Stacy Dragila

Stacy Renée Dragila (née Mikaelson; born March 25, 1971) is an American former pole vaulter. She is an Olympic gold medalist and a multiple world champion.

Stacy Dragila
Dragila at the 2005 Reno Pole Vault Summit
Personal information
Birth nameStacy Renée Mikaelsen
Born (1971-03-25) March 25, 1971
Auburn, California, U.S.
Height5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.72 m)
Weight137 lb (62 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportAthletics
Event(s)Pole vault
ClubNike, Beaverton
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)Pole vault: 4.83 (2004)
Medal record
Olympic Games
2000 SydneyPole vault
World Championships
1999 SevillePole vault
2001 EdmontonPole vault
World Indoor Championships
1997 ParisPole vault
2004 BudapestPole vault

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

Stacy was born and raised in the rural town of Auburn, California, northeast of Sacramento. She also participated in gymnastics, but had to give it up due to childhood asthma.

She attended Placer Union High School where she played volleyball and ran on the track team as a sprinter, hurdler, and jumper. Early on she got coaching from Yuba Community College's John Orognen. She managed to get to the finals of the 300 meters hurdles at the CIF California State Meet, but didn't place.[1] She placed second at the Golden West Invitational in the 400 meters hurdles.[1]

Pole vaulting

She cleared 13 feet (4.0 m) in January 1996. By June she was up to 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m). The Olympic Trials held the women's pole vault as a demonstration event, which Stacy won by a foot (0.3 m);[2] it was not included in the program of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.[3]

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

She made the World Championships in 2009 her 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] Dragila won the gold medal at the first three major pole vaulting championships. Her best vault of 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) set in 2004 was significantly higher than other female vaulters of her generation.[5]

While she jumped 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) at age 37, her 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) at age 38 in 2009 is the ratified W35 Masters World Record.

In 2014, she was elected into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[6] Dragila Way, on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello, is named in her honor.

International competitions
YearCompetitionVenuePositionNotes
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

† The 1996 contest was a non-championship event

Personal

Stacy divorced Brent Dragila in 2006.[7]

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.[8]

She married American discus thrower Ian Waltz and welcomed daughter Allyx (an alternative spelling of the standard 'Alex') Josephine Waltz on June 21, 2010.[9]

References
  1. "Selected Meet Results" (PDF). lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 22, 2014.
  2. "Dragila vaults to second straight title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 1, 1997. p. 2D. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  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. Morse, Parker (September 25, 2009). "Pole Vault Pioneer Stacy Dragila takes a bow". IAAF. Archived from the original on September 28, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
  6. "USA Track & Field - Stacy Renée Mikaelsen Dragila". Archived from the original on December 23, 2014.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Stacy Dragila Vault Co". DragilaVaultCamps.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  9. Penny, Brandon (September 27, 2010). "A decade later: Stacy Dragila". USA Track & Field. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010.
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