14 feet and 6 inches. This was the mark set by B-CC senior Seamus McCann for the highest pole vault in MCPS during the 2023-24 season. But he wasn’t always the record holder, the guy at the top others aim to knock off. He got a much later start to the sport than many of the athletes he’s competing against.
“I started pole vault the summer before freshman year, so I’ve been practicing for about three and a half years now,” McCann said.
In that time, he improved from someone who could hardly get off the ground, to a recruited athlete and top performer for B-CC’s track and field teams. Although the results hardly show it, this season wasn’t without its unique challenges. “I broke my finger around October, which stopped me from practicing for a couple of months,” he said.
Despite a slightly disappointing conclusion to the season, placing third in the state championships, McCann has a bright future ahead of him. He will look to continue his pole-vaulting career through college as he is currently committed to the Division III school, Denison University.
