Former Razorback sets American pole vault record

Sandi Morris competes during the women's pole vault final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, Sunday, July 10, 2016, in Eugene Ore. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Sandi Morris competes during the women's pole vault final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, Sunday, July 10, 2016, in Eugene Ore. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Former Arkansas NCAA champion Sandi Morris, 24, cleared 16 feet, 2 inches in the pole vault Saturday night at the American Track League meet in Houston to set an American record two months after she fractured a bone in her left wrist.

Morris' record-setting bar was set at 4.93 meters (16-2.09), which broke the American mark of 4.92 (16-1.70) set by Jenn Suhr in 2008.

Suhr won the gold medal at 2012 Olympics and silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. She will compete at the 2016 Olympics for the U.S. in the pole vault along with Morris and Arkansas freshman Lexi Weeks.

Morris cleared 16-2 on her second attempt Saturday night, then missed three attempts at 16-7 1/2.

Morris' previous outdoor best was a world-leading mark of 15-10 at a meet in Doba, Oatar on May 6.

After making her first attempts at 14-3 1/4, 14-9, 15-1, and 15-5 Saturday night, Morris missed at 15-9, then cleared it on her second attempt.

Morris made her first Olympic team by taking second behind Suhr at the U.S. Trials on July 10 in Eugene, Ore., when she cleared 15-7 on her first competition since injuring her wrist.

Morris was vaulting at a meet in the Czech Republic on May 20 when her pole broke and fractured the tip of the ulna bone, which connects the wrist to the elbow.

During the indoor season, Morris won at the U.S. Championships, beating Suhr, then finished second behind Suhr at the World Championships.

Morris, a native of Greenville, S.C., transferred from North Carolina to Arkansas after her sophomore year. She was a four-time All-American for the Razorbacks and won the 2015 NCAA indoor title.

Morris continues to train in Fayetteville with Arkansas assistant coach Bryan Compton.

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