INACTIVE for seven months, Fil-Am pole vaulter and Olympic hopeful Natalie Uy had a promising return to the field yesterday (Tuesday in the US), booking a new national record of 4.30 meters while finishing fifth in the USATF Invitational meet at the Prairie View A&M Stadium in Texas.
The comely athlete reset the national mark of 5.25 meters she booked in ruling the event when she made her debut in the 30th Southeast Asian Games two years ago at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
American Morgan LeLeux cleared 4.60 meters to top the event while compatriots Kortney Ross and Olivia Gruver finished second and third, respectively, at 4.50 meters. Ross took the silver with less tries at the height.
Uy, who had to undergo wrist surgery on her throwing hand last September, matched her old personal record of 4.30 meters set on June 16, 2018 at the Spanish Club championships in Castellon de la Plana, Spain when she was still not a member of the national team.
“This was Natalie’s first major meet since injuring her wrist in September. The result is promising,” said track chief Philip Ella Juico, adding Uy still has 10 meets to go to equal or surpass the women’s pole vault Olympic qualifying mark of 4.70 meters.
It will be an uphill struggle for Uy, who needs to add another 30 centimeters to her effort, or more than one-and-a-half feet, to match or surpass the Olympic grade before the cut-off date on June 29.
