By Becca Gillespy Peter

​Update: ​Rick Suhr did not respond to requests for comment before the publication of this article. This morning, he posted the following on Facebook:

"Media, for real!! How inaccurate can it get? Can anyone just print anything! Jenn posted to improve issues for athletes, she simply asked to be heard...that's all. She stood up for what she believed...and now all the backlash fueled from the most inaccurate media. Even major media. At no point in her post were the words "protest", "progression", "field size", "unicorn" or "UFO" used. THIS HAD NOTHING TO DUE WITH ANY OF THAT! All invented by haters who just love to hate. My advise to media is being accurate gives you credibility, and more importantly keeps you from legal action. Jenn and I will keep our issues here private and they will go to the right people. Always stand up for what you believe! WHAT YOU STAND FOR MEANS MORE THAN WHAT YOU WIN!"

​Update two: ​Jenn Suhr posted on her own Facebook saying that she pulled out because of safety concerns, writing that "I stood up by not competing to bring necessary change for the safety of pole vaulting!" She said that she didn't call that out in her initial post because "I don't know who makes the shots and I don't know who answers to who. Why would I call it out in public when I need to talk with someone in private?"

Suhr cited the lack of a pad covering at the Olympic Trials last summer when it rained as a safety issue that she was concerned about. Her initial post, however, pointed in a different direction when she wrote that "Championship meets need to be administered in a way that gives the spectators the best competition while providing ALL competitors a fair and equal playing field producing the best results."

Our original article continues below.
​
On Friday, March 4, 2017, world indoor record holder in the pole vault Jenn Suhr announced her withdrawal from the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships two days before she was scheduled to compete.

On her Facebook, she said that she is healthy and ready to compete, but has decided not to deal with the frustrations that are increasingly worse at Nationals. She said she has voiced her concern to no avail, but she would be glad to share her concerns with a USATF rep on how things could be improved.

If that felt like vaguebooking, it was.

So what is Jenn Suhr so frustrated about that she chose not to participate in USAs?

Neither Jenn nor her husband Rick have commented publicly as to what her current frustrations are, but a common source of frustration for some of the very top elite vaulters is having to wait a long time to enter the competition.

At the prep and collegiate levels, pole vaulters who have to wait a certain period of time before entering the competition are given a chance to take a few warmup jumps when they do enter.

At the elite level, that warmup opportunity does not exist.

One of the most extreme examples came at the 2008 Olympics. In the qualifying round for the men's vault, American Brad Walker passed the first four heights. After waiting some time for the bar to reach his opening height, he was standing on the back of the runway about to take his first attempt when the standards broke. It led to lengthy delays before he could take his attempts. With no ability to warm up again, he no-heighted.

The amount of time it takes before a top vaulter enters the competition depends largely on the field size and the height progression.

At USATF Championships, there is always a balance to strike between the needs of all of the athletes, both in the short term and the long term.

In the pole vault, the top athletes would jump the highest in a small field and an opening height that is close to what they would open at. But international championships often have large fields and the top athletes often have to wait at those meets as well.

One of the top priorities of USATF is to win medals at Worlds and the Olympics. So why let athletes in the meet at all if they have no chance of making the team?  

Lower level athletes help create field sizes that are similar to what the top athletes will experience at international Championships. Allowing them in the meet also helps develop future top athletes. But it is important that their inclusion does not hinder the top athletes.

A good height progression is also very important in the vertical jumps.

A height progression that is too aggressive (advances too quickly) could result in a lot of athletes no-heighting or exiting the competition much earlier than normal, which is less exciting for the fans.

Conversely, a height progression that moves too slowly means a lot of waiting for the top athletes. Athletes can pass heights if they want, but the more heights offered, the longer everything takes.

The field size for the women's pole vault this year is 14. The target size was 16. All of the women who entered were accepted, four were below the entry standard. The field size in 2016 was 16, 2015 was 10, 2014 was 14.

The height progression in the women's pole vault this year is not as aggressive as it was in 2016, but it is more aggressive than any other previous year.

USATF's chief marketing officer Jill Geer couldn't comment on Jenn's withdrawal from the meet, but she did release this statement:

Qualifying standards and progressions for USATF Championships are set by USATF sport committees. Standards are set the previous year, and progressions are determined after the declaration process to ensure that the event progresses in a way that is as timely and fair as possible. Events are conducted in accordance with official competition rules. Different events have different considerations sets, but the rules of competition on all levels preclude exceptions being made for specific individuals.
Perhaps some other issue led to Jenn's frustration and withdrawal. It is a disappointment to the fans who were looking forward to seeing an exciting battle between her and Sandi Morris.

One thing is for sure: To make the 2017 World Championships team, Jenn will have to compete at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Sacramento.