DES MOINES, Iowa – Indoor pole vault returned to the Des Moines metro on Monday night after a 2-year hiatus. Some of the world's best pole vaulters entered Jordan Creek Town Center with defending men's champion KC Lightfoot and women's world No. 2 Sandi Morris leaving atop the podium to kick off the week-long running of the 116th Drake Relays.
Lightfoot did his damage in all-time fashion, surpassing his own previous record established the last time Jordan Creek hosted a pole vault event. The 2021 Olympian soared to a new best mark of 5.91m/19-4 3/4, outdoing his old record by a half inch.
Morris, a 2026 Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame inductee, was matched in altitude by world No. 1 Katie Moon at 4.75m/15-7, but the former faulted on fewer missed jumps to secure the Vault at Jordan Creek crown.
"It was awesome jumping with the guys, and they always put on a good competition," Lightfoot said. "I'm glad that I could come away with a win…[this atmosphere] is a lot of fun. Such a unique environment but we feed off the energy, just us against the bar, putting on a show."
Lightfoot will be part of the World Athletics Continental Tour (WACT) elite men's pole vault inside Drake Stadium on Saturday. He, and the rest of this year's experienced field, will begin their outdoor action at 2:30 p.m.
Morris, Moon, and the rest of the loaded women's WACT pole vault lineup will also head to Drake Stadium for their outdoor contest slated for a 12:30 p.m. start.
"It was definitely a bit of a visual adjustment at first," Morris explained. "But it was a lot of fun. You can feel the energy of the crowd right there next to you. It's nice to be somewhere that feels like home and the fans know your name and your story. This was my first competition of the season, so excited to get the momentum going. It's fun to be back."
Zach Bradford, like Lightfoot, replicated his placement from the 2024 Vault at Jordan Creek with runner-up honors after clearing 5.83m/19-1 1/2. Another Relays veteran, Chris Nilsen, took third in the men's field at 5.65m/18-6 1/2.
Emily Grove and Chloe Timberg both bowed out at 4.55m/14-11 as the next women's finishers.
The 116th Drake Relays festivities continue tomorrow evening with the annual Grand Blue Mile and USATF 1 Mile Road Championships in downtown Des Moines.
