Track and Field: Pair of Las Lomas Pole Vaulters Reach State Championships

Randy Kramasz has coached Las Lomas High School track and field athletes in pole vaulting for more than 20 years, and never had any of his girls athletes pole vault over 12 feet.

It took two decades, but Knights senior Lauryann Jiang and sophomore Cimran Virdi became the first under Kramasz's wing to accomplish that feat.

In the process, both broke the school record and pushed their way for a shot at the top spot in the state track and field championships, which start today and finish tomorrow at Buchanan High School in Clovis.

 "This is the first time I've ever had anyone over 12 feet," Kramasz said. "The old school record was 12 feet, so they've both beaten the old school record."

Jenna Homes held the old school record of 12 feet set at the 2006 Diablo Foothill Athletic League meet.

"I'm hoping we get 12 feet, six inches or 13 feet this weekend," Kramasz said. "They both have the potential to go over 13 feet. If we put everything together we may see that."

Both girls credit friends for getting them into the sport, but both have different reasons for it becoming a passion.

Jiang wanted to do something for herself — an activity that wasn't directed by her parents. 

"It was my way of rebelling," Jiang said. "It was something I could do that was completely for me." 

The Knights' senior is at the state meet for the second straight year. She broke the North Coast Section Tri-Valley meet record by more than six inches with a 12-foot, one-inch jump.

 "I'd say that this year kind of has been the year where I can have fun," she said. "The culmination of where I can put everything together. It's been a good experience."

Jiang couldn't emphasize just how much Kramasz has done for her as a pole vaulter.

"That's hard to put in words because he's done so much," she said. "The hardest thing for me was trying to go through mental blocks. He's really helped me believe in myself. It's unbelievable how much having a positive attitude, how much that can help."

Virdi was a gymnast before she entered the world of track and field. She simply got tired of watching other gymnasts punish themselves.

"They'd beat themselves because they weren't good enough," she said.

Virdi tried sprinting but didn't like it. Then she tried pole vaulting and loved it. That's when she met Kramasz and the bond slowly formed between athlete and coach.

"Randy told me I could be good at it and I started focusing on it more," she said. "And I turned out to be good, I guess."

Virdi is just happy she made it to the State meet, but wants to push for more.

"I would really, really like to make it to the second day, and it would be great just to place in state," she said. "But even if that doesn't happen, I'm just really proud of myself."

Virdi wants to continue pole vaulting through college, and someday possibly go to the Olympics. That, for now, remains a distant dream for the high school sophomore.

Jiang is a Stanford-bound senior with a 4.6 grade point average; she's probably one of the smartest kids in the school, Kramasz said.

"Well, Lauryann has always been the most coachable athlete I've ever coached," Kramasz said. "Really easy to work with. Whenever I ask her to do something, she always does it. She never complains. She just does it.

Kramasz believes that Virdi may be following in Jiang's footsteps.

 "I believe it's Lauryann's example that has made Cimran so good," Kramasz said. "I think Cimi looked up to Lauryann and tried to work as hard to work, and it's paid off. If she keeps working that hard--who knows how high she'll go."

It certainly seems like Virdi may be adopting some of Jiang's work ethic. She's the No. 2 girl pole vaulter in the NCS (a 12-6 jump by Nicola Garoute of Piedmont is No. 1), according to dyestatcal.com. She's also the No. 1 sophomore in California, and No. 11 overall  in the state.

Asked if either Jiang or Virdi has a shot at the girls national high school record of 14 feet, two inches — set by Tori Anthony of Castilleja High School of Palo Alto in the 2007 Golden West A outdoors meet — Kramas remained realistic.

"I suppose it's always a possibility, but I'm not expecting that," said Kramasz. "That's about two feet higher than they've already jumped. It would be incredible."

Jiang and Virdi are looking forward to competing at the Golden West Invitational in Folsom next weekend, and possibly qualifying for the Junior Olympics in Sacramento at the end of July.

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Watch video of Jiang pole-vaulting

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DanvillePatch: SRV sends seven to state

PleasantonPatch: Meet Amador's qualifiers

SanRamonPatch: Cal sends five; its entire girls distance team

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