Melinda Owen article (Idaho)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.argonaut.uidaho.edu/content/view/1287/50/

Owen flying high once again
Written by Abbey Lostrom -Argonaut
Friday, 24 February 2006
On Dec. 2, 2005, Melinda Owen had one of the best and one of the worst pole-vaulting days of her career.

That Friday was an enlightening practice for the 21-year-old member of the Idaho track and field team. A few aspects of the sport had remained out of her grasp, but she felt she was finally starting to really understand some of them, like hip placement. It was clicking.

File photo Redshirt sophomore Melinda Owen competes in the pole vault during the McDonald's Collegiate Invite Feb. 3 in the Kibbie Dome. She set a new school record of 12-7 1/2.

Then, she took what would be her last vault for six weeks. Having bent her regular pole, she selected a stiffer one. She took 16 running steps. She planted the pole, keeping as much distance as possible between it and her body, not allowing her left arm to collapse. And she jumped.
“When a pole uncoils, it throws you,â€Â