Stacy Dragila

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Stacy Dragila
Dragila at the 2005 Reno Pole Vault Summit
Personal information
Birth nameStacy Renée Mikaelsen
Born (1971-03-25) March 25, 1971 (age 53)
Auburn, California, U.S.
Height5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.72 m)
Weight137 lb (62 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States United States
SportAthletics
EventPole vault
ClubNike, Beaverton
Achievements and titles
Personal bestPole vault: 4.83 (2004)
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Pole vault
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1999 Seville Pole vault
Gold medal – first place 2001 Edmonton Pole vault
World Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Paris Pole vault
Silver medal – second place 2004 Budapest Pole vault

Stacy Renée Mikaelson known as Stacy Renée Dragila (born 25 March 1971) is a former American pole vaulter. She is an Olympic gold medalist and a multiple-time world champion.

Early life[edit]

Stacy Dragila standing in front of her photographic statue while being inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame

Dragila was born and raised in Auburn, California, northeast of Sacramento. She participated in gymnastics but gave it up due to childhood asthma.

She attended Placer High School where she played volleyball and competed on the track team as a sprinter, hurdler, and jumper. She was coached by Yuba Community College's John Orognen. She competed in the 300 meters hurdles at the CIF California State Meet, but did not place. In 1990, she placed second at the Golden West Invitational in the 400 meters hurdles.[1]

She graduated from Idaho State University in 1995. At ISU, she competed in the heptathlon. She was introduced to pole vaulting by her coach, a former vaulter himself, and she participated in some of the earliest sanctioned women's pole vault competitions.[2]

Pole vaulting career[edit]

Dragila won the women's pole vault competition at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials. Women's pole vault was a demonstration event at the Trials, and it was not included in the program of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.[3]

In March 1997, Dragila won the pole vault competition at the Indoor World Championships and set her first indoor world record, 4.48 m (14 ft 8 in). At the 1999 Outdoor World Championships, she again won gold and set her first outdoor world record, 4.60 m (15 ft 1 in). Over the course of her career, she set or tied the indoor world record 8 times and the outdoor world record 10 times.

After winning the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials and resetting the world record at 4.63 m (15 ft 2 in), Dragila won the first women's pole vault Olympic gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Stacy Dragila accepting her induction into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame

The World Championships in 2009 was Dragila's final major championship. She finished with a jump of 4.25 m (13 ft 11+1⁄2 in), not progressing to the pole vault final.[4]

Although she jumped 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) at age 37, her 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) vault at age 38 in 2009 was the ratified W35 Masters World Record until 2017.

In 2014, she was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[5] A combined high school/collegiate indoor track and field invitational, the Stacy Dragila Open, is held annually at Idaho State University.

International competitions[edit]

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
1997 World Indoor Championships Paris, France 1st Pole vault
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 1st Pole vault
2000 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 1st Pole vault
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Alberta 1st Pole vault
2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane, Australia 1st Pole vault
2003 World Athletics Final Fontvieille, Monaco 1st Pole vault
2004 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 2nd Pole vault

National titles[edit]

† The 1996 contest was a non-championship event

Personal[edit]

Stacy divorced Brent Dragila in 2006.[6]

She lived in San Diego, California, and is the founder of Altius Track Club.

Stacy now lives in Boise, Idaho, where she owns and coaches at a premier indoor/outdoor pole vault facility, Dragila Vault Co.[7]

She married American discus thrower Ian Waltz and welcomed daughter Allyx (an alternative spelling of the standard 'Alex') Josephine Waltz on June 21, 2010.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Selected Meet Results" (PDF). lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 22, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Penny, Brandon (September 27, 2010). "A decade later: Stacy Dragila". USA Track & Field. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010.
  3. ^ Hymans, Richard. "The History of the United States Olympic Trials - Track&Field" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  4. ^ Landells, Steve (August 15, 2009). "Event Report - Women's Pole Vault - Qualification". IAAF. Archived from the original on September 26, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
  5. ^ "USA Track & Field - Stacy Renée Mikaelsen Dragila". Archived from the original on December 23, 2014.
  6. ^ "CV-2006-0001399-DR (1008): Stacy R Dragila vs Brent C Dragila". Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  7. ^ "Stacy Dragila Vault Co". DragilaVaultCamps.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stacy Dragila.
Records
Preceded by Women's pole vault world record holder
August 21, 1999 – July 13, 2003 		Succeeded by
Awards
Preceded by Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
2001 		Succeeded by
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