Aside from defying gravity, Vincent Farenc (12) is also shattering records. On March 14, Farenc went into the me
et at San Marcos with a PR of 14′ 7, ready to challenge the school record of 14′ 9.
“I got 14′ 9 which tied the record,” Farenc said. “[It] was a pretty big deal, and I was happy about that. And the
n, from that point on, I’m the last person vaulting, so I get to choose where to put the next bar.”
After matching the school record that had remained unbroken for six years, Farenc decided to keep pushing the limits.
“[I went] from 14′ 9 to 14′ 10 because I just want to break the record,” Farenc said. “From then we chose 15′ 1 so I could beat my coach [when he was] in high school, and after that we did 15′ 3 all in one day. I did that but then I [just] missed that 15′ 6.”
Nevertheless, Farenc didn’t allow this failure to sit for very long. Farenc reached new heights by vaulting 15′ 6 at Torrey Pines the very next week, on March 21.
Farenc has been vaulting since his freshman year and has overcome humbling beginnings through his passion for the sport.
“When I started freshman year, I wanted to try [pole vaulting],” Farenc said. “It’s pretty discouraging at first because it’s a really technical sport but I stuck with it and I enjoyed doing it. It’s just a different feeling from any other sport. It’s kind of like an adrenaline rush and it’s really satisfying getting over [the cross bar].”
Coach David Freund says Farenc’s accomplishments have been a long-coming result from his dedication to the sport over the past four years.
“He’s been one of the hardest workers that I’ve had the pleasure of working with as a coach,” Freund said. “He’s here during preseason. He’s a leader on our team. He sets an example. His work ethic has been impeccable. He truly deserves the mark that he’s, that he’s hit.”
Farenc said he also believes the individual aspect of pole vaulting has pushed him even harder to improve over the years.
“If something goes wrong it’s on yourself, not on your team,” Farenc said. “You can’t blame anyone but yourself. I like that ability to have control over it.”
For anyone looking to begin vaulting, Farenc says they shouldn’t be intimidated by the towering expectations.
“It’s very discouraging in the beginning, especially for the new people now,” Farenc said. “They see us jumping really high and they’re struggling to get the basics down. But realistically that’s where I was too. So, it’s not simple and it’s not easy to get into, but you keep working on it and eventually you get there.”
