Rockport-Fulton's Olivia Carney stunned with third-place showing at UIL State Track

AUSTIN — Nine competitors came into Thursday's Class 4A girls pole vault and all of them had cleared at least 11 feet at regionals.

The one competitor that hadn't was smiling as big as anyone after the event ended.

Rockport-Fulton sophomore Olivia Carney broke her previous best clearance twice at the UIL State Meet, topping 11 feet and 11-6 to finish third place and bring home a medal in her first appearance at the state meet.

"I was sick to my stomach and nervous," Carney said. "I didn't think I was going to get third."

After she missed the final time at 12-0, Carney said she was unaware that she sat in third, beating out three other athletes on fewer misses. When word trickled down to her, she began to sob, overcome with joy.

"The judge came up and I asked if we had to jump off and he told me only first place had to jump off," Carney said. "You just have to stay because you are third ... I was like 'No way,' and I burst into tears."

Carney cleared 10-6 on her second attempt, but made 11 and 11-6 on her first attempt, giving her the tie-break for the bronze.

The Pirates' sophomore said it was a big deal because Rockport-Fulton had not sent a girls pole vaulter to state since 2021, when Mikey Dominguez advanced and earned a silver medal.

"I was kind of doing it for her, (the last pole vaulter Mikey Dominguez) and I did it to prove to everybody," Carney said. "At the start of the season, I felt pressure to go to state. It was such a big thing to me. As soon as I (got through) regionals and qualified for state it was such a relief. I had been putting such pressure on myself to make it.

"I didn't go into it wanting to medal or trying to medal, I just wanted to PR. I was seeded last. I didn't think getting a medal was possible at all."

Carney's Rockport-Fulton teammate Brody Karl finished just off the podium, as he ended up in fourth in Class 4A boys pole vault after clearing 14-6.

Sulphur Springs' Jaicee Jasper was the Class 4A girls state champion with a clearance of 13-0, with Nevada Community's Kira Bowman finishing second with the same mark, but more attempts.

More: 2024 UIL State Track And Field Championships: Live Results

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Rockport-Fulton's Olivia Carney surprised by medal at UIL State Track