoors (5.61/18-4.75)...showed excellent speed when he ran 10.27 for 100 meters on July 8 at Flagstaff...ranked #1 in world and U.S...bests of 19-4.25 and 10.27.
1999: Tied for 2nd at USA Outdoors (18-6.5)...tied for 4th at World Champs (18-8.25)...ranked #6 (#2 U.S) in world by T&FN...best of 19-2.25 (indoors).
1998: No height at USA Outdoors...best of 18-8.25.
1997: 9th at USA Outdoors...ranked ninth in U.S. by T&FN...best of 18-7.25.
1996: 13th in qualifying at Olympic Trials...best of 18-8.75.
1995: U.S. Indoor champion...no height in qualifying at USA Outdoors...4th at Olympic Festival... ranked #7 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 19-2.25PR.
1994: Won Pac-10 Champs...won NCAA Outdoors...no height in qualifying at USA Outdoors... 2nd at Olympic Festival...ranked tenth in U.S. by T&FN...best of 18-8.25.
1993: Won Pac-10 Champs...5th at NCAA Outdoors...16th in qualifying at USA Outdoors...best of 18-3.25i.