Senate Resolution 70

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING FORMER OLE MISS TRACK-AND-FIELD STAR AND OXFORD NATIVE SAM KENDRICKS FOR EARNING A SILVER MEDAL IN THE MEN'S POLE VAULT EVENT AT THE 2024 OLYMPICS IN PARIS AND FOR HIS OUTSTANDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CAREER.

WHEREAS, former Ole Miss track-and-field star and Oxford native Sam Kendricks earned a Silver Medal in the men's pole vault event on August 5, 2024, at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Kendricks cleared a distance of 5.95 meters, his season's best. His personal best is 6.06 meters; and

WHEREAS, Samuel Hathorn Kendricks is a three-time indoor and six-time outdoor National Champion (2014–2019), the 2016 Olympics Bronze and 2024 Olympics Silver Medalist, and the 2017 and 2019 World Champion. In 2019, Kendricks set the American pole vault record at 6.06 m, tying with Steve Hooker for fourth all time. He later won the Gold Medal at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar; and

WHEREAS, Kendricks vaulted for Oxford High School in his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi, leading his team to the 2009 MHSAA 5A State Championship. He vaulted 17 ft. 0 in. (5.18 m) to set the then-state record, later broken in 2023 by his brother John Scott with a vault of 17 ft. 1 in. (5.2 m). Sam won the state meet outdoors in 2010 and 2011, and indoors in 2011. He also lettered in cross country and soccer. In 2011, he was named the Gatorade Boys' High School Track-and-Field Athlete of the Year for Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, while vaulting for the University of Mississippi, Kendricks won the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Championships. He broke both Ole Miss Rebels pole vault records as a freshman. Kendricks announced that he would be turning pro in 2014; and

WHEREAS, Kendricks set his personal best of 5.86 m (19 ft. 2-1/2 in.) at the indoor 2015 Reno Pole Vault Summit. Kendrick uses a hand hold at 15 ft. 5 in. (4.69 m) and from his performance in Reno claims the "Push-off" World Record at 4 ft. 6 in. (1.37 m). He won the men's pole vault at the 2015 U.S. Outdoor Championships in 5.75 m (18 ft. 10-1/4 in.). He won the prelims of the 2015 World Championships in Athletics – Men's Pole Vault, and finished 9th in 5.65 m (18 ft. 6-1/4 in.); and

WHEREAS, after setting a personal best outdoors at the IAAF World Challenge in Beijing, at 5.92 m (19 ft. 5 in.), Kendricks won the U.S. Olympic Trials at 5.91 m (19 ft. 4-1/2 in.). At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he won the Bronze Medal. Kendricks also garnered attention during the Olympics when he stopped mid run during a pole vault attempt to stand at attention while "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played; and

WHEREAS, on June 24, 2017, Kendricks became the 22nd person to join the Six Meters Club by vaulting exactly 6.00 m (19 ft. 8 in.) while winning the 2017 USA Outdoor Track-and-Field Championships in Sacramento, California. On July 27, 2019, Kendricks set the American pole vault record by jumping 6.06 m. Kendricks placed second in the U.S. Olympic trials at 5.91 m (19 ft. 2-1/4 in.) tied with KC Lightfoot; however, he tested positive for COVID-19 in the Olympic Village, and had to withdraw from the 2020 Summer Olympics as a result, missing the pole vault competition; and

WHEREAS, leading up to the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials final, Kendricks stated that he might be inclined to forgo the 2024 Olympics after his experience from Tokyo 2020 when he claimed that his positive COVID-19 test had been a false positive and the USOC had done nothing to fight on his behalf. On June 23, 2024, he won his 7th outdoor (11th overall) U.S. National Pole Vault Championship by clearing 5.92 m (19 ft. 5 in.) and earned an automatic bid for the Olympics. After the competition was over, he confirmed that he would be going to Paris; and

WHEREAS, in the 2024 Olympic Men's Pole Vault final, he claimed the Silver Medal for Team USA by clearing a height of 5.95 m (19 ft. 6-1/4 in.). He was defeated by Armand "Mondo" Duplantis who set a new world record at 6.25 m (20 ft. 6 in.). With more than 77,000 breathless people zeroed in on him - every other event had finished by 10 p.m., which meant pole vault got all the attention. Duplantis' vault set off an eruption in Stade de France, led by Sam Kendricks, who went streaking across the track to celebrate with his friend. "Pole vault breeds brotherhood," Kendricks said of the celebration with Duplantis. The event went on for more than three hours, with vaulters passing time chatting with each other between jumps; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we join the track-and-field sports world in recognizing an outstanding Mississippi athlete who has brought honor to his family, his hometown, his university and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate former Ole Miss Track-and-Field Star and Oxford native Sam Kendricks for earning a Silver Medal in the men's pole vault event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and for his outstanding national championship career; and extend the best wishes of the Mississippi Senate to Sam for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Sam Kendricks, forwarded to the Athletic Director of the University of Mississippi and Oxford High School, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.