Park Hill grad Chris Nilsen gains 3rd NCAA pole championship at national meet in Austin

Park Hill High product and current University of South Dakota pole vaulter Chris Nilsen has captured his third national title in the NCAA Track and Field Championships.

Nilsen, who has hopes of making the U.S. Olympic team for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, broke his own championship meet record in the process with a personal best height of 19 feet, 6¼ inches (482.6 millimeters) at the University of Texas Wednesday night.

Nilsen’s record height was a highlight of the first evening of the meet, but several other meet records were also broken. Seven men clearing 18 feet, 4½ inches (457.2 millimeters) was a record, as was three men vaulting 18 feet, 10¼ inches (457.2 millimeters).

The meet continues through Saturday. Up for grabs Thursday were NCAA titles in men’s decathlon, the women’s 10,000 meters, women’s hammer throw, women’s pole vault, women’s javelin, women’s long jump and women’s shot put.