Despite somewhat underwhelming team finishes at the Utica College Invitational, the Oswego State track and field teams saw two of its own records shattered. Sarah Yensan, a senior long jumper, and Nathan Jennings, a sophomore pole vaulter, made history, claiming the program record in their respective events.
This past Saturday, Yensan broke the Oswego State indoor long jump record with a jump of 5.58 meters. Jennings broke the Oswego State indoor pole vault record with a vault of 4.10 meters. The two have no plans of stopping any time soon, they want to keep getting better. Any elite individual competitor can relate to their passion, they keep wanting to raise the ceiling a bit further each meet. Jennings does not think there is an end in sight.
“After doing four [personal records] in a row,” Jennings said. “It’s kind of hard to say I want to do a PR, I want to do another PR. But I do. I want to clear 14 feet [4.27 meters]. That’s my goal for this weekend, I want to clear 14 feet.”
Jennings’ enthusiasm blossomed with that response, he seems to understand the territory he is getting into. It is just him when it comes to the Oswego State record book, as a sophomore he has many more chances to keep breaking records. He paused before the last sentence though, almost in disbelief that the 14-foot mark was within his reach going into this weekend. Jennings is an elite competitor, who wants to keep pushing that bar up, quite literally.
As for Yensan, she is excited to keep getting better this senior season, smiling in her responses.
“I think so yeah,” said Yensan. “I’m feeling ready to break more records.”
Head coach Jacob Smith believes that Yensan and Jennings are carrying the units that they work with every day in practice.
“Obviously, we are well aware of the potential and ability that Sarah and Nathan have,” Smith said. “Their entire group that they work with, with the sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers have been doing great all season. They have put up some good performances; they are carrying the team. I’m pretty happy with the results they have been getting and that’s a testament to how hard they work.”
The constant themes when it comes to Yensan and Jennings is their hard work. They have been training for a very long time to take down these school records. It has not been something that was a given since day one. The hours of practice and intense attention to detail have propelled the two to greater heights. Standing alone above the rest of the team this year so far.
As a freshman last year, Jennings pole vaulted 3.45 meters. Almost a year later he has improved that mark by over two feet. Yensan’s change in jumping distance is not as drastic, but she still has improved by almost a half meter from her personal best long jump from her freshman year in 2017.
An interesting thing to note about Yensan is that her jump of 5.58 meters was nothing new for her. It was .16 meters behind her outdoor personal best of 5.74 meters last spring at the AARTFC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It seems to go against common logic, as a controlled environment indoors should produce the best results. But for her, that is not the case, as she always produces better outdoors.
“For some reason, I always do better in outdoor than indoor,” Yensan said. “I don’t know why it works like that. Which you would think it’s opposite because of the weather outdoors.”
Yensan and Jennings have a chance to extend their program records this weekend when the track and field team heads to Brockport for The College at Brockport Invitational. This will be the first of three more meets until the SUNYAC Championship that will be held Feb. 28.
Graphic by Patrick Higgins | The Oswegonian
