Hannah Byrd-Leitner, a freshman at Virginia and a three-time Meet of Champions pole vault champ for Moorestown, started off her college career by placing 3rd in the Liberty Kickoff in Lynchburg, Va.
Byrd-Leitner cleared 12-9 ½, which is only two inches outside the all-time Virginia top-10 and only 2 ½ inches off her indoor PR of 13-0, which she set when she won the state Group 3 title at the Bubble this past February.
Byrd-Leitner cleared 11-3 ¾ on her 1st attempt, 11-9 ¾ on her 2nd and 12-9 ½ on her 1st. She went out at 13-3 ½, which would have been a lifetime best. She cleared 13-2 outdoors when she won the 2024 Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
Her 12-9 ½ clearance is 5th-best all-time by a Virginia freshman.
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/625181/results/f/4/pv?tab=field-series
12-9 ½
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 