Guttormsen Makes History at Columbia Challenge

Saturday, January 26

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Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge

Guttormsen set a UCLA indoor pole vault record at 5.71m (18-8.75) at the Columbia Challenge.

Guttormsen Makes History at Columbia Challenge

January 26, 2019 | Track & Field

Results

NEW YORK – Pole vault sensation Sondre Guttormsen came to UCLA as a hot prospect. The freshman out of Ski, Norway, didn't disappoint in his collegiate debut, breaking the Bruins' indoor pole vault record, setting a Columbia Challenge meet record and setting the Norwegian national record.

The six-foot product of Davis Senior High School cleared 5.71m (18-8.75) on his third attempt, which breezed past Mike Tulley's indoor effort of 5.62m (18-5.25) set for the Bruins in 1978. Guttormsen, the second athlete ever to clear 18 feet at the National Pole Vault Summit, also tied Tulley's outdoor mark of 5.71m.

?? SCHOOL RECORD ALERT! ??@sondre_pv has broken the UCLA indoor pole vault record with a mark of 5.71m (18-8.75)! This is also a meet record for the Columbia Challenge! ??

Congrats, Sondre! ??#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/3EmmRZfLxk
— UCLA Track & Field (@UCLATrack_Field) January 26, 2019

Overall, the men finished with 79 points to snag third place, just two points behind Ohio State and 10 points behind first-place BYU. On the women's side, the Bruins collected 46 points to snag eighth place, well past ninth-place Columbia (29) and BYU (22).

In the men's weight throw, senior Justin Stafford mustered a first-place finish for the third consecutive meet, tossing 20.55m (67-5.25) to earn 10 points for the Bruins. On the women's side, sophomore Alyssa Wilson heaved 19.30m (63-4) to claim third place.

Ten more points came from junior Robert Brandt, who broke the eight-minute barrier in the 3000m and clocked a collegiate-best time of 7:59.11, the fourth-fastest time in program history.

Senior Meleni Rodney finished second in the 200m dash with a time of 24:05, while senior Leon Powell (21.70) and freshman Seth Holloway (21.87) went 5-6 for the men.

Senior Michael Burke, the indoor record holder for UCLA in the high jump, captured eight points with a second-place finish, clearing 2.14m (7-0.25).

Senior Dotun Ogundeji, who earned second in the college division of the shot put, advanced to the shot put invitational, where he finished third at 19.52m (64-0.5).

In the 800m, junior Riley Kelly finished fourth with a time of 1:51.69, and junior Carter Blunt took fourth in the one-mile run with a time of 4:08.00.

Sophomore Tate Curran also competed in the men's pole vault, finishing third at 5.10m (16-8.75).

Next Meet
UCLA returns to action on Feb. 1-2 at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque, N.M.