Teen Vaults 18 Feet, Breaks Dad's 27-Year Arizona Record

Seventeen-year-old Kadyn Hysong just made Arizona history by becoming the first high school pole vaulter in the state to clear 18 feet, shattering a record his father held for 27 years. The jump didn't just break a state record. It also tied the national sophomore outdoor record at Nike Outdoor Nationals in Oregon last month.

Kadyn's father is Nick Hysong, who won gold at the 2000 Olympic Games and was Arizona's first high school vaulter to clear 17 feet. Now his son has jumped a foot higher while still in high school.

"It's just so cool," Kadyn said about pole vaulting. "I mean, you get to run down and just basically fly."

The sport runs deep in the Hysong family, with Kadyn learning the basics in their backyard from his Olympic champion dad. He remembers the moment in first grade when his father brought his gold medal to show and tell, realizing for the first time that his dad had accomplished something extraordinary.

Nick said his son has already achieved something he never did as an athlete. "Everybody I've ever known has always wanted to jump their age," Nick explained. "I never jumped my age. He's jumping a foot above his age."

After clearing 18 feet, Kadyn showed more emotion than usual for the typically composed athlete. "I usually don't show that much excitement in my jumps, but after jumping 18, I feel like even on camera it might not seem like the most, but it's definitely been the most excited I've ever been," he said.

Kadyn doesn't just pole vault. He's a three-sport athlete who also competes in swimming and basketball, winning two state swimming titles last year and finishing second in pole vault and fifth in the 200-meter dash at state track championships.

He credits his multi-sport approach with keeping him sharp. "It's just kind of refreshing to not do the same thing over and over again," Kadyn said. "I feel like it keeps my mind fresh and keeps me from burning out."

Why This Inspires

There's something beautiful about a father watching his son soar past the heights he once reached. Nick's world record still stands more than a foot above Kadyn's current mark, but the teenager has years ahead of him and Olympic dreams in his sights.

When asked about competing at the Olympics like his dad, Kadyn didn't hesitate. "I do. I really see it being a future for me."

Nick, ever the supportive father, knows the journey is just beginning. "We'll see," he said with a smile. "He's still got a foot and he's got a foot and four inches to go."

For now, the next generation is flying high and making Arizona proud.