TOKYO — Katie Nageotte, an Olmsted Falls native and Ashland University alumna, is officially the third woman in U.S. history to win a gold medal in pole vault.
Nageotte was the only athlete to clear 4.9 meters on her second attempt. On the first attempt, her jump was a bit shaky after missing 4.5 meters on her first two tries. She then cleared it on her third try.
Anzhelika Sidorova of Russia is taking home the silver, and Holly Bradshaw of Great Britain got the bronze.
Nageotte placed first in the semifinals last week after rain delayed the competition. The 30 year old had the highest jump of the year after recording a 4.95 in June in Eugene, Oregon to qualify for the Games.
The Ashland University native told Spectrum News she’s been training in Washington State with former Olympian Brad Walker.
“I don’t think he really wanted to but according to him, when I sent him videos he said he would be dumb not to take me on, so I’m just very grateful he did,” she said.
Nageotte’s road to the Olympics hasn’t been an easy one.
She has faced a number of challenges, from dealing with COVID, to just missing the previous Olympics, transferring colleges and losing her father at age 16.
“I really genuinely feel like that town helped raise me and my brother and my sister, so there’s just a love for that community that I have felt from them and I feel for them, and then just the support I’ve received from everyone over the past four years has been incredible,” said Nageotte.
Now, she’s returning home with a gold medal in hand.
“I can show people that if it doesn’t happen immediately, it doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen. It took me five years out of college to get a sponsorship to jump, to make a world team,” said Nageotte. “Put your ego to the side and say, ‘I don’t know everything.’ Ask for help, but that pretty great things can happen if you just stay persistent and stay confident in yourself and believe in yourself.”
Ryan Schmelz contributed to this report.
