The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Like father like son.

While Brent Vanderpool set the stage, he has passed the pole onto his son Brenden Vanderpool, who is now taking pole vaulting to higher heights for the Bahamas on the international scene.

At one point, Brent Vanderpool soared to the top of the bar as both the indoor and outdoor national record holder. Last year, Brenden Vanderpool erased his father’s name from the record book when he cleared 16-feet, 7 1/4-inches or 5.06 metres for the gold at the Bahamas’ hosting of the prestigious CARIFTA Games in April to surpass Brent’s mark of 16-0 1/2 (4.89m) in 1987, also in Nassau.

Brenden Vanderpool also inked his name on the Bahamas’ junior national record, replacing the previous mark of (4.26m) that was previously held by the late Brent Johnson at the 1987 CARIFTA in Port-of- Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.

Then this year, Brent Vanderpool’s national indoor record of 16-2 3/4 (4.95m) that he established at the Naval Academy - Halsey Field House in Annapolis, Maryland when decathlete Ken Mullings cleared 16-06 (5.03) at the Illini Open in Urbana, Illinois on January 6.

But that was short lived as Brenden Vanderpool went to the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama over the weekend where he soared 16-8 3/4 (5.10m) to improve on his Bahamian national record.

Now Brenden Vanderpool, who is in his freshman year at Samford University, is following his father’s footsteps, holding both the indoor and outdoor national records at the same time.

The 18-year-old Brenden Vanderpool wasn’t done as he closed out his season by adding a silver medal with a leap of (4.95m) at the NACAC Under-23 and Under-18 Championships in San Juan in July.

“For the most part, he believed in me, so it was kind of an expected thing,” said Brenden Vanderpool about following in the footsteps of his father Brent Vanderpool. “He always knew my potential and he wasn’t shocked by my performances.

“He always knew it was going to come. Most of the time, I just listened to him, but I always wanted to believe that I could do it. Now that I have the records, it’s secure in a way. It’s not just a distant dream that he is having or for me to have. It’s now a reality and I feel like I could only build on that.”

In just his fourth year in the sport, Brenden Vanderpool said he never envisioned that he would have achieved what he has done so far, but he owes it to God firstly, and secondly, to his father for the time and energy that he has helped him to develop, starting with his high school tenure.

“I just did it because it was just unique and fun, but I had no idea how far it would get me,” Brenden said. “And now making the transition from high school to college, I feel I can only get better in the sport.”

For the business major, the sky is certainly the limit, as far as just how high he can vault over the bar in the future.

“I’m very, very new compared to the people who I look up to and if I already attain this, how much more can I go. Really the sky is the limit for me,” he stated.

Today, Brenden Vanderpool will be back in action at the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama where he will compete in the Samford Invitational.

Hopefully, it will be another sterling performance.

Proud father Brent Vanderpool, said his son Brenden’s progress is right on track as he focuses on the essentials of the pole vault.

“His competitive college environment is aligned with his goals,” he said.

In critiquing his son’s performances, Brent Vanderpool said they work closely together, so he expects what he’s seen.

“We are in constant communication and I am fully abreast of his expectations, progress and goals,” said Brent, who serves as Brenden’s mental coach. “I also prepare his strength-training workouts. “We talk almost every day about what to focus on next. We talk in terms of what he has to do to be world class. His ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2028 Olympics and vault 19 feet. So we work for the intermediate goals with an eye on the long term goals.”

In the meantime, Brenden Vanderpool has secured an NIL deal with FiberSport USA, a company which provides poles for collegiate pole vaulters.

While he waits for his new shipment to come in, Brenden Vanderpool is hoping to clear at least 17-6 (5.35m) this year.