Moorestown’s Hannah Byrd-Leitner, a freshman at Virginia, recorded the 2nd-best indoor pole vault of her life Friday in Blacksburg, Va.
Byrd-Leitner cleared 12-11 on her 1st attempt at the Hokie Invitational at Virginia Tech, her best indoor clearance since a 13-0 clearance when she won the state Group 3 title at the Bubble this past February as a senior at Moorestown.
She took three attempts at a lifetime-best 13-3. Post-collegiate Sydney Horn, a 10-tine All-America at High Point, won the event at 14-10 ¾, 8th-best in the world this year.
Byrd-Leitner’s 12-11 is 5th-best all-time clearance by a Virginia freshman and 11th on the all-time Virginia performance list.
She’s now tied for 9th in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year and No. 2 freshman, behind only Annie Kerr of North Carolina, who cleared 13-3 last week in Chapel Hill.
Byrd-Leitner’s lifetime best is 13-2 from her win at the 2024 outdoor Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 