Sandi Morris proved once again why she’s one of the world’s elite pole vaulters, securing a thrilling victory at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome.
The three-time world silver medalist cleared 4.75m in the third round to take the win, then soared even higher with a seasonal best of 4.80m, setting a new world lead for 2024.
The competition was fierce, with Italy’s Roberta Bruni and American Gabriela Leon sharing second place at 4.65m, while world indoor champion Marie-Julie Bonnin, Angelica Moser, and Tina Sutej tied for fourth at 4.50m.
A Monumental Win After a Two-Year Drought
For Morris, this Diamond League triumph was especially meaningful, her first since 2022.
“Today is monumental for me on a personal level,” she said after the competition.
“There was a little bit of pressure there at 4.75m. I knew whoever could go over that height would probably take the win.”
But Morris admitted that her focus wasn’t entirely on the competition.
“I had a lot more going on, and it kind of distracted me,” she revealed.
“But I went back to a longer approach and switched to longer poles, all in one day. This was something I decided earlier today, last minute.”
Her ability to tune out external noise and trust her instincts proved crucial.
“All of my focus was just on me, and that’s the key in individual events. You need to ignore your competitors and just do what you need to do to execute well.”
A Career Defined by Consistency and Records
This latest victory adds to a storied career that has seen her consistently perform on the biggest stages. She famously won Olympic silver in Rio 2016 and added World Championship silvers in 2017 and 2019.
Morris also claimed gold at the 2018 World Indoor Championships, equaling her personal best of 4.95m and setting a new championship record.
In July 2016, she broke Jennifer Suhr’s American outdoor record with a clearance of 4.93m at the American Track League in Houston. Just two months later, Morris soared to 5.00m at the IAAF Diamond League Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, setting a U.S. women’s outdoor pole vault record that reaffirmed her place among the world’s elite.
