Former Park Hill Trojan Chris Nilsen, class of 2016, is headed to his second Olympics in Paris France as a pole vaulter.
Nilsen qualified for the Olympic games by making the top three at the United States Track and Field Trials held last week in Eugene, Ore. The men’s pole vault final was held on Sunday, June 23. Nilsen had a best jump of 5.87 meters to qualify.
“Feels just as good, if not better the second time around,” Nilsen said on his Instagram. “After a struggling season, I’m ecstatic to compete in Paris for Team USA.”
Nilsen’s first Olympics were three years ago after COVID-19 pushed the Tokyo, Japan games back to 2021. Nilsen won the silver medal at the Tokyo Games and has also added a silver and bronze medal at the World Championships and a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships. Nilsen is currently ranked third in the world rankings.
Nilsen was interviewed by RunnerSpace.com after his qualifying effort and gave a lot of credit to his college coach Derek Miles who was in attendance. Nilsen joked it was the first to Miles had been able to see him compete in person and said he should attend all his competitions. Nilsen said coming into the U.S. Trials he wasn’t performing up to his usual standards.
“I just had the worst outdoor season known to man specific to me,” Nilsen told RunnerSpace.com “I didn’t jump anything great; this is a season-best for me. I had to figure out some things and iron out the best of my techniques and I couldn’t, it just wasn’t happening. I hadn’t jumped 5.8 all season and that’s the Olympic standard.”
Nilsen talked a lot about the guys who didn’t make the team but if given the chance could medal at the Olympics. The former two-time Missouri State High School Champion and three-time NCAA champion said it’s hard for athletes to “game up” for every competition. Some of the best pole vaulters in the world had a bad day at the trials but Nilsen had his best day so far.
“I’m learning how to game up again and the Olympic trials kind of slapping you in the face saying, ‘You’ve got to go or you’re not making this team,’ is a good way to do it,” Nilsen told RunnerSpace.com. “You’ve got to show up on the day and I feel and I love for all the guys who didn’t make it because they all deserve it.”
While at Park Hill Nilsen set the Missouri state record in pole vault and was the first athlete to jump more than 17 feet in the event. Nilsen will try for his first gold medal in August at the summer games.