Olympic Pole Vault Silver Medalist Jenn Stuczynski Out at Worlds

The
#2 women’s pole vaulter of all time and a four-time USA Outdoor
champion, Stuczynski has been battling a nagging injury of late that
will keep her from competing at the World Championships.

“Despite
my focused efforts for the last five weeks to get 100% healthy, I made
the decision on Sunday that I just can’t be ready in time to compete in
Berlin,” said Stuczynski.  “The doctors who are treating me say that my
Achilles injury is not serious, but it just has not improved enough for
me to vault next weekend.  I think I just ran out of time.  I’m
disappointed I won’t get the opportunity to join Team USA in Germany.”

Stuczynski will be replaced on the Team USA roster by 2004
Olympian and three-time previous U.S. World Outdoor Championships team
member Jillian Schwartz.

A
consistent performer that has been ranked in the top five in the U.S.
each year since 2003, Schwartz’s best performance at a previous World
Outdoor Championships was in 2005 when she finished 11th in Helsinki,
Finland. The fourth-place finisher at the 2009 USA Outdoor
Championships (4.45 meters/14 feet 7.25 inches), Schwartz’s best
clearance this season of 4.55m/14-11 came from her win July 12 in
Donnas. Her career best clearance of 4.72m/15-5.75i was set in
Jonesboro, Ark., on June 15, 2008.

For more information on Team USA at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, visit:  www.usatf.org