Foster sets pole vault record in Love/George meet

PORTALES — Clovis High's Burgin Foster not only managed to break his own school record in pole vault at Portales High's George/Love Invitational track meet on Friday, but he now owns the distinction of being this year's top vaulter in New Mexico.

While Foster broke his previous record of 14 feet, 6 inches by going 14-7 to take first place at the meet, the senior wasn't finished and continued vaulting. His milestone came when he cleared the 15-foot mark, accompanied by applause and cheers from the surrounding crowd that had grown around the event.

"It's absolutely unbelievable," said a winded Foster. "It got me the meet record and it's just amazing, having all my family and everyone here, just amazing."

Having won the Class 6A state championship last year, Foster is already on track to repeat in 2017. The next closest vault is 13-6 and was held by three vaulters — one of which was Foster himself. Caleb Bulten of Sandia hit the mark last weekend at the Las Cruces Invite, while Centennial's Isaiah Galines accomplished the feat in March at the Rolla-Buck White Sands Invite.

"The good thing about him is he is still improving," Clovis coach Darren Kelley said. "Every meet last year he improved. I think he's just now getting to where he will make that big jump."

Foster and Kelley see big things in the future, with Kelley going as far as to say that with a little more improvement, the vaulter can take his skills to the next level.

"Well, for (Foster's) future, if he can go 15-6 or higher, he can go to school somewhere and get a scholarship," Kelley said. "The nice thing is he isn't afraid to grab one of those bigger poles, and that's probably the thing that's helped him out is that confidence to attack it."