Sam Kendricks

Sam Kendricks is an American is a track and field athlete born on 7th September 1992. He hails from Oxford city of Mississippi in the United States. Sam specializes in Pole Vault and represents his country internationally in that sport.

Background

Sam Kendricks was born to Scott Kendricks and Marni Kendricks. He was born and raised in Oxford city in Mississippi. Sam has a twin brother, Tom Kendricks.

Sam had an athletic interest at a young age. He tried his hands at Pole Vault while studying at the Oxford High School. In 2009, while representing his high school team, Sam won his first Pole Vault title with a jump of 5.18-meter and also led Oxford High School to win the MHSAA 5A State Championships.

After completion of his high school education, Sam Kendricks enrolled at the University of Mississippi, where he became a member of the college team Ole Miss Rebels. As a first-year student, he broke two Pole Vault team records.

Sam Kendricks currently employs at the United States Army Reserve (USAR) as a First Lieutenant officer.

Rise to Glory

Sam Kendricks received his first career breakthrough in 2013 when he won the Bronze medal in Pole Vault with a jump of 5.60 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships. That year, in June, he won his first Pole Vault title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The following month, Sam won the Gold medal in Pole Vault at the Summer Universiade.

In 2014, Sam defended his NCAA Outdoor Championships title in Pole Vault. That year, in June, he claimed his first senior national title by jumping 5.75 meters at the US Indoor Track and Field Championships. The following year, Sam became the indoor national champion in Pole Vault with a jump of 5.76 meters.

In 2017, Sam Kendricks became the 22nd Pole Vaulter in the world to breach the 6-meter mark while claiming the US Championships title. He has accumulated 9 national championships titles (indoor and outdoor combined) in Pole Vault.

Major Achievements

Sam Kendricks made his professional international debut in 2015 at the World Athletics Championships, where he finished joint 9th in the final by jumping 5.65 meters. The following year, he made it to the podium finish with a Silver medal by taking a jump of 5.80 meters at the World Indoor Athletics Championships.

Sam made his Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics and won his first Olympic medal by taking home a Bronze medal in Pole Vault with a jump of 5.85 meters, 0.13 meters behind Silver-medalist Renaud Lavillenie of France. In 2017, he was crowned as the World Champion in Pole Vault by jumping 5.95 meters at the World Athletics Championships.

In 2018, Sam Kendricks won the Silver medal with a jump of 5.85m at the World Indoor Championships. That year, in July, he claimed the Gold medal in Pole Vault with a jump of 5.83 meters at the Athletics World Cup, followed by another Gold medal at the Continental Cup in September.

In 2019, Sam clinched his first Diamond League title in Pole Vault with a jump of 5.93 meters in Zurich, Switzerland. That year, he became the World Champion for the second time with a jump of 5.97 meters at the World Athletics Championships.

Sam Kendricks will make his second Olympics appearance at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and is considered as one of the strong contenders for a medal in Pole Vault.