The American teenager was among the absolute top of the pole vault three years ago. Many difficult seasons are behind us now.
American by KC Lightfoot should have been three years ago by Armand Duplantis very challenging.
Lightfoot’s name was on everyone’s lips in sports circles when he broke the American record in June 2023. At the time, the 23-year-old’s 607 jump was the third-highest outdoor jump in history.
After his record jump, Lightfoot crossed the six-meter ghost mark one more time on June 10, 2023.
After that, the bar started to fall. The American did not make it to the fall World Championships, nor to the following ones either.
Lightfoot’s name disappeared from the top of the pole vault. New names took their place.
What really happened to the top promise?
KC Lightfoot traveled to Turku for the Paavo Nurmi Games. The same grass
Lightfoot’s luck could be described as bad, to say the least. He suffered from a bad hip injury in the season before his record jump and a hamstring injury at the beginning of 2023. Last year, he broke the navicular bone in his foot, and he couldn’t train at all.
The best result of the 2025 season was 575. In the season before that, he jumped 592.
– Last season was really tough, Lightfoot sighs along the Aurajoki in front of the Turku museum on the first Tuesday evening of June.
– I didn’t train at all because I just couldn’t. I had to wear an ankle brace and can’t run in it.
The U.S. promise was hyped alongside Duplantis a few years ago. PDO
Safe from God
Growing up in Missouri, Lightfoot has taken refuge in faith in the midst of adversity. The relationship with faith began to strengthen when Lightfoot began his studies at the Christian, private Baylor University.
The idea of God has helped Lightfoot deal with, among other things, the unpleasant feelings brought by injuries.
– Naturally, I wouldn’t want to get injured, but I find it comforting to be able to trust someone who has prepared the plans for me. I don’t know why, but I believe that if he planned this for me, it must have been for a purpose, Lightfoot describes.
– It’s a support network that never disappears.
The Bible goes with Lightfoot everywhere. He also has it with him in Turku, where he traveled for the famous Paavo Nurmi Games competition.
– Wherever I go, it’s always with me.
Lightfoot seeks comfort from God. The same grass
Lightfoot also carries a cross that hangs conspicuously around his neck. She hasn’t taken off her pendant in five years, and there’s a reason for that.
– When I became a professional in 2021, many things changed a lot. People were pulling me in different directions and I was really struggling in the pole vault, Lightfoot begins.
Lightfoot had a mental struggle with himself, which was directly reflected in sports. He couldn’t either put the stick in the hole or jump and ended up constantly running through. The situation continued for about a month, which seemed like an eternity to the athlete.
Then the direction changed.
KC Lightfoot represented the United States at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and finished fourth. The same grass
Lightfoot had just received a crucifix as a gift and left it around his neck before practice. She had never jumped with a necklace around her neck before.
– Previously, I had always taken the watch off my wrist, because I didn’t want to wear anything extra when I jumped, Lightfoot says.
That day, the exercises went well for the first time in a long time.
Lightfoot decided to keep the jewelry in the Olympic qualifiers as well and jumped himself into the US team.
– I haven’t taken it off since then.
Towards the future
In light of Lightfoot’s results, the current year has started more promisingly than the previous one. He jumped 591 at his best during the reign.
However, the level of men’s pole vaulting has hardened since Lightfoot’s best years. The Greek Emmanouil Karalis, 26, has emerged as ME man Duplantis’ toughest competitor.
Karalis broke through two years ago, when he crossed the six-meter mark and won the Olympic bronze with a result of 590. Nowadays, the man crosses six meters routinely.
In addition to Karalis and Duplantis, Australian Kurtis Marschall, 29, has surpassed six meters this year.
KC Lightfoot (left) used to be considered Armand Duplantis (center)’s toughest challenger. Now the situation has changed. In the picture on the right is Sam Kendricks from the USA. EPA / AOP
Leveling up doesn’t faze Lightfoot.
– I competed against them during the government period, and I did relatively well. Everyone jumps well, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing, Lightfoot sees.
– Everyone has bad and good days. I wish the rankings would keep changing because if only one person wins all the time it can get boring.
Reaching the top is not impossible for Lightfoot. The man turns 27 at the end of the year, and for example former world record holder Serhi Bubka jumped his outdoor track record at the age of 30, and French legend Renaud Lavillenie broke the world record at the age of 27.
– I’m still relatively young. Some say the best age is 28, Lightfoot says.
Lightfoot’s best years may yet be ahead. PDO
Lightfoot’s goals at the moment are moderate and realistic. Beating Duplantis, for example, is not the first thing on your mind right now. Improving the US record to 610 would be a big achievement for Lightfoot. In addition, he hopes to stay healthy.
– Of course, everyone would like to be the guy who is the best of all. Sure, we all try our best, but him [Duplantisia] is just really hard to beat. He jumps really well and is really fast, Lightfoot says.
– I bet he is the fastest pole vaulter in history. There’s something about him the same as In Usain Bolt – he’s just faster than anyone else.
Lightfoot jumped second in PNG on Wednesday with a result of 572. Karalis won the competition with a jump of six meters, and Norway’s Simen Guttormsen came in third with 560.