DES MOINES, IA — KC Lightfoot cleared a career-best bar of 18-10.75 (5.76m) Saturday afternoon to earn a spot on the United States team for the World Championships and finish third in the pole vault at the 2019 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
“I’m so proud of KC,” Baylor head coach Todd Harbour said. “What an incredible accomplishment for an outstanding young man. He will now represent our country and Baylor well in Doha.”
Lightfoot was successful on his first four jumps, tying his personal best entering the meet (18-8.75) without a blemish. The Lee’s Summit, Mo., native then delivered on his second attempt at 18-10.75 to complete a career day. Lightfoot will now head to the 2019 IAAF World Championships Sept. 28-Oct. 6 in Doha, Qatar.
“KC was in the right spot mentally and physically today,” Baylor pole vault coach Brandon Richards said. “KC and I both knew that to make the world team he needed to be clean with no misses, and he did just that.”
Lightfoot’s personal-best mark bolsters his spot at No. 2 on the Baylor all-time outdoor performers list and ranks as the third-best jump overall in school history.
“KC was not going to be denied today,” Richards said. “He had a tremendous day, and I am super proud of him. All the credit goes to our Lord God for helping KC fly today. Two veterans and two freshmen going to World Championships. You’ve got to love that.”
In the women’s 100-meter hurdles semifinals, Tiffani McReynolds finished fifth in the first heat with a time of 12.98 to fall short of a bid to the finals.
Two more former Baylor student-athletes are still to compete in Des Moines as Lauren (Hagans) Paquette (5,000 meters) and Annie Rhodes-Johnigan (pole vault) will take the stage on Sunday. The women's Chocolate Milk 5,000 meters will run at 6:42 p.m. CT and the women's pole vault will take place at 5:10 p.m. CT.
Live results from the USATF Championships can be found at https://results.usatf.org/ [results.usatf.org]. Sunday's action will be on the subscription-based NBC Sports Gold beginning at 3 p.m. CT, will be on NBCSN from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. CT, and will finish up on NBC from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. CT.
For updates on the Baylor Track & Field team throughout the offseason, follow the team's social media accounts: @BaylorTrack.
