Clodfelter set to compete for world title

Chet Clodfelter celebrates moments after clearing the bar a 13 feet, 6.25 inches, a new U.S. record for his age group.

Family Goals Photography/SARAH GERKEN

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Top seeded in the competition, Chet Clodfelter will compete for a world title in the men’s 60-64-year-old pole vault on Thursday.

Clodfelter’s group at the 2024 World Masters Athletic Championships is set to compete at 2 p.m. in Sweden, which is 8 a.m. in Indiana.

While there are not any clear livestream options, the results will be available online at https://world-masters-athletics.org/.

Clodfelter qualified for the games last month when he won the pole vault for his age group at the Pan American Masters Track & Field Championships last month. His vault of 4.12 meters (13 feet, 6.24 inches) not only won the competition but set a new American record.

Now the veteran vaulter has not only a world championship on his mind but the possibility of a world record, which is currently 4.32 meters (14 feet, 2 inches).

“That’s not out of reach, honestly,” Clodfelter told the Banner Graphic shortly after the July meet. “That’s just a matter of if I’m not hurt and if I have a good day on poles I’m not familiar with.”

While the status of Clodfelter’s wrist — which was injured when he set the U.S. record — is unclear, he will not be dealing with the issue of unfamiliar poles.

A group of community members came together last month to raise the money to ship Clodfelter’s own poles to Sweden.

Results of the competition will be printed in an upcoming edition of the Banner Graphic.